How/when do you switch from early to mid-tourney strategy?

[Pepsquad]

Been playing several of the $10+$1 MTT's on Party and getting to the first break is becoming practicly a given. At break one I'm usually hanging around 1500-2500 unless I've gotten great action on all of my premium hands. The majority of the time I make it to break two however still sitting on roughly 2000-3000. After break 2, before bubble-time (roughly 75-100 people left - top 50 pays) I start getting blinded off and am usually milking a weak stack waiting to money. I'm finding I have a very difficult time figuring out when to loosen up and start trying to blind steal. When do you do it? Is it like a light switch that you make a conscious decision to turn on? (e.g. "Okay the blinds are 150-300. Time to put the pedal to the metal".) Or do you gradually start sliding down the starting hand chart? I'm either not switching up early enough or fast enough so I'd like to hear from everyone else on this matter. Thank you,

Pep.

[lady4luck]

i understand this bc i've had the same problem. it seems like the cards change after the second break.the players also. they know 2 that they can't keep posting without stealing some blinds and make it to the money also. so they do tend to loosen up on starting hands bc there are generally less people in the pot. also it's proven that tight players tighten up when it gets closer 2 payday, so the more aggresive take advantage by raising the pot knowing you want to hang around and will fold. you need to pick a time, after watching who will fold to a big bet and make a move. after all you may not make it if you get blinded off anyways right. and if you've got a pretty tight table image, and bet accordingly they should fold to you, helping you last longer. it's kinda worked for me. let me know if you try and how it goes ok.gl