Playing an aggressor on the bubble

[wulfheir]

How do you play against an aggressor on the bubble? I've only recently become comfortable pushing the table 4 or 5 handed, not afraid to put my chips in the middle to pick up those blinds and limpers. But when I run into another aggressor who's doing the same thing, I don't really know how to deal with him.

My calling range against him tightens right up, including only mid PP and better. But if he's been tight early in the SnG and aggressive late in it, I can only assume he's playing a wider range of hands, yet I'm narrowing my calling range because I'm scared of him. Should I just let him do his thing while I do mine? Or should I be looking to push up against him?

[Moonsugar]

Your calling/raising standards have to go down, not up.

[hummusx]

It does follow logically that if you know someone is pushing with a larger range of hands than average, you can actually loosen up your calling standards. However, if you are 5 handed and are able to steal blinds frequently by pushing, does it really matter that someone else is doing it as well? Why bother risking all your chips on a questionable call instead of folding and just pushing the next opportunity to get them back? If you think they are doing it because they have a clue (as opposed to being a complete donk and just lucky to be doing the right thing), then you can probably reasonably guess that they don't want to CALL and all-in any more than you do.

This follows through all the way down to HU play. You won't be playing terribly if you push every single hand HU, but fold most of the hands when he pushes.