SNG Sat. to advance to MTT...strategy for initial table?

[Phishy McFish]

Hello,

Been a LONG time since I posted on 2+2. Hell, I haven't played online poker in over a year. But I digress...

My question is for advice on how to play in a "1st and 2nd place from each table of 10 advance to the next round" type tourney. I believe after that is completed, the tournament becomes a regular MTT w/o rebuys.

I suspect that if you are given a decent amount of chips relative to the blind structure and assuming half the table is decent and half aren't (as this is a mostly comped invitational tournament at a Vegas casino) that I could play it as if it were a regular 10 man SNG.

Apparently (assuming 2000 entrants) 1st place is $10,000 + $10,000 seat at the WSOP '08 main event (which can be cashed in for cash equivalent...which i would do)

Thoughts welcomed and appreciated.