LC: Stars $16s: Brutally tight or business as usual?

[sandycove]

Post-legislation, the $16s appear to have become total rock gardens.

I’ve been training there, because I can afford it, and since Guthrie pointed out their value, at an ROI that has ranged between plus 39.2 and minus point 1. (And not enough SNGs to be statistically significant.) Recently, I’m finding that fully half the field is still around well into the seventh, and even eighth levels. But then the mucked hands I’m seeing are about as loose as they always were. And the end-game push-fests are about the same, just delayed.

So I’m limping more at the lower levels in the hopes of hitting a flop but, at the end of the day, my early and mid-game stats are about as weak-tight as they always were and I am following the herd passively rather than trying to take a few well-aimed loose-aggressive bites.

Should I be 4-betting earlier with marginally strong hands to steal some blinds and catch some limpers? (Three-bets don’t seem to scare the hopeful away.)

Or should I keep my patience meter on and keep my ammo dry for the inevitable push phase? (SNGPT says I'm developing satisfactorily there and I'm focusing on an improved sensitivity for ranges.)

Or something else?

How about the $27s? Any fundamental difference in character there? Or fewer multi-tablers?