---From my blog of 8/10/04---

"Quick note about the blind structure (and this could have a major impact on the upcoming blogger tourney). Strategy on manipulating the blinds may have just as profound an effect as Strategy on playing cards or position. If you manage to double or triple up early, it might be advantageous to start slowing down the game (think Dean Smith with a ten-point lead), get the blinds higher, and force the shortstacks into desperation mode. If you’re lucky enough to catch decent cards, you could pick them off when they’re forced to move in with sub-premium cards, or steal blinds when they’re reluctant to push all-in. Also, with the escalating blinds, the medium stacks will also be vulnerable to blind stealing because they’ll be protecting against being the next ones out. This structure definitely favors someone who gets an early lead and is an effective bully."
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Granted, this didn't prove out exactly true, but don't say you weren't warned about the escalating blinds. It seems the best way to play in this MTT blind structure is to be very aggressive in the beginning and try to double up (possibly with 2nd tier preflop hands) or build a large lead over the table and immediately begin bullying for blinds, all the while taking your sweet time and letting the blinds rocket skyward. The problem for many of us is that we're tight players by nature, and the fear of an early exit made us even tighter. mstephan (a reader) seemed to play this way and made it to the final two, possibly because he didn't have some sort of image to uphold... Sometimes the rules of the game need to dictate the style of play....