Alright, so I have placed in the money in 6 of the last 10 tournaments (which I am happy about), but the placings have been 5-2nds and 1-third. No firsts...which is frustrating. Any suggestions? I realize this is not much information to go on, but are their any common trends that might cause this?

thanks,

Brett

The most probable answer is that your short handed game needs some work.
Either you are being too passive when its 4-5 handed because you are afraid you bustr out before the money (which makes you short stacked when you get in the money)

Or you are too passive after you make the money. Either way, you have to step up your aggression level. You should NEVER be limping when its 4-5 handed or less. You should be raising with all sorts of hands trying to take the blinds and/or antes.

You probably play very tight poker to get in the money, but by that time have a short stack so one bad allin and you're out. Right? This is in all honesty not a bad strategy at all. Think about it, at a 10-person sit n go, if you made 2nd 5 times, then from that alone you have made a healthy profit. However, if you really want to make more firsts, I feel that you have to take more gambles earlier on. If you are folding AK to an allin reraise after you have raised, consider calling for example. I'm not saying this is always the right call, but at some point you have to risk your coinflips to earn a big stack. If you fold your way to the money, blinds will be big and if your stack isn't big enough you will quickly be forced to take worse than 50-50 odds to play a hand. Also, once it gets down to 3, I like to play extremely aggressively. It helps to have a big stack at this point, but regardless, any weakness and you need to try to pounce on it. Waiting to catch hands is NOT the right strategy.

I hope this helps. If you are already doing these things then I'm sure it will turn around for you in the long run. Either way, good luck.

the previous posts are dead on of course...here's a little more specific...it's been working for me...
when it gets down to 5 and if i'm high stack, i get REAL tight unless i pick up a real premium hand, if i'm low stacked it's all in time...any ace, all in, any 2 faces, all in, any pair, 2's up, no matter, all in...same thing when i get to 4 players, a lot of all in'ing...from any position so long as noone's come in before you...(someone limping in COULD be a slowplay with AA or AK or KK or the like) course if someone bets about 3-4x the pot, and you have a pair, all in!
even a J10, all in...reasoning, they're probably playing tight, and will let go a hand if someone all ins...so you'll win 50% right there without a flop...if they DO call you, you've probably got a 50% chance still...(course sometimes you'll run into AA, or AK, or KK or QQ, but not often) Once i started doing this, i started coming in 1st and 2nd more and less 3rd and especailly 4th...using this strategy you'll GET more 1st and 2nd's, rather than playing soooo tight that you must settle for 4th because you got blinded away or went in with a poor hand...
Plus, this all in'ing will scare the pants off them for a while,,,long enuf usually for you to build back up a nice stack...if you DO become a big chip leader again...quickly tighten up and only play premiums...they won't notice, then when you all in with a AQ or AK or QQ, KK AA or maybe AJ, they'll call you with an A2 or the like, i've had them calling with J7offs and 95offs...then you're REALLy favored...it's been working for me anyway (it'll take guts the first few times you try this, but let'er go! it'll build your confidence and make your end game REAL solid)....GL to ya...
WildBill