I play mostly 2000 seat MTT freerolls on absolute lately (financial decision), and I find that there are generally two times in the tourny that I'm low stacked, sometimes at the beginning, no big deal and when it comes to the wire at the end, the part I'm more concerned about.
I have the most success when I play borderline very tight and watch play closely (well I try, working on it) and I wait for a crime of opportunity to rob whatever I can with the solid cards I do catch. I roughly follow Doyle Brunson's recommended card selection from "Super System" (borrowed from a friend) which means I like to look at a fair number of cards but don't get too attached to small amounts of chips I've put into the pot when I've got even moderately risky cards. I have better sucess when I gamble a bit more at the beginning and play solid cards almost over aggressively but that also drops me out of the early stages of more tournys if I run into the nuts or even just a better hand or bad beat if someone else decides to "just call". I think I'm beginning to understand why what's his name get's up and wanders around the casino talking to himself "I can't believe he called with 39o."

It's the end that's the hitch, Playing conservatively I'm often lowstacked at the table the whole way through and when we get near, or to, the bubble, get up to level 22 blinds with 150 chip antes, they don't take me seriously, as someone pointed out. To me that means I need to take it to them more.

There are the obvious premium hands, Axs, Kxs, small suited connectors, small pairs and then rags from the blind. I try not to complete the sb with total garbage but I've even been known to do that or even raise if all or most fold and the rest limp. I love cheap and free cards and pots that people don't want.

Generally I feel like it's a fairly solid strategy but I just seem to run out of gas. I think someone suggested I needed to pick it up earlier, maybe I'm just missing go time and am grinding so far in that I miss the chance to actually win?

Anyway, my question is "How risky do you play it when you find yourself low stacked and backed into the corner so to speak." As everything seems to be measured in terms of the BB I'm wondering if anyone has a kind of personal rule of thumb to measure their stack vs. their opponents stacks vs. the blinds (although I guess the blinds increasing is only a factor in tournament play.)

Any lucky pet hands or secret guru tricks?

Or is the general opinion that due to the nature of the large MTT you must catch some good breaks to get there and consistent cash finishes are unlikely at best and I simply must wait for my dog to have it's day and then move to a different format and retool for a different type of game?

Thanks
Tim

Thanks Steve-O, I guess this is the part where I get to beginning poker playing as opposed card playing.

Wow, anything more than just a shot at two pair huh?

Thanks,
Tim

GDER makes a good point, when you are short stacked it becomes vital to be the first one in the pot. If someone raises before you and you reraise all-in you have virtually no fold equity. Winning pots without showdowns is important in poker, but it becomes absolutely near the bubble and when you are shortstacked.

yeah..when ur <8BB's .. u gotta start pushing with almost any 2 cards higher then 78 from MP or later in a unopened pot to try to steal some blinds/antes or get lucky and double up. u wanna avoid playing extremely tight at this point, and risk yourself getting blinded down to 5 or less BBs where ur all-in raises won't mean much.