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Playing the Tournament Bubble Based on Stack Size

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In tournament poker, the only things more exciting than hitting the money bubble are making the final table, every elimination after that and of course actually winning the tournament. Now, when you’re on the money bubble, it’s only really exciting if you actually manage to make the cut and get into the money, otherwise it turns into one of the most disappointing feelings in poker. That’s why we’re here today to talk about how you should play the bubble based on the size of your chip stack. We’ll not only look at playing the bubble as the short stack, but also if you have a mid-sized stack and one of the deep stacks. The strategy for each of these different situations will be completely different and it’s important that you remain aware of the best possible way to play them. If you know how to play each different sized stack, you’ll get quite an advantage.
Short Stacking
Well, if you’re sitting on the bubble as a short stack, there are a few things you’re going to need to consider. The first thing is what your chances are of folding your way into the money. If you can hold on to that short stack, fold into the money and then get a chance to double up at that point by going all-in, that’s likely going to be your best decision. The only time that would vary is if you pick up a big hand and there’s no option but to shove it, you have to be crazy to fold a huge pocket pair that late in a tournament. While it’s important to try to make it into the money, it’s even more important to try to actually set yourself up to win the tournament. If you can double up at any point with a big hand, take advantage of it. Many players are going to become incredibly tight at this point as well, so if you decide that you want to try to steal the blinds from the button or if you are in the small blind and the action folds to you, it’s not the worst idea. Just remember, if you do this, you’re still going to be at risk if someone decides to look you up with any two cards.
Mid-Sized Stack
This is where you really need to be careful. The most important thing is obviously to make it into the money, from there you need to still try to chip up without risking your stack. Raising to steal blinds or putting the short stacks all-in when you find a blind vs. blind situation or from the button are definitely strong moves. You still need to play incredibly smart and safe, and can’t be nearly as aggressive as the large stacks are. If you get a chance to double up with a big hand, you have to take it, even if it means risking your whole stack. I would be much more open to folding hands like 10/10 or 9/9 or less at this point, as you’re likely in the money and it’s not worth risking your entire stack before you get in it. Patience is a virtue, so just look for the best spots to get your chips in, otherwise just wait it out and make it into the money before you start looking to pick up the big chips!
Big Stacks
If you have one of the biggest stacks at the table and in the tournament, you should take full advantage of the fact that the rest of your table is likely going to be very, very tight. This means raising with a wide range of hands and just looking to chip up as much as possible. Continuation betting is a strong option and truly you just need to be prepared to dominate the table with your aggression. I wouldn’t get too crazy with calling all-ins, because calling an opponent with a hand like K-8 or something mediocre like that is just asking for disaster. Don’t give away chips, but remain active and try to press your opponents to force them to make tough decisions at the most important point in the tournament. While you should focus on still playing smart, use your chip stack to take advantage of position and try to build up for the long run.

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