Dam i hate being the short stack at bubble time...

LetsRock · #1 12-26-2003, 10:47 AM

Yet another tough decision come bubble time. TGC $7K Multitable, started with about 220 players, top 20 in the money.

Been doing OK in this toureney - started cold, caught a few hands about 45 mins in to get me above avg stack for a while, then the cards went very cold for about an hour. I don't think I volunteered a single bet in the last hour I was there (there were few hands I would have liked to have seen the flop, but aggressive betting by others kept me out). Just patiently hung on and made it to 22nd place (grrrrr).

UTG and was gonna get blinded out in one more orbit. My stack was about 2x the BB so I din't have much clout. Caught A9s and decided to shove 'em in and hope the table just caught nothing and I could steal the blinds. Well, of course someone had enough to call (KQs-at least it wasn't complete crap!) and drew me out.

I'm having a real hard time determining what is good enough to make my stand (especially when I've been running cold for so long that it doesn't take much to look good). I seem to frequently get to within my last orbit or 2 and have to make "good enough" type of decision.

The last few tourneys I got busted out in similar stack situations with 88, AQ, and A9s. I was ahead of the callers preflop and got drawn out in each.

Are these hands good enough to pull the trigger (and I'm just getting a bit unlucky) or do I need to keep waiting? I know I should be making a stand a little earlier (6-10xBB), but I seem to get nothing worth even thinking about playing, and there just doesn't seem to be much laying down in these things.

whiskeytown · #2 12-26-2003, 11:13 AM

If I get to 4-6 times the BB, all three of those hands are worth an all-in with - IMHO - - hell, I've done it with A2 and 22 if I'm next in the BB and I've only got 3xBB left -

like you say...you had better hand and got outdrawn...it'll happen - maybe not next time - RB

PlayerA · #3 12-26-2003, 11:36 AM

I think it's just a case of bad luck. All of those hands are fine move in hands when you are low. In fact those hands are in the upper range of what I consider to be playable hands in that spot. People know you are desperate and that you have loosened up your requirements and so they loosen theirs. The hands you listed have a high likelihood of being called by worse hands. When you get low enough, stealing is fine, but doubling is better (and necessary (unless you are in a satellite)).

LetsRock · #4 12-26-2003, 03:09 PM

Thanks. That's what I was thinking, but sometimes you just need a little support. I really didn't expect to "steal', but I would have been happy with just that. Buying another orbit is huge when you're a few steps from the money. (As it turns out, #21 busted out on the same hand at another table, so who knows....) I watched a few of the (much) bigger stacks bust out earlier so I know that being patient can pay off, but I felt I had to take the opportunity to gain even a little bit.

Guess I'll just keep trying. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

LetsRock · #5 12-26-2003, 03:10 PM

Thanks. Working on my tourney skills and I guess I just needed a little support that my decisions were sound.

DrPhysic · #6 12-26-2003, 04:02 PM

I do not feel qualified to answer, as I am having similar problem. (not necessarily at bubble) Ahead of average 1st hour or so, then at least an hour of nuthin until Santa arrives with a pair of 8s. Now what do I do?

Don't feel like the lone ranger.

Doc

whiskeytown · #7 12-26-2003, 05:28 PM

however, you could move it up to about 4 times the BB - 2 times the BB almost guarantess you the BB will complete and get 3-1 odds on his money - at the latest, make your move when you have three times the BB -

I guarantee you, if you're that close, and that close to the bubble, no one is gonna do anything stupid like a steal...they'll wait for you to bust out...even possibly mucking hands like AK to ensure they don't get the bubble themselves -

RB

LetsRock · #8 12-26-2003, 05:48 PM

Beleive me, I would have loved to have seen A9s when I still had a little clout, but I'm telling you: I was sitting in the freezer for about an hour. (no PPs, about 4 portraits all with baby off suit kickers, maybe 1 or 2 A6o, A4o types very EP or severely raised before I could act - the rest were genuine barrel scrapers.) Brrrrrrr. I was getting virtual frostbite!