[CarlSpackler]

1) A lot of people talk about playing tight early and don't try to steal blinds when they are this small. What do you think about blind stealing at this level? Would you do it and if so under what conditions?

Folding here is fine, but I like the steal attempt here, because you gain cheap information on how the 3 players to your left are going to react to your aggression. These are the stacks you're going to be stealing from later in the tourney, so the earlier you can get a read on their play, the better. I'd make this play on the cutoff or button with any pair, ace, king, 2 broadway, or any 2 suited cards.

2) What's your decision on the flop? Do you check or bet (and if so, how much)?

Obviously, we're almost always ahead here. I would bet 1/2 the pot (t85), trying to represent a standard continuation bet with overcards which whiffed on the flop. Hopefully, the villain will raise me instead of calling or folding, at which point I'd probably just call. I also don't want to give him any free cards with my bottom 2 pair, and with a straight draw and flush draw on the board.

3) What's your plan on the turn (if any) based on your decision on the flop, the villain's action, and what card comes?

I definitely don't want to see a heart, 9, 6, or 8 on the turn. Not only are those cards dangerous, but they'll likely scare the villain away when we're ahead. If a 9, 8, or 6 comes down and the villain checks, I'm going to check behind (who would bet their made straight here anyway?). If a heart falls and the villain checks, I'm making a 2/3 - 3/4 pot sized bet. If any other card falls and the villain checks, I like checking thru to try and induce a bluff on the river.

If a scare cards comes down, and the villain bets, then I'll have to seriously reevaluate things, and I'm usually calling, unless he grossly overbets the pot. If a non-scare card comes down and the villain bets, I'm calling and hoping he fires another round on the river.

4) Any other thoughts at this point?
No.