What range is best to play near bubble?

[ObbleeXY]

Are you looking to cash or to win?
The strategies will often vary when you are around the bubble.
Personally, I like playing aggressively with a short stack around the bubble (if I make it that long).
Stealing blinds around the bubble can be very lucrative.
But you need to be positionally aware and gather some intel. Otherwise you will risk your place in the tourney.

Additionally, as others will tell you, it is better to consider the stack size of your opponent and how it affects their bets and the range they're playing. If you easily have a challlenger covered, you might be more likely to call. But if it is the chip lead betting into you, your hand had better be strong if you intend to continue, especially if they are raising UTG/EP.

Cheers,
ObbleeXY

 

[nanida888]

On the bubble, the best range is fold. Because there is no guarantee that your nuts will not run over 9 3, but a pass usually helps to enter the prizes.

 

[Gusborgs22]

Depends, you wanna win the MTT or you are trying to reach ITM?
If you are trying to reach ITM fold everything except from AA and KK, sometimes QQ
AK its risky, a lot of coinflips and 60/40 situations
If you are trying to win the MTT play more agressive. Most players just fold everything, so its a great spot to steal a lot of blinds
GLGL

 

[dorynel7]

Depends of the stack you have if you are deep put te pressure, if you are short stay tight play only top pairs.

 

[MakTrue]

I lose with a pair of aces, and this is not a one time only, so i don't know anymore...

Good day!
It all depends on what kind of stack you have (if you are a chip leader, you can press and open wider), on how passive or aggressive the other players at the table are. Everything is individual.

 

[Ofarah]

All I know is I’m never jamming mid position again with 10-20bb

 

[theANMATOR]

I'd rather be bubble boy attempting to chip up to make the final table - rather than min-cashing. Min cash isn't meaningful in any universe.

You can min cash every tourney you play on any particular day, which would essentially double your total buyins for that day.
OR you can bust every tourney you play except one - and place in the top 3 - for a 100% profit which would increase your bankroll by a lot more than min-cashing every event.

2nd option is the one I prefer.

 

[marvinsytan]

bubble, keep jamming there is no range at all

when you are at the btn and you covered both blinds just jam any 2

yeah, we only lose with Aces on the bubble sh*t happens, nothing we can do, but the next time you have Aces on the bubble same play I'm very sure you will win it 80% of the time

 

[Jedrey]

It is a situation that you have to analyze what is at stake, if you are worth facing, if you have chips while an AA show I think it is worth taking the risk if you win you are more secure.
If it is with an opponent who has more chips than me, I will probably go more calmly at the maximum 3bb raise if a favorable table goes up.
Because AA is a huge monster.
But everything is analysis of the table and the opponents

 

[okeedokalee]

There will be players worrying about being the bubble boy/girl. They will be playing very tight. In position bet them relentlessly.
If you are worrying about being knocked out then fold almost every hand against loose villains with big stacks.
Personally with AA I go hard. Just today with that hand and a reasonable stack I was knocked out by a big stack player who hit trip sevens.
If I had taken the hand, I would have been on the FT with a nice stack.
However poker is poker and we live or die in the moment.
Many times I have AA cracked.
I suggest if this is a problem for you avoid ACR and pokerstars and try sites like BOL and SportsBetting where I find this happens less often.

 

[canabero]

just to say that not only in bubble the level of hole cards are not more important than stack managing.

 

[turrui262]

depends a lot on your stack range [bigblins] if it is deep and good to press the shortest ones, otherwise look for good spots

 

[korbal29]

I will say all in 10s and up in my opinion

 

[Dougsey]

Good thread. I find myself tightening up a bit too much on the bubble, when slightly more aggressive play has got me to that position and a double up would put me in a good position to make the last table or two. And then mop up the short-stacks as they loosen up post-bubble. As others have said, stack size is important too

 

[mclay]

just to say that not only in bubble the level of hole cards are not more important than stack managing.

Well said, I agree with you, but the bubble is the best time to build up the stack.

 

[pcurley17]

I completely changes depending on your stack size
If you have a big stack I try to bully others
But short stack I would fold a lot more

 

[maxivega]

It depends on what you aim for during the tournament. If you settle for entering the bubble possibly just playing aggressive premium hands reach. I always look at the smallest stacks and attacked them. I try to put pressure on them and avoid duels against opponents ahead.

 

[Robbert_ro]

i think it depends on what the stack size you have, how you feeling in that particular day and so on. for me personally i might go a little bit crazy early on but if i find myself close to the bubble with 50-60bbs behind me i might just chill and just play premium cards until i reach the bubble. i like to take the cautious approach until im safe in the money. not sure yet if its the right aproach or not but hey...it worked a couple of times for me.

 

[iLoV3P0ker]

Just play tight and agressive

 

[Kinganders]

Just play tight and agressive

Can you give examples? All in when betting?

 

[theANMATOR]

I will probably go more calmly at the maximum 3bb raise if a favorable table goes up. Because AA is a huge monster.

So you adjust your bet sizes based on your cards?

I suggest if this is a problem for you avoid ACR and Pokerstars and try sites like BOL and SportsBetting where I find this happens less often.

Unture. AA's get cracked at the same rate on every site. I've cracked AAs and had them cracked on BOL/SB just as often as all the other sites I play. (I don't play pokerstars so - I can not speak to that site, but ACR is the same frequency as BOL/SB)

Silly suggestion.

 

[TriszPoker]

Depends on your bankroll, how flat the tourneys payout structure is, and most importantly your stack depth compared to average stacks and your placement, are you ahead of bubble, or behind the bubble rank? If behind or just slightly ahead lowest paying spot, how is your stack compared to the next and previous stacks... Not enough info

 

[Gusborgs22]

There is a lot of factors
Position
How many players to the bubble
Stack
...
For exemple, if i have 5bbs 5 players to the bubble (and it's not a hyper / turbo mtt) i'll fold everything except AA KK AK QQ because i know that my chances to win the MTT are very low compared to the chances of getting ITM
If i have 100bbs in a 30bb average i'll raise a lot of hands to make pressure into smaller stakes and steal some blinds

 

[Jason Bralli]

on the bubble, will it depend on your position at the table, chip leader or short stack?

if you are a chip leader, you can and should force your opponents with a wider range.

but if you are short, you should close this range and try to move on to earn some money!

GL

 

[admiralrp]

good question, you play hours just to get close, the game is luck