[RikJms]

Don't take this the wrong way, but you sound like a player that plays to cash, not win. With the payout structure usually starting at anywhere from 1 to 3 percent for the first few people out in the money, to 25 to 40 percent for the winner it might be worth it to take more risks while on the bubble to accumulate chips so that you can have a better chance of winning later on.

Especially since most people will play like you in that situation by folding hand after hand until they get into the money, then bow out, not giving themselfs any realistic chance to win the big money, because they were too concerned about the 1 to 3 percent

Say first money is 50 dollars, and first place is 500 dollars. You would have to cash 10 times just to make the same money as you would have if you had won, and in those 10 tournaments you would have had to bought in 10 more times than if you won just one tournament. 20 dollar buy-in means that you paying 200 to win 500. However if you go for the win it is just 20 to win 500.

Remember tournament pros usually survive by winning a few tournaments a year, rather than cashing in many tournaments.