Risking whole stack in MTT near ITM

Hello,
when Im in MTT and close to ITM, but short stacked, lets say under 10BB. How much should I fold anything and wait to get some money? Or is it generally bettern to risk and getting close to real winnings and not just the smal ones?

I know there are some ICM calculators, but the ones I know dont work for MTTs.

Better to risk everything and go for the big bucks is the general consensus.

Play is generally pretty tight when you get close to ITM. By just sitting there, the blinds, which I assume are now very significant compared to your stack, are going to get you knocked out.

yeah gotta play your cards cant just sit there and try to cash or ur only going to cash...play to win in that situation

I've always been a firm believer in going for the win as opposed to trying to hold on and hoping I don't lose. I like to think of it as having a winners attitude. Or you can call it taking my fate into my own hands. Besides, there is no guarantee that holding on and trying to fold your way to a min cash is going to pay off. You might be folding playable hands like A-Q or K-Q because you don't want to risk being eliminated. Meanwhile the players with shorter stacks than yours, that you were hoping would go out in front of you might be playing hands and doubling up. Now you're the absolute shortstack that everyone else is trying to wait out. At some point you're going to have to pick a spot and go with a hand before you're blinded off. Chances are you're not going to find a hand better than the K-Q and A-Q that you folded earlier and you'll wish you had played one of them. Or you make eek out a min cash with 2xBB left. The point is that there is no guarantee that holding on, trying to fold you way to a min cash will pay off.

a min cash is usually slightly less than the buyin...only way i would try for that was if my br badly needed it.

mjg1986 said:

a min cash is usually slightly less than the buyin...only way i would try for that was if my br badly needed it.

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Yeah if you're a micro player and managed to satty into a Sunday major I could see holding out for the $. Other than specific situations like that you should always go for the win. People that make $ playing tournaments aren't min-cashing all the time, and those times they do min-cash just helps them break even.

depends on how close you actually are to the money, there's a big difference between 10 and 100 hundred places away! unless i'm very very close to the money i'd just go for it, you're in it to win it after all!

In order to win it all, you first must get it the money. That being said, if I am

shortstacked, close to the bubble, especially with about 10BB, I am picking my

spot to shove. I will take into account, position, the stacks behind me, and who

has been playing tight. Oh yeah my cards also. Try to take advantage of those

who are trying to just get ITM. You will find that once the bubble bursts, play

tends to loosen up and you can then take advantage of these loose players to

make your move to the top.

If you're less than 10bb and close to the bubble - and we've all been there - keep a close eye on the other short stacks. If it looks like you can outlast them and fold your way ITM, that is a perfectly reasonable approach. Of course, if you're dealt AA or KK, go ahead and shove.

When you are that short, all-in is your only move. It's your only move before the bubble and it will be your only move after the bubble. So if you can fold your way ITM, do it.

We are all playing to win. Your goal should always be to finish first. But there are times when reality sets in. One of those reality checks is a short stack and only a handful of eliminations before you get ITM. Get ITM, then take your chances and try to move up.

I recently played a mtt 445 runners with a $4 buy in..was short stacked all the way near to the bubble. At this point i was down to about 2 BB not good but i had decided to try and min cash,anyway 2 hours later i finished 3rd for a $122.00. so you never know when the cards will turn in your favour. You have to be in it to win it.

Once again, I'm a firm believer in going for the win, not holding on hoping for a min cash. I've also stated that while I don't stop playing as the bubble approaches, I don't do anything stupid. That's very important. Don't take unnecessary risks. Let me say it again, don'tdo anything stupid!

So here I am, two and a half hours into a tournament as the bubble is drawing near. We're down to three shorthanded tables and the chipleader, with 23K+ in chips, is three seats to my left. He's been alternating shoving all-in from the CO and HJ (my BB and SB). When I pick up A-Q suited in the small blind I insta-call one of his shoves, to find him holding K-4 off. I survive the flop and pair my Q on the turn. I only need to dodge a K on the river. Of course, as I'm sure you can guess, a jack comes on the river. The best hand does hold up every now and again.

My initial reaction was to be thrilled with the outcome of the hand and the fact that I was the new chipleader. That exitement soon faded and was replaced by and extreme case of WTF. Was that K-4? Offsuit? Even worse, this guy refused to slow down or adjust his strategy. A few hands later, he doubled up one of the shortstacks with an all-in bluff, and was ultimately eliminated 19th just before the remaining players were rebalanced to two tables. He was the chipleader! He could have sat out and coasted. Not that I would ever recommend doing that, but he could have if he wanted to. All he had to do was not do anything stupid.

I have found that in most mtts I have played they start out with everyone crazy loose early then tighten up near the bubble. I try to get as many chips as possible near the bubble because thats when those trying to min cash are most likely to fold. This isn't news, and most good tourny players know that. Also, I usually wont see 10 BBs as I really open up at 20 BBs but again thats just me. Good luck.

Good players build up their stacks on the bubble, stealing from people who are trying to sneak in the money.

If you have a lot more chips then you need then wait, and play only the premium hands, until after the bubble. If you're short stack or close to it, pick your spot and push!

IntenseHeat said:

Even worse, this guy refused to slow down or adjust his strategy. A few hands later, he doubled up one of the shortstacks with an all-in bluff, and was ultimately eliminated 19th just before the remaining players were rebalanced to two tables. He was the chipleader! He could have sat out and coasted. Not that I would ever recommend doing that, but he could have if he wanted to. All he had to do was not do anything stupid.

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Live by the sword, die by the sword.
That's how he become chip leader in the first place.

aa88wildbill said:

If you have a lot more chips then you need then wait, and play only the premium hands, until after the bubble. If you're short stack or close to it, pick your spot and push!

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No.

widen significantly on weak tables, on tough ones either tighten slightly or widen your 4bet/3bet calling/limp shoving ranges to prevent ownage.

antes were designed to loosen up the game.

bnasp2 said:

Hello,
when Im in MTT and close to ITM, but short stacked, lets say under 10BB. How much should I fold anything and wait to get some money? Or is it generally bettern to risk and getting close to real winnings and not just the smal ones?

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In most instances you are more likely to cash by shoving light IP (CO/BU), or better yet restealing from a bigstack raising light from late position on you, than waiting around; because everyone around you will be in waiting-around mode. With less than 7 orbits left for you to play, you will get eaten up by the blinds and antes long before the bubble bursts, and in fact you may even cause the bubble to burst yourself.

So the question is moot. By waiting you're sealing your fate anyway.

if you play your position right and have some luck you will end up itm.
When I play mtt, and close to itm, I tighten up a notch, but that also depends of the table and the game....

I always ask myself when short close to bubble, do I wanna cash or do I want a shot to win this? Jam your stack when you have a playable hand on the bubble. Big stacks will call with Ax and Kx most of the time you are ahead anyway. Good luck all!