I've tried to do that as well. I will take a quick check just to see how many players is left, but as far as what position my stack is in, etc etc, i try to not look at that too much

I only am concerned about the chips stacks at my table, if i am number one at my table, all is good. i will look at every break, though, to see how many left or when i am itm, i often check to see when the next increase in prize money takes place.

Qulty on all counts, thanks for bringing this up, very good advice will try it next tourney.

The only time i will ever look at the lobby is to see how friends are getting on or if it gets to hand for hand and I am low stacked, just to see if I have to push or not, and I have found from experiance that those early chip leaders hardly ever make the final table

I tend to have the lobbies open but minimized so that i see only see the low stacks gettin busted ahahahhahha, then every 10 or so min's i get to scroll up past all the busted folks to a new set of low stacks...you start to recognize names that left ur table as big stack luck-box'es and there they go muahahhahhah...JT

Early in an MTT(prolly 90% of the games i play),i rarely bother lookin,however,1nce it gets down to the last few tables & nearing the bubble,i like to keep track of who is where,especially those at my table.

Early stages of the game is no need to focus on the lobby at all..focus on your table and opponents..gl

I NEVER look at the lobby because every time I do I end up losing half my stack it seems! But I do look when I get moved to a different table to see if & where we are in regards to reaching the FT!

I used to not look at where i was sitting only keeping my eye on the table im on table im playing at what i found out was i would get 3 to 5 from the money and go out so now here what i do i look at lobby about every 15 mins just to see now many be4 im itm the key to this is to make money and if you think thats why you wasnt then do what works gl and hope to see you a a FT soon

I wasnt referring to looking at lobby a few ppl b4 itm im talking about the first 1.5 hours of a 3 hour tourny -at almost itm u have to look

I look at the lobby probably every 2 minutes after the bubble busts. I like to always know where I am and where the other stacks are. I do use this to effect my play to a degree. If say there is 25 people left and I'm sitting in 19th and the next pay jump is at 24th I'm going to tighten up my play to a degree. By that I mean I'm not going to be looking to flip. Now on the other hand lets say that a pay jump just came and there are 37 people left and I'm sitting in 35 and the next pay jump isn't till 27. I'm looking to take a flip now. I just try to play in order to make each pay jump. Playing this way seems to be best for me, because since I've started playing this way my final table % when I cash has ran around 75%.

I usually close out the lobby. Given Merge has that little option on the table to see what your position is and how many are left, I don't see the reason to have it open. The table seems to have enough info to keep us informed. Once you get used to it, you will find you will use the lobby less and less. At least, that's how it seems to work for me.

I dont look at the leaders, ill keep it so that i can see the ppl that go out. that gives me a good idea where i stand in relation to how many are left and also if i see my name ill know i need to do some thing quick.... lol

I control all information i can.... table, lobby, main lobby, other players game style in other tables, my table and other tables talk, i only stop and focus in extreme situations, when the game needs all my attention, ...... , then, after that, i go back to facebook, youtube, raise a hand, read my emails, bluff a little, watch some porn, fold a hand or two, back to the porn, upload another video on youtube and so on.....be sitting at slow table me gets totally frustraded....=PP
only thing i never do is playing more then one table at same time....i NEVER PLAY MULTITABLES..... it gets me total puzzeled ....brrr.....

Im not much of a lobby watcher, maybe once it gets hand for hand on the bubble, n maybe once we get to 2 or 3 tables. What i do do tho is when we get down to 2 n 3 tables if ive got room ill pull up the other tables to try n see whos shoving light shortstacked, if the CLs r stealing alot n folding to 3bets or shoves. Its this time in the tourney that u wanna get to see who is doing what n who u can steal against, reship against, whatever. As for watching to see when the next pay jumps r im not really worried about that as im in the tourney to win it, not to try n make a cpl more dollars from whatever ive made so far. You start worrying about that then youre gonna tighten up n miss out on alot of free chips u could be picking up if u werent worried n just stuck to your normal game.

Lol , i had same problem i keep looking at lobby like 2-3 times per 1min , and i try hard not to do so , it usually influence ur game :( otherwise i get bored lol

Similar to a Golf Tourney Ed

It's hard not to look at the leaderboards on the final nine to know where ya stand especially around bubbletime

Early in a game I rarely look except to see if any friends are in before late reg closes

i focus on the lobby more when im close to the money. i dont wanna make a loose call if im only 10 people away from cashing. other than that i try not to look unless im railing a friend

I relay don't look at it very much for me its not a distraction how ever during the series if your playing on a team the lobby is used and a tool if you want to be compete here at poker .org