Sigh. 4 straight bubble finishes... Just take a break and regroup?

[jedi]

I started doing a OIC type SnG challenge, starting with 30 Buy ins for a $5+.50 tournaments, and moving up whenever I hit 30 buy ins for the next level. I'd move back down if I dropped back to 30 buy-ins for the previous level to keep my bankroll intact.

Well, 250 SnGs later, I'm up at the $30+3 level, but I've hit a bit of a snag. I cashed in a couple of tournaments early, but the last 4 tournaments I've bubbled out. I don't think my play is too suspect near the bubble. On most of them I was ahead and was the agressor in the hand, I never called all-in. It's a bit frustrating to me, but I think I might just need to take a few days off, reread my TPFAP and Satellite strategy book by McEvoy and try again next week.

What have you guys done when you've felt frustrated? What questions do I need to be asking about my play that I might have missed?

[Lori]

Four bubbles in a row is hardly cause for concern, it's just frustrating.

Take a night off if it's getting to you, and you'll be fine.

You could post the four hands in question if you feel that you have a leak in your game, but you appear to be progressing nicely to this point.

Lori

[Irieguy]

4 in a row shouldn't even register on your radar. If you are winning and you play 500 SNGs, you will certainly have stretches of 9-12 OOTM in a row, maybe even 14-15. Four 4ths in a row will probably happen a dozen times.

Don't sweat it, press on. If you are tilting because of it, throw away your spreadsheet.

Play the right way,
Irieguy

[The once and future king]

Only 4 bubbles.

Trust me my friend, it gets MUCH MUCH worse.

I am just learning this, and I have been playing sitngos exclusively for about a year.

[jedi]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (4 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Button <font color="purple">(Villian)</font> (t6773)
SB (t2765)
BB (t1567)
Jedi (t2395)

I've been stealing as much as I can, folding to a re-raise, tightening up, then trying again. The Villian in this hand has been vocal about "someone call this guy."

Preflop: Jedi is UTG with A/images/graemlins/club.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
<font color="CC3333">Jedi raises to t500</font>, Button <font color="purple">(Villian)</font> calls t500, SB folds, BB folds.

Flop: (t1300) Q /images/graemlins/heart.gif, 4 /images/graemlins/heart.gif, T /images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Jedi bets t1895 (All-In)</font>, Villian calls t1895.

Turn: (t5090) T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(2 players, 1 all-in)</font>

River: (t5090) 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(2 players, 1 all-in)</font>

Final Pot: t5090
<font color="green">Main Pot: t5090 (t5090), between Villian and Jedi.</font> &gt; <font color="white">Pot won by Villian (t5090).</font>

Results in white below: <font color="white">
Jedi shows Ac As (two pair, aces and tens).
Villian shows 7h Ah (flush, ace high).
Outcome: Villian wins t5090. </font>

[stupidsucker]

Thats a very tough way to leave the bubble.

I will say that I have been pushing in the past with AA on a 3flush board, but I am starting to think I have been wrong. Especially on the bubble against a big stack that thinks you are a bluffer.

BUT..

everyone is right about 4 bubbles not being bad. Ive had runs of 8 outa 10 where I lost on the bubble. Your tight play gets you to the bubble more often. A little bad luck can spell lots of bubbles.

[chill888]

4 bubbles - lol no biggie.

AA hand it's a tough beat but you're only looking for sympathy as u must play AA hard at this point.

Separately, I have found that a flop of all one suit is an amazingly dangerous board, after busting out continually to this (with a set or two pairs etc) a few months ago, I now play it extremely cautiously, folding anything but the best hands - especially early in tourney.


Regards

[jedi]

[ QUOTE ]

I will say that I have been pushing in the past with AA on a 3flush board, but I am starting to think I have been wrong. Especially on the bubble against a big stack that thinks you are a bluffer.


[/ QUOTE ]

Wouldn't this be the BEST time to push? If Villian thinks I'm bluffing here, he'd be calling with a lot of hands that are worse than AA in this spot, even with no hearts. Hell, I think he'd call me with AK here.

The story ends well, I finished 1st in a SnG tonight, getting lucky a few times in the process, like pushing in when desperately short stacked with QT or KJ and winning against hands like A2 or A5. Incidentally, I didn't expect those hands to call me, since they weren't HUGE stacks themselves, but they busted themselves out like that. Unlucky for them. I don't think I'd be making a call like that, even if I'm sure I'm ahead.

Thanks for the responses guys!