something i noticed Playing in the bubble let me know what you think.

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alopez1008

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I read a lot on sit n go tourneys and everyone basically say the same thing play aggressive in the bubble you will see everyone start to tighten up a lot because everyone is trying to get in the money. well out of the let say ten tourneys I play 6 times i will get eliminated at the bubble and the other 4 i get in the money. I notice when there is 5 to 4 players left in a 9 player sit n go everyone kinda tightens up but there is ALWAYS some one going all in, in EVERY HAND a lot of times i might have what i feel are good hands like KQ, AK, KJ, QJ even some medium pairs and i don't play them cause someone is ALWAYS going all in pre flop. I starting not to like to play AA cause i think out of the 4 times i've been in the bubble and i've had AA someone has gone all in of course cause it never fails and all four times i've went for it and got eliminated ALL 4 TIMES and i'm just talking recently. cause they've some how ended with a flush, straight or three of a kind......FRUSTRATING!!!!!!

Any advice? Thanks in advance!!!
 
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jmill

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Keeping going after it with AA 20% of the time they do get cracked. So it happens. Being more aggressive at the bubble can is good if you want to steal a few pots and gain some chips. You can also put the pressure on short stacks who don't have money and beat them into submission with your aggression.
 
medeiros13

medeiros13

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My experience with what you are talking about is that the first with aggression usually wins. I wouldn't be afraid to play good premium hands but you have to consider the table and make your decision. If there's someone who's pushing all in over and over and you get a good hand...I'd call. Most people in that spot are following the Harrington theories and pushing with first aggression or any ace. I understand that it gets frustrating when you raise a decent hand like KQ and then have an all in sent back at you. So adjust your game accordingly. If you usally raise 4x the BB for a hand like KQ or AQ, min raise it. That way, if you do get raised all in by a tight player, you're not losing as much.

Also, play your positioning more. Don't be quick to raise KQ or the like in early position where you could get squeezed. If you're in late position and you get a raise hand, raise it. The squeeze play is more unlikely. Look at the chip stacks and decide if you can steal blinds from those who are shortstacked and/or too tight. There are ways to combat the all in fest of bubble play, you just need to study the table and figure out how to stablize your stack until you get the advantage.
 
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alopez1008

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thanks guys i'll take your advice to the table very much appreciated
 
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mikejm

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whatever you do you dont want to stop playing AA KK those hands should be played cause if you can double up before the bubble it puts you in a good opportunity to win the tourney. however playing suited connectors and implied odds hands you want to try and pick your spots carefully.
 
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alopez1008

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medeiros13 do you use any live programs to help with live sng play i was thinking on using one but not sure which one might be good i'm just looking for something that might help my game a little i'm hearing a lot about tournament shark but i dont know. any suggestions thanks
 
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dan abnormal

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This irratates me to no end. Out of the last 8 SNG's I have bubbled 5x and the other 3 I didnt even come close. I just started to add SNG's to my games everyday but Im just at a loss. Everytime I push all in with AK Im against a AA or KK if I push all in on the bubble with KQ it seems some ace -rag hand knocks me out. I know it happens to everyone and I know I will at some point turn the corner as like I said I just started getting into SNG's from playing MTTs and Cash games only. But damn this is at teh $1 level SNG's and I yet to get ITM. I play tight at the start and build my stack when I have a great hand. I sometimes think I play way too tight middle game, but Im not sure when is middle game, when there are 6-7 people left or when there is 9 people left all around the same stacks with maybe 1 or 2 having bigger stacks but the blinds are starting to get up over the 150 level. Also It drives me crazy when someone has 300 chips and and a bb is 200 and that person wont pay the extra 100 to try to knock out the person, in essence the person has almost doubled up. I just gotta figure where Im messing up. SOmeone above said try just going in with 4xbb raises instead of all in but usually that commits more than a 1/3 of my stack if we are the 200 blind level so I keep reading if your that committed, its all in time and dont give people a chance to see the flop without paying. SO far its been me thats been paying LOL
 
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alopez1008

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my friend i understand you a hundred percent and I hope some one can help answer
 
medeiros13

medeiros13

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alopez1008: I'm currently using Holdem Manager on free trial but I don't think I'm going to purchase it for now. I've found that while the info is great, when I use it, I rely on it too much and don't watch player patterns. A website you can use (although it's not technically allowed by PS) is top shark. I'll use that to get an idea of the skill level of some of the other players at the table. There is a nice platform called SNG Wizard but PS has banned that from the site.

dan abnormal: I think you misread my post. What I was saying to alopez was that he should consider using min raises when raising with decent hands but not all in hands so if someone comes over you, you don't lose as much. It sounds like you're finding yourself in a lot of shove or fold situations in your SNG's. That's fine, just realize WHEN you have to do that. Harrington on Holdem says you need to shove at about 10 BB's left so other players have to be a little fearful of your stack. Are you waiting too long before you shove or just in a tough stretch? As far as loosening up midgame, in a 9 man, i'd say 7-6 left is midgame. At this point, don't be afraid of the suited connectors or suited A rag to see if you can hit something. Watch pot odds too....even if you have some crap hand in the blinds....if the odds say call....take a shot at it. (obviously not all in but a raised pot with lots of callers in front of you)
 
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dan abnormal

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Good advice, thanks. I usually start pushing all in around 900-1000 chips so I have something that will make players think before calling me. But that usually less than 10BB maybe between 5-7bb. So I might be playing tight too long and I really do need to start throwing caution to the wind middle stages with lower suited connector or just connectors and see what happens. It cant be any worse than what is happening now. I mean it just feels so empty when you wait for the big hand forever, you get it and then some crap hands totally kills you. SO i guess when I few people get out, Im gonna have to start trying some looser hands and that way if it does work out, I wont be in so many push fold situations. AND YES I do find myself in these situations almost every game

Once again thanks for the advice If I run into other trouble scenerios I will post and maybe someone will help me find my way
 
medeiros13

medeiros13

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DanAbnormal, I shouldve mentioned when playing what you'd consider looser hands, watch your position. If you're at a raise happy table, you don't want to open with a raise with that 56 suited or ace rag suited....because you'll probably end up 3 betted or worse. On the other hand, if it's a tight table (yes, there are some believe it or not...even at the low lvls), then that maybe a good time to raise from an early spot. Another thing that I should mention is to pay attention to the chip stacks and your image. I've found a quick way to steal some chips is to raise in mid/late position where a few players playing after you are getting short and there's one big stack between you and them. If your image is tight and you get past the big stack, you'll probably pick up that pot (unless they actually have a hand...then they'll probably flat call unless its a monster) These are a few ways I've found to at least keep your stack stablized during that midgame where you are card dead
 
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budebuzz

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I find when I'm bubbling I have about three choises, shove with good cards but probably not getting good cards and thats why I'm bubbling, fold everything and hope for the best which rarely works for me or play some hands in good position or hands that I like and if i go out I at least make a stand or I get lucky plus I dont feel like crap when I'm forced to play real real bad cards and go out by default. I like trusting my gut feeling also in that position and your going to probably need to win a race anyway and if you do win your will get farther than if you just lasted to the money.
 
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baudib1

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One mistake I see a TON is people making desperate moves at the wrong time. Let's say it's 5 handed and you have 9 BBs left. Someone raises and you shove with A9s on the button. Now this is a reasonably good hand but you're never in great shape when called. Shoving 87 suited on the CO if first to act on the next hand is a lot better.
 
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ftwbikertrash

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poker software

i have heard of some getting there accounts frozen and then being banned losing all of there bank roll for what fulltilt and pokerstars concider cheating, by installing software to help there game BEWARE I don't recall what forum i was in but one dude was very upset and the program only showed odds, he said. as for AA or KK i also have been beat at the bubble with both many times, crap i think odds are a coin flip no matter what the numbers say...good luck on the felt:cool:
 
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