Ive now played in 7 or 10 tournaments. Ive won one, placed in the top 20 2 or 3 times, and made it to the money (top 60 or 40) a couple more times. So I suppose im doing well at this point.

However, there is something that is bothering me.

At any given moment in any given tournament I can take a look at the chip leaders chip count, as well as the average chip count for the tournament, and I am below.

Typically I will be just below the average, sometimes significantly lower than average (half average or so).

Last night i stayed in darn near last place from the starting gate and made it for 2 and a half hours only to be booted out in 61 (ONE AWAY FROM THE MONEY). The large blind was coming my way and I didnt have enough to post it and rather than hoping that last person would get the boot before the blind made it to me, I took destiny into my own hands when I picked up an Ace Queen off... either way it was a gamble I suppose and this one didnt pay.

Anyway it really got me thinking about my chip stack and why it seems to be low at all times yet I still make it for so long.

Originally Posted by cF00

Ive now played in 7 or 10 tournaments. Ive won one, placed in the top 20 2 or 3 times, and made it to the money (top 60 or 40) a couple more times. So I suppose im doing well at this point.

However, there is something that is bothering me.

At any given moment in any given tournament I can take a look at the chip leaders chip count, as well as the average chip count for the tournament, and I am below.

Typically I will be just below the average, sometimes significantly lower than average (half average or so).

Last night i stayed in darn near last place from the starting gate and made it for 2 and a half hours only to be booted out in 61 (ONE AWAY FROM THE MONEY). The large blind was coming my way and I didnt have enough to post it and rather than hoping that last person would get the boot before the blind made it to me, I took destiny into my own hands when I picked up an Ace Queen off... either way it was a gamble I suppose and this one didnt pay.

Anyway it really got me thinking about my chip stack and why it seems to be low at all times yet I still make it for so long.

You need to use your M (ratio of your chip stack to the starting pot) to determine your play better. Waiting until you can't post the next BB is way too late (you don't scare anyone if you can't even make the blind). Here's a very brief guide to the way I play (some will recognize it's origin from Dan Harrington - I've found it very effective):

M = My Chip Stack/(BB + SB + starting Antes) (All antes, if no ante, then just BB+SB)

M >= 20 - "Green Zone", Normal play. I can make speculative plays like limping to hit a set, suited connectors, etc.

20 > M > 15 - The "Yellow Zone". I now have to be very careful with any speculative plays. I no longer limp with the smallest pairs to hit a set, only with ones that could also win the hand on their own (55, 66), I throw away suited connectors below 89, stop playing suited semi-connectors (8T, J9, QT) and stop playing unsuited hands like JT & QJ unless I'm in position to steal with a raise.

15 > M > 10 - The "Orange Zone". I no longer make speculative plays. I'm playing solid values only or pure bluffs to steal the blinds. My raises are strong - all in is something I consider on every hand.

10 > M > 5 - The "Red Zone". If I have an unopened pot, I'm pushing all in with any suited connector 67 or above, any pair, any 2 face cards, any ace (really prefer A8 or above, but beggars can't be choosers), or any king above K9. Most of the time I'm happy to just pick up the blinds and antes, which will represent at least 10% of my stack. If I do get a big pair QQ, KK, AA, I make a normal sized raise (3-5x bb) about 50% of the time, and all in the other 50% (obviously, I want calls, but there's a lot of factors that go into how I play here).

M < 5 - The "Dead Zone". This is the land of the walking dead. I only get here if I have gotten into a big confrontation with another big stack and barely survive. I don't scare anyone, and there's really not any reason to wait around for cards (every round I wait is 20% of my chipstack, and if the blinds go up in that time it's even more). I'll usually just wait 3-4 hands (so I don't get calls with people thinking I'm tilting) and push in with any 2 cards. I'm going to have to get lucky a couple of times to have any real shot, so might as well start now. Even if I have J2 offsuit, I'm not that huge a dog to AKs.

ok i think i need to reevaluate my starting hands... judging by your breakdown i think i wait for too strong of hands.