Role of a big stack in a satellite

I found myself in the enviable role of the big stack very early in the Token Frenzy tonight on Full Tilt. Within the first half hour, I had over 7500, more than 2500 than the next stack. Getting quads, flopping a couple sets, and putting pressure on small stacks can do it for you.

But then I was thinking...how should one play the big stack in a satellite? In this case, 36 spots would get a token. At 7500, I will easily win a token if I stay put.

But is staying put the right plan?

By staying put, I mean folding everything. Got A A? Fold, no need to play. You have basically won the prize, why bother to get in conflicts.

Or do you let the table you are at dictate your action? If small stacks are present, do you try to knock them out, thus helping out others?

Do you just play great starting hands? Big pairs so you have the best odds going in.

I don't think there is any correct way to play the big stack. Sure the most conservative method of walking away is the safest, but is it the best?

I decided that I was only going to play the best hands, and then in position, as long as there were a bunch of shorties at the table.

The strategy worked well, especially when the deck hit me silly. But then I found myself moved to a table where the small stacks were suddenly 2500. Bigger stacks at 4500, 6000 were at the table as well. Suddenly I found myself being ultra-conservative.

But other stacks weren't. They wanted to play a lot of pots and knock people out. I saw calls of raises with K 10o, or 7 9s. I was amazed by the amount of gamble people had when they didn't need to. Like one big stack pushing all in on a re-raise with 4 4 against a medium stack with A K. Made no sense.

Would anyone gamble like that when they don't need to?