how to play in large ante tournaments

[aargh57]

I am currently playing in a series of free tournaments where you qualify for the final tourney if you win or are in the final 40 point leaders apart from the individual winners. Anyway, I haven't done very well. Not getting a single point in 4 tries. The structure has no blinds but rather an ante structure with everyone starting with $10000. The following is the ante structure:
7:00 – 7:45 - 200 5 minute break
7:50 – 8:30 - 500
8:30 – 8:55 - 1,000 5 minute break
9:00 – 9:30 - 2,500
9:30 – 9:55 - 5,000 5 minute break
10:00 – 10:20 - 10,000
10:20 – 10:40 - 20,000
10:40 – End - 50,000
My question is, how should I differ my play to take in consideration the antes? In ring games I basically use Krieger's start chart mainly because its the easiest to memorize but I realise that I should be playing more hands to keep from being eaten by the blinds. Any help would be appreciated.

Keith

[aargh57]

Forgot to mention that its no limit and there are 8 at a table.

[BOTW]

I play in a very similar tourney, usually 60+ players, 10 or 11 at a table. (We have double ante for the button.) I've been trying to figure out how to play this format, too.

I play far, far fewer hands than your start chart and I don't think position matters quite as much as normal since a big blind isn't coming around to wipe out the small stacks and there are no blinds with a full/half bet already in the pot. I could fold about 35-40 hands before I'd be anted out.

I feel short-stacked when I sit down. I'll steal the antes if I have position (or get desperate), but it doesn't happen very often since some people will open for 2-3x ante with any two (or 4-5x w/ Ax) and get several callers. I'll fold just about everything to any bet.

I'll typically open/raise to 10-15x ante (~pot size) on any top hand (AA, KK, QQ, AK, AQs and loosening up slowly as my stack falls). I'll be prepared to re-raise all-in and have my KK lose to K7o, or have three all-ins call my AQs and triple up. I rarely call except as last action on PP or good drawing hand when I think there are enough callers/loose players and the bet is small enough. When I'm down to about 20-25x ante I'm playing down to about "Group 3" or early position (e.g. 99, AJo) and looking for a coin flip. At about 10-15x I'm going all in with any playable hand. This is pretty tight but I feel like I'm pretty much committed to my hand once I bet it.

I'm using pot size for openers and blind stealing and it seems to do ok since there is no SB, BB trying to protect $ right in front of them. As the pot grows I might go to 1/2 pot size, pot, 2x pot, half my stack, half his stack or all-in depending on our stack sizes and the player.

It feels kind of like a final table when the blinds just doubled except half the table are morons. Every table/tourney plays differently and if you can get QQ early and double/triple up you are in great shape. I've been down to 5x ante with about 40 players left and finished about 15th. I have been playing extremely tight and probably pretty weak early and finished top 5 three times in the seven times I've played, but this might just be luck.

Any comments appreciated.

[SossMan]

You may as well go play the lotto. This structure isn't poker, its craps. You guys should just play with the cards face up, it would be the same thing.
How do you make any significant preflop raise without PCing yourself.
A pot sized preflop raise is 20% of your stack!

[BOTW]

[ QUOTE ]
You may as well go play the lotto.... A pot sized preflop raise is 20% of your stack!

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed, but if it's free, it's for me (esp. at a bar with $5 pitchers).