Poker Tournament Bubble Play - Tips for the Short Stack
1. Understanding Stack Sizes. When stuck with a quick stack in a MTT, the bubble can be a precarious spot. It can help to understand which stacks are willing to take shots at knocking you out light, and which can't afford to play against you without a monster hand. Big stacks are the major threats for your requirements; they can afford to gamble, and because of more modern advances in game theory, are anticipated to pound on the short stacks more liberally than normal on the bubble. The medium stacks are easier to play against, but depending on your relative stack size, may also decide to pick you. Your fellow short stacks are the easiest to play against, as they really have few options to deal with you when you choose to shove. Your shove itself looks strong, so to a quick stack trying to eek into the bubble, the relative strength of the move itself is huge.
2. M 4-7 Play. With a stack in this range, you have a stack that can probably wait til the conclusion of the bubble, if you do so. You'll notice that many of the bigger stacks will purposely come after your blinds; your stack is actually more vulnerable compared to the super short stacks which can be, that are forced to make a move. Don't be astonished to see players jockeying to pick on your own blinds, even short stacks may choose your big blind to produce a stand and shove. If you're playing for first (which you should be) look for spots where you believe a big stack gets froggy, or where a short stack is shipping it in light, and take action. Getting your stack out of the M 4-7 range will allow you to really open up your game on the bubble and find additional profitable opportunities.
3. M 0-3 Play. This is the critical stage of the bubble; you don't have enough play to safely make it through the blinds and antes more than 3 rotations of the dining table. More than likely, you will have to make a move some time in the next 5-10 hands to be able to survive. With regards to the type of poker tournament and players remaining, you may can simply fold and hang on for dear life; you may have no fold equity at a table filled with big stacks, or you may be so short, you don't have any fold equity anyways. When presented with these type of scenarios, think about the most readily useful targets at the table for making your move. Do not let your self blind below M 2, if possible; fold equity tends to vanish once you're under 5 BB's. Keep an energetic eye on the bubble itself, and do whatever you can to squeeze involved with it. Remember; a double up from M2 to M4 won't drastically help you in the long run, but going from M2 to M0 keeps you from cashing. Not a big deal in a small tournament, but in a $10k buy-in event, can be quite a huge chunk of change for Capsa susun Online an amateur player.
2. M 4-7 Play. With a stack in this range, you have a stack that can probably wait til the conclusion of the bubble, if you do so. You'll notice that many of the bigger stacks will purposely come after your blinds; your stack is actually more vulnerable compared to the super short stacks which can be, that are forced to make a move. Don't be astonished to see players jockeying to pick on your own blinds, even short stacks may choose your big blind to produce a stand and shove. If you're playing for first (which you should be) look for spots where you believe a big stack gets froggy, or where a short stack is shipping it in light, and take action. Getting your stack out of the M 4-7 range will allow you to really open up your game on the bubble and find additional profitable opportunities.
3. M 0-3 Play. This is the critical stage of the bubble; you don't have enough play to safely make it through the blinds and antes more than 3 rotations of the dining table. More than likely, you will have to make a move some time in the next 5-10 hands to be able to survive. With regards to the type of poker tournament and players remaining, you may can simply fold and hang on for dear life; you may have no fold equity at a table filled with big stacks, or you may be so short, you don't have any fold equity anyways. When presented with these type of scenarios, think about the most readily useful targets at the table for making your move. Do not let your self blind below M 2, if possible; fold equity tends to vanish once you're under 5 BB's. Keep an energetic eye on the bubble itself, and do whatever you can to squeeze involved with it. Remember; a double up from M2 to M4 won't drastically help you in the long run, but going from M2 to M0 keeps you from cashing. Not a big deal in a small tournament, but in a $10k buy-in event, can be quite a huge chunk of change for Capsa susun Online an amateur player.