anything wrong with my SNG strategy?

[2callzU]

beating the party 10+1 part 2
I should probably make you look for it but here read this and don't post for a while. Then come back rejuvinated with a Chris Moneymaker poker face, some fossil glasses, and a shirt that says "I'm a groupie" on it. Peace.

[valenzuela]

ure not doing everything wrong, its just ure endgame is poor.

[Blarg]

Your strategy is a beginner's strategy that with normal attentiveness and lack of utter foolishness can get you a ITM of at least 38% in the long run, and lots of third places. Unfortunately, it won't get you many first places, and that's where the money is in SNG's. You can actually have a great ITM and be losing money VERY quickly in SNG's.

You say you're still tight when there are five people left. That's the time when you're actually supposed to be taking advantage of other people's tightness. So that's a key flaw in your play.

You'll also have more trouble stealing if you're going after the blinds as early as level 3 with just AT and AJ, as well as showing people(even without raising or stealing) that you're willing to play with KQ and KJ, especially if you do so from early position on the latter. It's not that there's not value in doing so, but that you've alerted people that stealing blinds is not only what you're all about, but that you're willing to do it so early with comparatively so little that you must really be in love with the idea. That will make them more likely to call you when you need to get away with steals later on. At which point you might win, but what you probably really want more than to double up on a speculative or crappy hand is just to get away with stealing blinds without being challenged. If you're showing people early on that you play mediocre hands and like to steal, it can only lead to them being more likely to call you later. Which by and large will probably cost you money.

You might make some small amounts stealing early, and all chips are good, but getting those extra 45 chips once in a while might cost you 1300 and the whole tourney later on when you get called on the bubble -- EVEN IF you're holding the best hand. You might want to think about what you sacrifice later for a small gain now.

Anyway, it sounds like you might be too aggressive early and too passive late. You should flip those around and think about being more passive early and more aggressive later.