BJ Tournament strategy - fair to say that the literature out there is not

great? I've been looking a little and haven't been overwhelmed.

I've played in a few of late and some things stick out:

1) I don't see anyone who counts.
2) The tournaments I've played use 2:1 BJ payout. This has to translate to aggressive being better than conservative. Some guys just don't want to lose chips. The +EV as a result of the generous BJ payout has to mean u should be pushing chips out, right?

Counting in tournies doesn't work. The most highly regarded author for bj tournament strategy is Ken Smith. He has at least two books available.

I just don't see how it can be true. I mean, if the count is +EV and you're the only one who knows it, that's an information edge.

Granted, there are other strategies and end game. But I can't see how a skilled counter wouldn't have an advantage in tournaments.

Just read everything authored by Ken Smith. That's all you need.

say that counting in tourneys doesn't work but you are correct about Ken Smith's works (all very good!). It's true that most "experts" agree that counting is of little benefit in tournament play for two reasons. One is that there are more important things to concentrate on like BR standing, late hand bet positions, etc. The other reason is that many times desperation bets are the only way to success so the count is irrelevant.
I don't at all disagree with this reasoning but if counting is already habitual, why not (in early session hands) get the small edge that it provides. You'll have very little tourney success without making large bets at some point so why not make them when the math is in your favor?

For sure the end-game hands need to disregard counting. If you need to double up to advance, the count is irrelevant.

In the early/mid hands, counting has to have a value.

My one other observation is that it's beneficial just to know how the rules impact the Basic Strategy EV of the hand. In the tournies I played, the rules were very liberal:
* 2:1 on BJ
* RS Aces
* DAS

Just knowing that the EV is > +2% should be information that has one betting fairly aggressively. My observation is that most were betting too conservatively, when u consider the stacks are going to (on avg) grow, not shrink.

points. Needless to say the "variation" thing applies to tournaments too. Last final table I was on the count went through the ceiling and the called for bets ruined any chance at 1st place for me.

It gives you virtually nothing. Winning tournaments has nothing to do with EV and everything to do with betting in a way to shape the bell curve of results to maximize the part that gives you the best chance to have the most money when the last round is done.

In any given tournament any result is just noise. Sometimes the best strategy is to flat bet the minimum regardless of the count...sometimes the best strategy is to start off betting 1/3 of your stack and continue to do so until you reach a certain win goal.

That said, I do count during tournaments (hard not to) but I use that info for play deviations when needed or if I'm on the border about when to start betting big if the count is through the roof I may decide to go a few hands early but generally speaking, your results for a 20 or 25 hand cycle (typical of a tournament) are not going to be determined by whether you count or not.

say that it gives you nothing and then explain how you use it to your advantage. Can we agree that the gain is VERY minimal but all avenues of advantage should be used?
Table winner advance tourneys are quite different than accumulation events but being I play many more of the former my approach is about like yours.
Last few hands, the count be damned but early on I'm going to make use of any mathematical advantages presented. I will admit to using a milder ramp than in "open" play.

If you know you have to be aggressive at some point, good to know how close u are to optimal play. For example, if count is +EV, double on A8 vs 5/6 or double on 19 vs 5/6 is not bad.

twenty "for less" once on the last hand in a funny money tournament (didn't have enough chips left to split)