Successful SnG players:Are you usually short stacked when in the $?

[AA suited]

i used to play 20+2, then moved up to 30+3 but found that i've been diviating from Aleo's guide more and more. I never followed the guide exactly to start with, but now when i'm the SB (or BB w/a raise in front), i'm calling with Kx, Ax, any 2 connectors, and any suited to name a few diviations. and i've been losing.

so i went back and started playing Aleo's guide exactly to see how the other extreme is. 16 10+1 games in 2 days. so far:

1st: 1
2nd: 1
3rd: 4
4th: 4

For an ITM of 37.5% and a ROI of ~0%.

all of my 5th-10th place finishes were due to bad beats. (both 10th place finishes i had QQ, raised preflop and someone re-riased me. the guide says go all in when re-raised. both times the opponent has AK and caught his A or K.)

anyway, i usually only win a couple of moderate pots. That allows me to last to the bubble. but i;m usually #3 stack or short stack when i'm there.

since i usually have less than 9BB, any raise by me would take me to 6BB or less, thus i should go all-in instead. if called and i win, then i'm in pretty good shape with 12-18BB. if everyone folds, then the blinds i've just stolen will pay for another orbit.

if nothing comes, and i'm down to 3BB, then i have to go all in with marginal hands. if others fold, then i've just stolen the blinds to last me another orbit.

if i'm called and i win, then i'm up to 6BB. (obviously, if i lose then i'm out.)

Rinse and repeat till i outlast the #4 player.

by following the guide exactly, i find that i'm down to 3BB more often than the way i normally play. Thus more coin flip situations.

Now for my normal play, i also use Aleo's guide but with some tweaks. i find that i'm not down to 3BB as often at the bubble, thus less times i have to go all-in with marginal hands. but my ITM % is about the same. (In my small sample of 16 10+1's, i would have expected a lower ITM% since i'm forced to play marginal hands more often. but i've been lucky with the coin flips.) [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

In any case, i'm usually the short stack when i make it to ITM. And my strategy for ITM is the same as bubble. ie: steal blinds to survive, go all in if my bet/raise is 40%+ of my stack, and go all in with marginal hands when i'm down to 3BB. rinse + repeat.

For you successful low limit Party SnG players (10/1, 20/2, 30/3), do you find yourself the #3 stack a majority of the time when you're ITM?

If not, then what are you doing differently than what i'm doing?

THX