Live Tournaments, when is it not worth while?

[winky51]

Well I sat down looking at all my records of tournaments.

I have played 13 live tournaments, placed 3rd, chop top 3, and 7th. About 120-140 players

hate online tournaments, I feel blind.

I did notice a couple things with the live ones.

1. the 30 min round tournaments allowed me to take less risks with my whole stack. I was all in maybe once or twice before the money and 80% of the time with the best hand.

2. The 20 min blinds made me go all in 4-5 times on average before the flop. I bascially had to win 5 times in a row to make the final table. Best hand of course but 5 times in a row.

So this blind structure I like. 30 mins, 4000 chips. It plays well.

As for my style. I am mor like Harrington. But I do like to raise with suited connectors to mix it up. I steal a lot, but just enough to keep my tight image. I play the psychology game very well. My instincts are dead on 95% of the time. I know how to get players to show their hands, get them to talk, give me tells. Thats why I like live tournaments. Now vs a pro I almost have no shot because they dont give tells. But vs the rif-raff at the $200 tournaments they are easy to read.

I usually take my time for everything. Say the same things play the same way, go through counting stacks everytime I am in a hand. If I am the aggressor with the set or a weak hand I talk to my players when faced with a decision. I see many players talk when they are weak and be silent when they are strong. Only time I dont budge is preflop. I think of hot women or something. They ask for a chip count I lay it out and let the dealer count. I find the silent treatment is more ominous. I study my players, their habits, their betting and repeat mental notes on them. The one thing I dont have big enough yet are balls for my instincts in real marginal situations like I have K high and I am sure the other player is only on a draw to a low straight on the turn. But I do make plays and raise with crap. Usually I want my cards mid to low, suited, and somewhat connected so I make something