Freerolls -- top 27 win seats -- Big Stack Strategy

[RainierBob]

Have played the PS freerolls occasionally. Typically the prize will be, say, 27 seats in a tournament with money prizes. My question is how to think about strategy if I wind up with a big stack late in the tournament.

Recently I found myself 5th in chips with about 125 players left. I decided to play very conservatively to see if I couldn't just coast into the top 27. It appeared, however, that the other big stacks for the most part were also following such a strategy which meant that the smaller stacks were knocking each other out with the winners becoming big stacks. I saw my position slipping steadily. Then I got pocket A's cracked and took a bigger slip. Found myself about 19th with about 50 ppl left and decided I needed to start playing more actively. Got busted in 42nd place when I raised JTs, was called in two places, one of them the largest stack at the table. Flop came two of my suit plus undercards. I bet, was raised by the big stack, other dropped, and I raised all in. His trips won when I missed my flush.

If I had won that pot, I shld have been able to fold my way into the top 27 from there. As it is, I'm uncertain as to best strategy when in a money position fairly late but approaching the borderline. Ideas appreciated.

[BrandiFan]

that's way to early to coast to the top 27 maybe once you're 5/50. You can, I suspect play a very straightforward and tight game as you simply need to survive as opposed to win (i.e. slow down with that JT).