What Adjustments do I make for this Tourney?

[Spyder]

I play a freeroll, No-limit tourney here in Austin, TX about 6 times a week and have finished "In the Money" about 8 out of 64 attempts. There isn't any money, really, you just get more points for making the final table (last 8 players standing).

The field is typically made up of about half average to above average players, about half fish and about a dozen or so Good Players. I am considered one of the "Good" players.

Now, the problem is that I have yet to win one of these. I have (1) 3rd place finish, 3 5th place finishes, (1) 7th place and (3) 8th place finishes. I have further isolated the problem to the 'Middle Game'....about the time that the blinds get to be 300/600 and above.

Let me give you some information on the tourney so you know the entire setting.

The tourney always has from 30 to 100 players on any given outting.
Each table sits 8 players, although we are usually playing with 6 or 7.
Each player gets 4000 in chips.
The blinds start at 25/50 and go up every 15 minutes.
There is no specific order of breakdown for the tables.
Blinds at the final table are typically 4k/8k and going up.

(if you need more info, ask, I'll fill you in)

The problem is this: Usually, when I hit the final table, I am short stacked and the first blind puts me all-in. The 3rd place finish (which was my most recent) was different, but, not much. I had enough chips to weather the blind once and doubled up on the very first hand. I also find this to be basically true when I go deep into the tourney without making the final table.

Other players have told me that I need to loosen up (I am easily the tightest player). The problem is that I don't know on what hands to loosen up nor where/when to do the loosening.

I appreciate any advice or comments....thanks in advance [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Spyder