Mk8 track 'Cheese Land' is design to let the less experience win!

[Curmudgeon]

theprof00 said:

The secret to mk multiplayer has always been to be in the 2nd-4th standing for the majority of the race, because the handicap is so much better there than in first.

In first you really don't get any good drops, but you can still be very close to the the person in first place while still being third or fourth.

If you take the early lead and try to hold it, chances are, you aren't actually a smart racer.
The strategy in MK is to place yourself so that you can pick up the drops you need, position yourself, and secure the victory. This stategy in most games is called a "gambit", though this would be a variation. Take a disadvantage in order to gain strategic positioning.

There have been times where I've held a mushroom for multiple laps simply for exploit purposes, when I thought the chances were low I would get another one.

While this is very  true, I also feel that being first often gives you the opportunity to outrace your opponents. They then get left behind in a 'battlefield' full of shells while you drive comfortably to finish. That is unless you're unlucky and a blue shell comes your way (and you can't counter it). Holding mushrooms definately can be good tactic, though I don't tend to hold them for multiple laps as it does leave you open to red shells.