Question about playing on the bubble

[wpr101]

Hi. Assume there is 4 people left in a 10 person SNG. Chip counts are about 2300, 2200, 1000, 800. I am the one with 1000. The guy with 800 was folding everything but the BB. Should I try to wait him out till he gets knocked out. I figured since he wasn't pushing he would have to win atleast one coin flip/all-in before he caught up to me. In reality, I waiting him out and got third. I lost on a coin flip... so overall I was pretty happy with my performance. What do you guys think about this?

[tigerite]

I don't think you should, no. You want to play for first here as much as you can.

[wpr101]

A lot of people I have talked to have said try to get into the money and then loosen up. Assume the shortstack will at some point have to come down to a coinflip decision. Then there's a 50% chance I make it to the money. Say the shortstack wins that coinfip. Then I will have a coinflip of my own with 50% chance. It seems like it's better economically to try to sneak into the money unless I come across a pair or AK/AQ/AJ/KQ.

[tigerite]

By playing for first I mean pressuring the two "big stacks" (who aren't even that much bigger than yourself, and certainly to call will hurt them as you will become equal with them) into laying down. Not calling with marginal hands when they do it to you.

[wpr101]

Assuming I don't get any of the 4 top hands and its an unraised pot (no limpers either)... should I be pushing with things like KQ/KJ/A10/AJ? I would probably push with a pocket pair 6's or higher hoping to run into overcards and get the 55/45 odds for that. What do you think?

[tigerite]

The whole point about the bubble is you're not looking to be called. It's all situation dependent there are no hard and fast rules. But thinking "if I am called I'm a 55% favourite" isn't the right way. More like "if I push here then what I represent will make them lay down".

[wiggs73]

[ QUOTE ]
should I be pushing with things like KQ/KJ/A10/AJ?

[/ QUOTE ]

good god yes.

[wpr101]

Maybe I should be pushing earlier I don't know. Because once I get down to the point where i only have 3-4x BB clearly my stack isn't as threatening to someone and they might call if they have junk. But I do run into another problem say I get a decent hand and I push. Everyone folds and I take it down but that only pays my blinds for one round. So I'd have to keep pushing to keep up with the blinds. I guess I just gotta hope that I double up if I get called.

[Iron Tigran]

[ QUOTE ]
Maybe I should be pushing earlier I don't know. Because once I get down to the point where i only have 3-4x BB clearly my stack isn't as threatening to someone and they might call if they have junk. But I do run into another problem say I get a decent hand and I push. Everyone folds and I take it down but that only pays my blinds for one round. So I'd have to keep pushing to keep up with the blinds. I guess I just gotta hope that I double up if I get called.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you successfully snag the blinds once per orbit, you are gonna finish ITM, which was your primary concern, right?