[BSgutshot]

Being a short-stack player, I have lived on folding bubble hands over the years. I'm usually never one of the chip leaders going into the money, so this is what I usually have to do just to cash. After you get into the money, just play more loose and try to get your stack back up for a nice cash.

I did this a few nights ago in a 200 freeroll tourney and I ended up not only cashing, but finishing 4th for a nice cash of $10, which is miles ahead of the $1.50 I would have won if I were to finish 7th-15th.

[iceberg]

You're right. Get into the cash, wait for a hand then go all in (since there is no difference from 15th to 7th (or 6th in many tournies).

One other thing is when getting close to the bubble, if you have a mid to big stack, you can quite often steal some big blinds with a small raise.

[Yearbookpoker]

I agree with both of you guys on that. I have been of late doing really well in tourneys. As a matter of fact I have cashed in 5 of my last 9 tourneys by playing that way. I build my stack early, then slow down and when I get in the money I try and open up my game again. I just finished a tourney this afternoon where only 3 spots played and I was chip leader the whole way until I finished 3rd but not bad...$10.

[iceberg]

One important question is - How many chips are I needed to get into the money? I played in a Freeroll recently with a start of about 200 people and $1500 in chips. I stayed away from getting knocked out and used the following money strategy as a minimum:

End of the 1st hour:
About 100 people left, doubled up to $3000 by playing quality cards and staying away from the All-in Donkeys (ie. go for a big win after a quality flop). Blinds are 50/100

End of the 2nd hour:
Around 50 people left, try to double up to $6000.
Most of the sitouts are gone by now. Blinds are 500/1000

By the time, there were 25-30 people left, $12,000 made it into the money by folding most of my hands. Got busted out at the final table to two premium hands. Comments?
Iceberg.

[spresso81]

Hey great call realizing you were beat. As a conservative player I would have done the same thing.

The only ways I would not have folded this was if:

1 - I was short stacked

2 - If I had more than 50% of my stack in the pot.

3 - If the guys all in was small compared to my stack.

4 - If the other guy was a moron.

5 - If simply making the money did not mean much, i.e. the pot was small for the last money position.


All in all nice read and I feel a god decision.

[Yearbookpoker]

I figured I would throw this out there. My best fold ever on the bubble was interesting enough to be said. I got dealt A-Q in 2nd position and called the bb. One other guy called as well and then the sb called and bb checked to the flop. The flop came out Q-3-3 so I bet out. I got called by 1 other and the other 2 folded. The next card came out 3 and for sure in my mind I was good. Knowing this though I checked over to him where he bet a little. I just called still thinking I'm split pot at best. Then next card came out J and I bet a small amount again. He raised me all in and I was of course thinking I will split this. I thought for a second and with my screwed up thought of waiting to cash I folded it. I was mad at myself until he showed the nuts hand of A-3. I was joyfull as I made a sick laydown and went on to cash in 3rd instead of finishing 21st and out of the money.

[johnsabo4]

Nice fold, pretty good discipline to fold there, but that guy is dumb for showing you his hand

[ad1129]

Originally Posted by Yearbookpoker

I figured I would throw this out there. My best fold ever on the bubble was interesting enough to be said. I got dealt A-Q in 2nd position and called the bb. One other guy called as well and then the sb called and bb checked to the flop. The flop came out Q-3-3 so I bet out. I got called by 1 other and the other 2 folded. The next card came out 3 and for sure in my mind I was good. Knowing this though I checked over to him where he bet a little. I just called still thinking I'm split pot at best. Then next card came out J and I bet a small amount again. He raised me all in and I was of course thinking I will split this. I thought for a second and with my screwed up thought of waiting to cash I folded it. I was mad at myself until he showed the nuts hand of A-3. I was joyfull as I made a sick laydown and went on to cash in 3rd instead of finishing 21st and out of the money.

not raising with AQ?????????? what are you waiting for AA? lol...play the bubble as aggressive as possible. Granted its cost me a few cashes but 2.50 compared to 25 in FR where it cost you nothing is worlds apart in my book. I hate to pass over a final table run just to make a little money. The FT should be ever MTT player's dream and he should do everything in his power to get there. There is a few expections to this rule. Say you win a sat into the 100K GP and you are 11 with 22 left. I would be sitting out personally lol. Besides that go for the win!

-ad

[Takethepot25]

This is a very hard decision when your playing for big money. Personally I play to win in every tournament I'm in. Sometimes it kills me and others it wins me big bucks when I would've won very little. If I was in the same situation as you I would've folded there. Not because I wanted to wait out until the money but because if I believed I was behind I wouldn't try to chase out any draws. Especially after the one guy calls the all-in I would be out. It's a tough call but you have to give your self the best possible chance to win. If it means folding pocket aces with an Ace high flush draw then you have to do it. You can't depend on luck to win tournaments for you.

[gn2056]

this is a case in which u should not focus on the cards so much. If just making the money is very important to you then you need to play the other people at the table is everybody just waiting for someone else to go out in this case still be aggressive its not likely someone will fish you out like at the begginning of a tourney. if its a case where other people are using this stratetgy then yeah maybe fold to any big preflop raises that would cost u more than fiftenn to twenty percent of your stack without a top four starting hand.