Bubble

GREGHOGG

Hi,

After just finishing 9th in a 67 runner tournie, top 8 pay, im a little annoyed with myself.
 
However, add this to the multitude of mtt bubbles i have suffered over the past year this fades into insignificance.

Please Please PLease tell me how to not be the bubble boy! I have tried everything, from tightening up and letting the clock run down to playing outrageously loose, but nothing seems to work..... Please help

dutch1     36253.75 Table 7 MADMOO     21890 Table 7 HOTDOG55     16102.50 Table 7 strangey24     14106.25 Table 7 pokeynose     8117.50 Table 7 tornadofoz     4030 Table 7 MASSIE29 7 £20.10 + 3 League Points 0   EMIR8S 8 £16.75 + 2 League Points 0   GREGHOGG 9   0   67 runners and nothing for 2 hours work grrrrrrr

razorkev

greg..u know how to play posistion i think thats vital wen everyone is on the bubble m8,, if u spot weaknes ie call call then push allin any two cards ull get it thro guranteed.. if somebody raises and you have aj,aq kj,kq small pair then fold wait for someone else to bubble bud..anyway good post hope my advice has helped

dowzer

I guess how you play it depends on your stack at the time and whether you want to win or just cash?

mickjenn1

Stack SizesYour opponent’s play at the bubble of an MTT is largely a function of their stack size. Small and medium size stacks will tighten up considerably, and may even slow their play down too.Large stacks will be using the opportunity to raise a wide range of hands to pick up blinds and small pots from the smaller stacks. Large stacks will usually play pots cautiously against other large stacks - at the same time as keeping the pressure on those players that they have covered.Adjusting Your PlayAdjusting your own play is a matter of understanding your opponent’s motives and how this affects their range of starting hands. The large stacks will be raising a large range of hands which makes re-stealing from them an option. At the same time a very large stack might call you anyway – especially if losing the hand would not damage their stack too much.Medium and small stacks are your natural targets in any MTT bubble situation. If you are first to enter a pot and there are no big-stacks yet to act then raise a wide range of hands. If you get re-raised by a small stack you will be able to fold in the knowledge that you were most probably beaten.

dowzer

In Response to Re: Bubble:

Medium and small stacks are your natural targets in any MTT bubble situation. If you are first to enter a pot and there are no big-stacks yet to act then raise a wide range of hands. If you get re-raised by a small stack you will be able to fold in the knowledge that you were most probably beaten.
Posted by mickjenn1

Mick - I usually try and avoid the small stacks especially when the blinds are quite high as they can become committed very quickly and if you don't have a good hand you can lose a considerable % of your stack to them as they often feel they have no choice but to push. Is this the wrong play?

MADMOO

In Response to Bubble:

Hi, After just finishing 9th in a 67 runner tournie, top 8 pay, im a little annoyed with myself.   However, add this to the multitude of mtt bubbles i have suffered over the past year this fades into insignificance. Please Please PLease tell me how to not be the bubble boy!  I have tried everything, from tightening up and letting the clock run down to playing outrageously loose, but nothing seems to work..... Please help dutch1     36253.75 Table 7 MADMOO     21890 Table 7 HOTDOG55     16102.50 Table 7 strangey24     14106.25 Table 7 pokeynose     8117.50 Table 7 tornadofoz     4030 Table 7 MASSIE29 7 £20.10 + 3 League Points 0   EMIR8S 8 £16.75 + 2 League Points 0   GREGHOGG 9   0   67 runners and nothing for 2 hours work grrrrrrr     
Posted by GREGHOGG

Hi Greg ul. Imo pushing against the big stack wasnt the best move, he had you well covered and was going to call with any 2 if he hit the flop or not, unfortunatly he did hit. You have tried everything else, your going to have to do what i do and win every race lol.

GREGHOGG

In Response to Re: Bubble:

In Response to Bubble : Hi Greg ul. Imo pushing against the big stack wasnt the best move, he had you well covered and was going to call with any 2 if he hit the flop or not, unfortunatly he did hit. You have tried everything else, your going to have to do what i do and win every race lol.
Posted by MADMOO

Thanks Moo, and all... I did hit the flop by the way, an open ender lol. And i push into the big stak to double up and try and win the thing.

Mean time there are 2 or three players on the other table with less chips than me waiting for someone like me to go out, oh well!  we live an learn...

Tikay10

Greg,

Forget optimal "Bubble Play", that's important, but secondary.

The reason you Bubble more than most is because you tend to motor with a small stack, playing good, tight, solid poker. Proftable poker, too, because the lairy harem-scarem merchants garner a big stack now & then, but cannot sustain it over time. So they score big now & then, whereas you tend to score small a lot.

However, Small Stacks get called very wide by Big Stacks at the sharp end of a Tourney, so it cuts down your optimal spots.

The answer? Simple. Motor wih a bigger stack. How? No idea. Change your style a bit. Or accept that the game you have is what it is, & it's a good game, & Bubble Time is always gonna be your nemesis.

How do I know all his? I have the same problem, but I've accepted it for what it is. It does me fine, & it'll do you fine. We can't be all things to all men.

GREGHOGG

In Response to Re: Bubble:

Greg, Forget optimal "Bubble Play", that's important, but secondary. The reason you Bubble more than most is because you tend to motor with a small stack, playing good, tight, solid poker. Proftable poker, too, because the lairy harem-scarem merchants garner a big stack now & then, but cannot sustain it over time. So they score big now & then, whereas you tend to score small a lot. However, Small Stacks get called very wide by Big Stacks at the sharp end of a Tourney, so it cuts down your optimal spots. The answer? Simple. Motor wih a bigger stack. How? No idea. Change your style a bit. Or accept that the game you have is what it is, & it's a good game, & Bubble Time is always gonna be your nemesis. How do I know all his? I have the same problem, but I've accepted it for what it is. It does me fine, & it'll do you fine. We can't be all things to all men.
Posted by Tikay10

Hi Tikay,

Many thanks for this, and tis true that more often than not when approaching the bubble i am a short/short-medium stack. Therefore, i accept fully that my overall style of play may mean that i bubble more often.

You are also correct that this style is profitable, however, it is frustrating to come so far to bubble when if you were slightly more patient you might have crept into the cash and vitally increased the bankroll further
 
For me it is the patience on the bubble that i struggle with i think, perhaps the problem is that i don't mind getting my chips in on the bubble with a marginal hand so long as im shoving first. However, like you say the calls from big stacks are usually marginal too... which i quite like actually because one double up and i guarantee a cash.

More often than not though, i bubble and the shortie who has 1/2 a bb and has been ticking the clock down on another table cashes. Seems an injustice to me. But i do accept it and will never complain ever again about being the bubble boy, you have my word and it is in writing...

Thanks again GH

GREGHOGG

Thanks Guys, with your advice i beat the bubble in the £500 GTD, £22, Sleepstak!! yipee

			89280	Table 3
agent2			15720	Table 3
GREGHOGG	3	£100 + 18 League Points	0
FITF3	4	12 League Points	0
brandygirl	5	6 League Points	0

Chompy_imo

Hi Greg,
Have you ever considered 'improving your game' or 'getting some talent'?
Both of these are worth a go imo.
Also, have you tried wearing a shirt that hasn't been fashioned from a deck chair? It might be worth trying.
Love,
Chompy

mickjenn1

nice1 hoggster my advice work then

GREGHOGG

In Response to Re: Bubble:

Hi Greg, Have you ever considered 'improving your game' or 'getting some talent'? Both of these are worth a go imo. Also, have you tried wearing a shirt that hasn't been fashioned from a deck chair? It might be worth trying. Love, Chompy
Posted by Chompy_imo

I say sky, you say talent, skys got talent with DJ talent

skicowboys

Hi Greg, first of all i love Chompy's post! As normal he has plenty to say!
As you know i'm a solid player, who minimises risk as far as possible. I cash more often but win less often. That's my style and i'm comfortable with it.
I mentally say "make the money then make a move". This means that i have the bankroll to keep on playing, as yes guys this is supposed to be fun.
I try and look for opportunities to steal on the bubble normally from the medium stacks, imo these are the most likely to pass a hand. Short stacks may feel committed and the big stacks "what the heck". It's also about image. If i've played tight and raise only occassionally then my all-in shoves may get more respect than someone who is more aggressive. Because of the fast blind structures in the majority of sky tournies and them almost exclusively being short handed you are likely to get called by most people most of the time in my experience. You are a good player, don't sweat it too much at least you make it as far as the bubble! 

murray69

.

TRIP5

In Response to Re: Bubble:

Hi Greg, Have you ever considered 'improving your game' or 'getting some talent'? Both of these are worth a go imo. Also, have you tried wearing a shirt that hasn't been fashioned from a deck chair? It might be worth trying. Love, Chompy
Posted by Chompy_imo

Chompy.. can't believe you didnt take his advice on the deck-chair shirts... FISH!!!!

p.s. loving the embarrasing bumpage ;o))

xx

GREGHOGG

nice bump

Wacko90

Hi hoggers i think theres that stage in a tourney where you can quite easily go card dead for an hour or so, and before you know it your a short stack through no fault of your own.

For me when im a little dead in the middle of a tourney i make a choice, if i want to guarantee a min cash but reduce my chances of a big cash il stick tight, play optimal hands etc etc and play as patiently as possible, knowing that it will be tight around the bubble but confident i can ride it out.

If i want to give myself the best possible chance of winning the big money but reducing the chance of a min cash then il loosen up in the middle. Obviously some tournaments you just run golden, pick up hands throughout and are a big stack throughout but the ones where your dead, for me it is all about making moves in the right position against the right players. highlight weak players, pick your spots and make your moves, near the bubble its all about maintaining your stack rather than slowly dwindling away.

Also dont be afraid to take a risk near the bubble. if you think a big stack is bullying you and you think your cards are good then go with your reads.

Just my opinion anyways

oynutter

Hi Gregg, I sometimes try to look very solid untill blinds reach 300/600, then raise a few blinds and try to build a final table stack before the bubble comes, if you have the stack you can sit tight and wait for the bubble to burst before you go flopwit mental and play your usual game.

 Know who's been calling light and give em some stick!

DOHHHHHHH

Thaz not learnt owt has tha!

Still a useless lard R'sed oval shaped wally!

Position	Username	Profit
1	stu82	£90.50
2	diamondo66	£54.50
3	warner01	£30.50
4	CRUZY10	£20.90
5	JayDogg	£16.10
6	GREGHOGG	-£5.50
7	SamJay	-£5.50
8	CUFCrp90	-£5.50

At least the diet's going well!

.......................

GREGHOGG

ty for your posts guys but i posted this in 1994!