Pre-bubble strategy

[Slow Horse]

Hello folks!

These days I've been rushig some sit n go's of $ 0,25 on PS, but got in the bubble few times, so could not profit. What seens to be happening is that I'm able to reach the two final tables of the sit n go of 45 players, but close to the final table I often lose. I'm trying to improve my gameplay, and would like some suggetions of how to do it, like content to study, possible strategies, and what you feel revelant.

Thanks all for the time!

 

[DegenerateSheep]

Could you explain more about how you are losing? I played quite a bit of the 0.25$ and 1$ 45-mans, so maybe I can help. They do have an interesting dynamic where before top 18 the play is a lot looser, and then by top 18 it tightens up a lot and people's raises are more value heavy. It's a very stressful grind from 18-7

 

[nachopaulo19]

A useful recommendation is to avoid going all in with premium hands in tournaments like this, as the luck of amateur players can lead you to elimination. Recently, I experienced a sequence of losses with AA, KK, AK, and QQ to very weak hands like 82o, 73o, and others. Amateur players usually play anything and end up hitting lucky hands, and it's quite frustrating to be eliminated in this way.

 

[rhoudini]

A useful recommendation is to avoid going all in with premium hands in tournaments like this, as the luck of amateur players can lead you to elimination. Recently, I experienced a sequence of losses with AA, KK, AK, and QQ to very weak hands like 82o, 73o, and others. Amateur players usually play anything and end up hitting lucky hands, and it's quite frustrating to be eliminated in this way.

With all due respect, this is not a good recommendation to follow. That's great to go all-in with QQ+, AK against 73, 84 or similar. We should be happy that people are paying with such hands!
This strategy of not going all-in with premium hands is based on fear, and fear is not a quality of the winning poker player.
On the bubble, as in any other phase, we can't play with fear.
Of course, we should pay attention to ICM and being in the money is always great, but winning the tournament or even getting to top 3 or heads-up is better!

Slow Horse, what I would recommend is that you get your hand histories and try to evaluate if you are avoiding close spots based on fear just to reach the final table. Usually what happens is that players try to survive and reach the bubble with a short stack. The chances of being eliminated is big!
Trust your bankroll management and try to eliminate fear.

 

[bananovsky1999]

Hello folks!

These days I've been rushig some sit n go's of $ 0,25 on PS, but got in the bubble few times, so could not profit. What seens to be happening is that I'm able to reach the two final tables of the sit n go of 45 players, but close to the final table I often lose. I'm trying to improve my gameplay, and would like some suggetions of how to do it, like content to study, possible strategies, and what you feel revelant.

Thanks all for the time!

General strategies really depends on the size of the stack you have when reaching late stages of the tournament

Most of the times you'll be getting there with low stack sizes (<15 BBs), so what i would recommend for you to study is Steal and Re-steal ranges

 

[Slow Horse]

Thanks for the awnsers so far!

General strategies really depends on the size of the stack you have when reaching late stages of the tournament

Most of the times you'll be getting there with low stack sizes (<15 BBs), so what i would recommend for you to study is Steal and Re-steal ranges

bananovsky1999, that's exactly what is happaneing. Few times I managed to get in the buble with medium or large stacks, and by the time when I sucessufuly reach that, I often get in the payouts or even get the win. But generally I reach the bubble short stacked, if I'm able to get there.

I'm improving my steal and re-steal plays, and it's making a huge difference when I am short stacked. I'm studying ranges as well, and it's making so much sense when I bring this to my gameplay.

 

[Slow Horse]

Could you explain more about how you are losing? I played quite a bit of the 0.25$ and 1$ 45-mans, so maybe I can help. They do have an interesting dynamic where before top 18 the play is a lot looser, and then by top 18 it tightens up a lot and people's raises are more value heavy. It's a very stressful grind from 18-7

Nice tip! This sure will help a lot whe a reach the top 18.

If my losses ware only because bad beats, I would be fine, but I'm afraid of making some wrong calls and beats. There are two major things that use to happen. The first is the all in pre flop call's, when I have a premium hand like AKs, AA, KK, QQ, AKo, and the vilain hits a low probability turn or river... I just don't know anymore if I call all ins with such hands pre-flop. The post flop play is what I am trying to improve, reading the opponents ranges and playing with the feeling of the table is what is getting me a few more deeper in tournaments.

 

[Slow Horse]

With all due respect, this is not a good recommendation to follow. That's great to go all-in with QQ+, AK against 73, 84 or similar. We should be happy that people are paying with such hands!
This strategy of not going all-in with premium hands is based on fear, and fear is not a quality of the winning poker player.
On the bubble, as in any other phase, we can't play with fear.
Of course, we should pay attention to ICM and being in the money is always great, but winning the tournament or even getting to top 3 or heads-up is better!

Slow Horse, what I would recommend is that you get your hand histories and try to evaluate if you are avoiding close spots based on fear just to reach the final table. Usually what happens is that players try to survive and reach the bubble with a short stack. The chances of being eliminated is big!
Trust your bankroll management and try to eliminate fear.

I understand your concern, and I agree with you. I'm being more cold blooded, and it's getting me good results, but there's some calls that I still go wrong. When that happens, I do review the hands I've played, but I'll look at it through your recommendation. Thanks!

 

[Gallarado777]

just closer to the final table, try to play on monsters in strong hands, avoid opening cards with Kx from early positions and play AjS+ aQo from an early position if you're 3bet then you don't always need to call sometimes it's better to reset or reset the time after the flop

 

[viniavelar2]

Thank you very much for the tips

 

[BelFish]

You must play very tight on this stage of game if you short stack, just use push/fold in this case.

 

[DegenerateSheep]

Nice tip! This sure will help a lot whe a reach the top 18.

If my losses ware only because bad beats, I would be fine, but I'm afraid of making some wrong calls and beats. There are two major things that use to happen. The first is the all in pre flop call's, when I have a premium hand like AKs, AA, KK, QQ, AKo, and the vilain hits a low probability turn or river... I just don't know anymore if I call all ins with such hands pre-flop. The post flop play is what I am trying to improve, reading the opponents ranges and playing with the feeling of the table is what is getting me a few more deeper in tournaments.

Being the caller with thos hands is great. It just feels really bad to play the tournament for 1.5h and then bust holding QQ vs AK. Here I agree with what
was said on ICM. If you are short and get it in with those hands you will printing money. The exception is when it's the pure bubble (8 left, 7 paid), and you are a top 3 stack facing a shove from the chipleader. There I think you can laydown the AKo and maybe even QQ if the difference between you and the shortstacks is very large.

But this is mostly for when you are calling all-ins or facing raises. You can definitely look to open wider since a lot of people tighten up in the top 18. Pay attention who is shutting down, and who is opening more. Those that shutdown will hardly defend enough on the BB, so these are your prime target for blind steals.

Hope this helps!