My strategy at this point is to play only very strong hands like AA, KK, QQ, AK.

I expand that a bit by including AQ, Ax suited and JJ only from the button or cutoff.  I might also call with mid to high pairs and fold to any raise.  Except for the Ax suited I play these hands very aggressively.

If I usually 3 bet, I'll 4 bet.  If I hit the flop I'm betting at least the pot.  I don't want to take any chances with chasers or someone with a lesser hand sucking out.  Chances are most of the time the other player(s) in the hand will not want to risk getting in a big pot at this point, mainly because they could find themselves on the rail if they are wrong or get no luck.

So really I will be folding most of the time and picking my spots for aggression especially if the blinds are low.  Hey I have more than a comfortable lead and can afford to let the others slug it out with suspect hands or take risks that you shouldn't take.  I'll try to steal a blind or 2 to at least maintain my stack but now you just have to be patient and wait for the blinds to get higher.

It was not always this way.

I used to play a lot more liberally when I doubled up early or got a big chip lead.  Sometimes it worked but I found a greater % of the time I was getting into pots I had no business being in.  It was not a good feeling because I was putting a lot of chips at risk in situations that didn't favor me, and I knew it.

In the match above I lost a bit of my stack to the player with 2525 chips.  I had 4 bet from the cutoff with 99.  He immediately went all in.  I folded.  I soon learned that this player was a gambler ... but I wasn't so I didn't take a risk he had one or two overcards and get lucky.  He actually played the chip bully roll for the next couple of orbits and I let him.  He even raised my blinds several times.  I used to play back at players like this when I was ahead.  I took it personally.  Now I fold and wait for my chance ... and it came.

We were down to 4 players so we were all in the money.  The cutoff and button fold to me in the sb and I have 77.  I just called and the chip bully with less chips checks.

The flop comes J 7 2.  Eureka !  Here is my chance.  I wait and then just check to make him think I want a free card or I am hesitating with a weak hand.  He bets the pot.  I go all in and he calls.  He shows A 10 !  Two bricks later he hits the rail and I have a HUGE chip lead.  A comment from another player in the chat box reads "gambler".  I write "exactly!"

When you have a big lead continue to play solid ABC poker.  I wouldn't take a chance on hands you might normally play in the early stages to build your stack.  Hands like connectors, gap cards or small pairs.

Be patient ... play like you have the lead.