Joined: Jun '13
Location: Argentina
Age: 35 (F)
Posts: 7
When I arrive at final stages of a tournament, the game changes radically, and that is when we are entering bubble where I need to know how to play better with chips. I need help.
Posted by marurusa: When I arrive at final stages of a tournament, the game changes radically, and that is when we are entering bubble where I need to know how to play better with chips. I need help.
You have to judge each situation individually, and it is wrong to generalize, nonetheless, generally speaking, the nearer to the bubble the tighter a lot of players play.
When in late positions with no limpers before you you should raise (3x or more) with even middling hands. Those that have tightened up will fold even good hands for fear of missing the bubble.
Take care though. If someone to your right obviously also knows this 'secret' be play as you normally would. You should also be wary if the blinds are the big stacks and you try this too often.
When approaching the bubble I always think to myself that it would be a REAL Bummer to have sat here for 2, 3, or 4 hours,...ONLY to lose just before the money... So I just generally DON'T play any hands for a bit! There have been times when I did and was successful,....and other times TOTAL disaster.
Once you're safely in the money,....then go for it...!
TOTAL disaster struck 2 or 3 times last week when I played against my better judgement...
Joined: May '13
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 37 (M)
Posts: 2219
Are we talking being short stacked, or medium? As having more than enough chips is no problem with the bubble looming unless you want more just in case you go through a dry patch.
Posted by marurusa: When I arrive at final stages of a tournament, the game changes radically, and that is when we are entering bubble where I need to know how to play better with chips. I need help.
Unless it's a satellite where all prizes are of equal value, most of the money is to be won on the final table.
Your mission should be to get there and ultimately win the whole thing.
The bubble is indeed where most players tighten up, just to get into the money. You should do the exact opposite. Raise more hands, and put pressure on the short stacks. Just stealing blinds and antes can add a substantial amount to your stack, and you get much less resistance, than at any other stage of the tournament.
Big stacks will try to push you out of the pot (just like you should do when you are the big stack). Take care when taking on big stacks (trap them if you can), try to pick on the small stacks, players that let the timer run out, and players that seem to be folding a lot.
Btw letting the timer run out may help you a bit as well, as other tables will play more hands, and more players drop out. I do this sometimes when I'm short stacked near the bubble. I'm not sure but I think it's slightly +EV, allowing you to reach ITM more often (otoh you also give up equity by not taking advantage of bubble play).
Don't care too much about finishing just outside the bubble. The times that you run deep will compensate for that (one win could be worth 100 min cashes).
Joined: Mar '09
Location: Portugal
Age: 57 (M)
Posts: 1703
Just play safe lf you can.Sometimes I try to do that but them it comes "winner" hand and I play it thinking on raising the pot some we win and some we loose THAT`S LIFE sorry THAT`S POKER
Joined: May '13
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 37 (M)
Posts: 2219
Then I would take Marqis's advice as he hits the nail on the head. Try and not get into a big pot against a high stacked player as they will always call you down hoping to hit something big or to try and scalp you with ease(As I see in a lot of tournaments)
Joined: May '08
Location: Sweden
Age: 55 (M)
Posts: 1362
I have had this problem too. I seem to very often get into the money, but then pretty much after that be felted, being a shortstack.
I don't know, I get the same feeling as demodawggy, that I have been sitting here for godamn three hours, I'm not leaving without my 1.2 $!! Goddamnit!!!
Even though I know that the right way of thinking is what marqis wrote, that reaching the final table makes up for a lot of busting right before the bubble.
The tip about letting the time run out was interesting, maybe I will try that in the future.
My usual strategy is to be really tight and make it to the bubble, and when I'm there, pretty much go all in with the first decent hand, being called by at least two other players, since the blinds are so hight that they are pretty much my stack, and then be busted.
