Tournament structure

[franco]

I play in a few local home, low buyin games around NYC. Buy in is usually $30. You get 4,000 in chips and the blinds are 15 and sometimes 12 minutes long. 20 players. Blinds start at 25-50, 50-100, 100-200, 200-400, etc. These games seem like lotteries to me. One or two moves early and you are in an all-in fest.

Questions: what is the best way to play in these games. And, if you could change the structure would you and what would it be?

Games should last 3 hours or so.

I tried to change the chips and blind levels and no one is going for it.

thanks

franco