Re: Is a fast start necessary?
 

no you are going to have to get lucky and double up some time early or when you have 1100 chips its all pretty much the same.

Re: Is a fast start necessary?
 

I'm not sure that this is true but I've heard it from many sources. The chip leaders after the first day of the final event of the WSOP have never won the tournament. That may not answer your question but ...maybe it does.

Vince