I've mostly been playing low buy-in MTTs on GGPoker, and lately I've noticed how brutal the variance can be in the really large fields. I've had several tournaments where I make a pretty deep run, build a decent stack and then lose a huge pot when I'm ahead. The problem is that finishing deep in a 2,000–3,000 player field can still mean a relatively small cash unless you reach the final stages.
I'm starting to wonder if it makes more sense for a smaller bankroll to focus more on tournaments with 300–800 players, even if the buy-in is slightly higher. Obviously the field is only one part of variance and tougher fields can offset the advantage, but I'm curious what other MTT players think.
Do you prefer huge fields for the bigger top prizes, or smaller fields for more consistent deep runs?
I'm starting to wonder if it makes more sense for a smaller bankroll to focus more on tournaments with 300–800 players, even if the buy-in is slightly higher. Obviously the field is only one part of variance and tougher fields can offset the advantage, but I'm curious what other MTT players think.
Do you prefer huge fields for the bigger top prizes, or smaller fields for more consistent deep runs?

