How to Play the Big Stack on the Bubble?

[Poker Jon]

Hey all,

Quick question.

Down to the last 10 of a tourney with thr final 9 being paid. I am chip leader with about 20x BB. The next nearest peron on my table probably had about 10-12 xBB with other between 3-7 BB's (I know weird structure!!)

I decided that I was going to bully and raise all in with anything decent ;-) and put the decision onto someone else.

First hand I get is 54s in MP. All folded to me, I go all in and get the blinds. Next hand I get AQo in LP, folded to me, I raise all in and get no callers. In my blinds I had 72o and 74o and folded to raises.

Then I get 108o in EP. Decide to raise all in and get called by A9o (player had about 7BB left). 8 hits the flop and I bust this player out.

My questions are:

1) Is it normal 'big' stack procedure when the bubble is imminent to pretty much raise with anything?
2) At first I thought the call with A9o was a pretty bad one, considering the player had 7BB left, but then I thought that if he put me on any two cards, then maybe it was the right call. Would you have called under those circumstances or would you have waited for a better spot?

Cheers for all help and advice.

[rodeoclown]

Hey everyone,

This is my first ever post on 2 + 2, so forgive me if I'm lacking in insight or depth, as I'm still learning this game we call poker.

I've just recently borrowed Tournament Poker for Advanced Players from a friend of mine, since I've started playing numerous SNGs. There is an entire chapter dedicated to All In Strategy in which he makes some interesting mathematical points. Basically, once the stack size of either you or your target becomes small enough, it actually does make sense to bet or call with any two cards. However, this is strictly on an EV maximizing level. When considering the emminence of the bubble, it is even more profitable to bully as the big stack, since everyone fears busting. At the very least, I would say never limp. Folding for "tempo" is probably a good idea, though.

Regarding the call with A9o, I have noticed that, near the end of tourneys, there are many, many allins with Ax and Kx, suited or otherwise. Even on WPT tonight (Ladies Night Out), Annie Duke and Evelyn Ng lost big portions of their stack with weak Aces or Kings. I can't say I like it, but when I'm in a small stack I do the same thing myself. I think this is because I know that when I'm in the other seat, I'll often raise with Ax or Kx, so calling with it isn't THAT terrible, if you're getting blinded away.

Having said all that, one thing to be careful of is giving up your chip lead. Even if you're picking up a BB here or there and slightly increasing your lead, if you're at 20BB and second is at 12BB, than by doubling a 7BB, you've just blown your lead. It sounds like in this particular structure you might be able to get away with min-raise stealing, and ducking the short stack all in with mediocre cards. And in a more open structure, I see no reason to risk the repetitive all in. Firstly, a 2 - 3BB raise accomplishes the same thing without risking your [their] stack. Secondly, constantly pushing preflop will ruin the "table image" you want at the end of a tourney. Do you really want someone to call your all in and let the table see 10 /images/graemlins/spade.gif8 /images/graemlins/heart.gif, or 4 /images/graemlins/club.gif5 /images/graemlins/club.gif?? Make a smaller raise, and if they push over you, live to steal another day.

Anyhow, that's my two cents. Like I said, still learning myself. You should pick up the Sklansky book though, it answers these questions in much better detail.

[Guy McSucker]

Jon,

If they're folding too much, raise more than usual. That's it, I think.

In this situation, you need to keep a close eye on the stacks and how they are playing them. When someone gets to be the smallest stack, especially around the 5BB or smaller mark, they are often more likely to take a chance on doubling up, and they are often right to do so, so don't push them around.

The middling stacks can be good targets for theft. They feel they ought to make the money, so they don't want to risk this by playing a hand against the big stack.

I still prefer to make these raises after a few have folded, so I know who I might be up against. Then, against a 10BB or bigger stack, I might make a more standard raise of 3 or 4BB, and be willing to think about folding if I get reraised. Against the smaller stacks, moving in is fine. You want to avoid committing all your chips preflop and finding someone with a decent stack and a strong hand.

This can be a very good strategy for stack building at this key stage. It has another benefit further down the line. When you hit the money, people often loosen up; you then increase your requirements for raising. People won't notice this, and you might get unwarranted action on your good hands as they remember your maniacal tendencies a few minutes ago.

Of course this requires that you make a good hand or two... But the opportunities to steal blinds on the bubble are too good to pass up, I think.

Guy.

[eMarkM]

Raising as the bully is fine (and fun), but you probably don't want to be going all in on these crappy hands as you're just asking to get called down by a big hand behind you and lose your chip lead. Stick to the 3X BB raises as these are often just as effective.

Also, you don't want to do it everytime, as your opponents get suspicious and correctly call you with A-high hands as you had in this case. I usually only raise from LMP/LP with steal hands, but even when I steal I want at least some equity, so a hand like T8s would fit the bill, but 72o probably would not unless the players behind me were real, real tight.

[Poker Jon]

Cheers for the replies. As I expected really, probably a bit over aggressive but you gotta love it!!

OK another question.

The blinds in this particular tournament doubled about every 6 minutes (crazy I know). Would this change your opinion on how often you would raise??

If you decided to become passive and maybe not win a hand for 2-3 orbits 5 handed, by the time the blinds had increased and the players been knocked out, you may be down to an average stack or worse by the time the final table comes.

I suppose if you had blind levels of 1 hour, then you have enough time to make some plays.....

Should the speed of the blinds raising affect how aggressive you should be??

[CrisBrown]

Hi Jon,

In general, when I have a commanding stack, I want to steal three times for every two orbits. That is, often enough to be gaining ground, but not so often that I'm going in with utter rubbish and doubling up short stacks needlessly.

From early position, I prefer to steal with big cards (Ace-paint, suited paint, A8+ suited, K9+ suited), as these give me strong outs if I'm called. I don't like stealing from early position on medium or small pairs, or connectors, as I have weaker outs if I'm called.

From late position, I'll steal with big cards, and also with medium or small pairs, or quality connectors (suited or not). And if it's passed around to me in the SB, I'll steal with almost any two cards, depending on how the BB has and is reacting.

Be wary of trying to steal with rags from someone who has 4xBB or less remaining, because that person is likely to call out of sheer desperation. And be wary of caling all-in bets from the medium stacks unless you have a monster hand.

All things considered, you're happy to avoid showdowns and build your stack with three steals per two orbits, putting the pressure on the smaller stacks to make plays to try to catch you.

Hope this helps,

Cris

[Bozeman]

I would try to steal ~50% of hands, because if they know you are pushing any two cards, they will be correct to call more often and they will have more psychological reason to do so. Never let yourself blind down, but in this bubble situation you can probably pick up more pots than 1.5/round.

Craig