Hi guys. Wanted some advice on how to play in MTT's when card dead. Nearly all my MTTs follow the same pattern.

Early stages - Play nothing but premium hands, tend to end up around double the average chip stack when the antes kick in.

Ante's - Loosen opening range slightly, include high suited connects 8's + , smaller pairs and small suited connectors I'll limp in with if people have before me.

Mid Stages - This is where the average stack catches up with mine, I don't lose to many chips, but as the blinds go up, it becomes more difficult getting involved when I know one wrong move will cripple me.

I'll then get into a cycle, of getting it all in with AK, 8's + and folding back down below the average stack. I don't often get my money in bad, but luck doesn't hold for ever

In smaller 200ish fields I have had some success. Final tabled the $3.50r 180 man s&g on stars 3 times straight and got a second in a $22, $5000gtd on party poker.

But I don't think I've cashed in a big field MTT for about 6 months, and even then it was not much more than a min cash.

I think what I'm asking is, how and when to play average cards during a bad run of cards. Although maybe I'm not doing something a lot more obvious.

Any feedback welcome, cheers

I bully the blinds when I'm low, shove on any half decent hole cards. Maybe you are loosing up too late.

A good book although not directly related is Colin moshmans sit n go strategy. Helped me loads! GL

Every situation is different. There is not a system, pattern, that works best.
You have to adjust your play depending on a lot of factors. Yes, your hand is one of them, but there are a lot more:

• Blinds
• Villains
• Position
• Bubble?
• Your own image
• Stacksizes

And so on..

Yes, shoving AKs with 10bb on the button is good. No doubt about that. But what about T6o? Here is when you need more info other than just the strength of your hand.

T6o definately is not a good hand, but you should be happy to get it in against, for instance, a fish who has about the same stacksize and is determined to get itm.

Against a big chipleader who's calling range is very wide, you might want to wait for a better spot.

As always in poker, every situation is a kind of one-of-a-kind The more you play and study the game, the more you'll recognize certain spots and oppertunities.

''Don't play the cards, play the player''

Use your tight image to take pots pre-flop when the antes come into play just winning the blinds + antes a few times will help keep your stack growing.

7 Part Video series on MTT Strategy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiU_K27i0VE

Those videos were really useful, thanks for the advice guys