In the bubble

Hi everyone,
I only wanted to know how you play when you are in the bubble.
I should take the risk to try double up my chips although can go out the tournament and not cash.
What do you think or what do you do?

Thank in advance for your answers.

imo the bubble is one of the most important stages of a MTT.

If you got a big stack, you can use it to bully the other people at your table because they want to cash at least. It's important that they got significantly smaller stacks than you, or that the bigstacks folded their hand already. You can easily steal a lot of chips during the bubble period with a big stack.

If you are the smallstack you should look for a good spot to double up or steal the blinds. Only move here is all-in because otherwise you will give the big/middlestacks good odds to call. With around 10BB's you are potcomitted directly, so you cannot fold anymore on the flop. When you move all-in you got "fold-equity", that means your opponent will fold a lot of hands and you will collect the blinds.

As you see its better if you got a big stack (of course.. ). Also because MTT's payouts are very top-heavy you should NOT play for a "in the money finish". So you need to take some risks before the bubble to be a big stack and not one of the smaller ones when the bubble is there..

just my 2 cents..

What I've found (considering I've bubbled myself out of the money quite a bit) is the more conservative the better. It kinda sucks to tighten up right at the end, but its the only why I've found works. You are basically waiting for a monster or for someone else who is tired of waiting and they go out. I just took the bubble in the CC Full Tilt freeroll I think it was, pushed with pocket 3's and was against Jacks. Didnt work out for me.

Don't confuse bad luck with bad judgement. Pocket 3s are a quite nice hand to go all - in, you simply were unlucky someone got jacks.
If everyone just sat down and watched big stacks collect blinds, it would not be poker. You can (and should) make moves too, and you can be a little bit wider with your hand selection, since everyone's so tight. Just try to avoid stealing from big stacks, or if you do, make sure you've got a hand. But basically it is more playing your opponents, not your cards.

The payout system will also affect your decision. For a standard payout (top heavy) MTT, those pocket 3's were probably played correctly.

Conversely, if you were playing at a final 9-man table in an MTT that is awarding 7 seats to the wsop and 3 people go all-in in front of you, you would probably be wise to fold even pocket Aces.

I like what M00 had to say.

In general I play the same poker that got me there except when I'm short stacked and I need to double up.

I would have to agree with m00 also. When you get the the bubble now is the time to start making a few more moves and steeling a bit more from all the bit that have tightened up. Doing this can help ensure that you actually make the bigger money, most MTT are so top heavy just getting in the money wont keep your ROI up high enough to make the few hours you spent worth it

I do not think there is a right or wrong answer to this. A lot depends on your position, your cards, your opponents etc. One thing is for sure you should not go with A rag as it is a recipe for disaster.

Hi.

Sorry, but anyone can help understanding what's be in the bubble.
Means when you have the dealer chip?

Bye.

manalva said:

Hi.

Sorry, but anyone can help understanding what's be in the bubble.
Means when you have the dealer chip?

Bye.

Click to expand...

The Bubble is, when you are just one place before "the money"/paid places.

Example:
6666 Player tournament, 666 paid places. Now when there are only 667 people playing its "The Bubble". If the "bubble bursts", everyone is in the money.

The time just short before the bubble is good to apply all those strategies, mentioned in this thread.

Absolutely play slowly and cautiously if you are short-stacked. You might even stall and call time, if you think it will prevent the big blind from coming your way before someone else bubbles. Agressive if you have a bick stack, push people around.

if i am in the bubble theres 2 ways i play if big stacked ov dont play stupid cards only play ak aq aa ex and try to bully you componets because there in the same position to you in the bubble but if short stacked i usaly sit back fold everything unless i hit a killer hand i do hate it when your on the bubble and lose to aa happend to me the other day i couldent belive it i didnt no what to do with myslef lol

If i have a big stack, on the bubble i just wait. I dont want to be bubble boy. so I just wait.

You even could employ The Big Wait Strategy (as seen in some FRs): everytime its your turn, just wait until you time out, and then hit that "I'm back" (or whatever) button to be in the game again. Its very nice when there is a person at every table doing this Also this helps to make shortstacks go out faster, because blinds increases much faster compared to number of hands dealt (blinds might go up twice in a single round if there are a few "thinkers").