[Zybomb]

Gaining a lead early in the tournament is not important, merely surviving and trying to have a playable stack of chips is.

I believe David Sklansky quoted a stat which was that the leader at the end of Day 1 of the WSOP has never made the final table

At some point in the tournament however, usually late when blinds are high, you are going to have have to take risks you wouldnt take normally. (i.e risking your stack with a low pair, hoping your a coinflip and not 4 to 1, and hoping you hold up). At some point you have to start playing for the win, and your chip stack size becomes more important than just hanging around. Because of this you may see a great variety in your stack varience

Im also kind of the opposite of how you described (loose early tight later)

Early, although I will try to see cheap flops with cards that can hit (i.e 1 gap suited connectors, Kxs in LP) I wont steal much (its not worth it) and I'll bluff at a pot once and then give it up) (again nto worth it, you dont stand to gain enougH) Look at TPs report, eventually the ANTE was equal to the starting chips. Early in the tourny I like to simply grind out smallpots when I can and only rarely make moves.

Later on I start using position steals, pushing my stack in with less than a monster etc.