Poker tournaments can consist of several or even tens of thousands of gamblers, for this reason they can last for a very long time. Some participants after spending ten hours in the game can get into an unpleasant situation, when there are literally a few places left before the prize stage, but he still does not get to the final table, losing the paid buy-in and the chance for a big win. To avoid such situations, professionals advise using the right strategies for each of the contest periods. And special attention should be paid exactly to the stage before the prize area, so to speak.
What is Bubble in Poker
Let’s deal with the interpretation of the definition of Bubble in poker – this is the stage where the participant is left with literally a couple of people before entering the “prize area”. That is, at the Bubble stage, the last participants of the event are eliminated, who will not participate in the drawing of prizes.
In large events, Bubble can contain up to a hundred gamblers. If the tournament itself is not a large tournament and not many people participate in it, then Babble is a stage where there is one single “underdog” left before the prize line, so to speak. In poker, there is a suitable definition of Bubble Boy.
How Bubble is played
The main factor influencing the choice of a suitable strategy for playing Buble poker is the ratio of the player’s stack to the size of the blinds, this applies to all participants. Note that a situation where at this stage of the game the participants have approximately equal stacks – almost never happens.
Let’s take a look at what the pros advise for participants with different stacks – short, medium, and large chippers.
Going into Bubble with a small – short stack, the participant cannot afford many styles – he is forced to either go all-in, deciding to call, or to fold and discard his cards. If he starts to call, he will simply lose his chips. All-in can be afforded if you have a late position at the table, a fairly strong hand, and you are playing against one opponent.
Medium stack gamblers on Moneyball can opt for a tighter style of play, playing aggressively only against indecisive opponents with medium or short stacks. Keep an eye on your stack, not only do you need to hit the jackpot, but you also need to have enough chips to play at the final table. When competing against tight players, try to get them to fold before the showdown.
If your stack is above average at this point, but not maxed out, you need to combine your decision style between those who have more chips and those who have less than you. Use a tighter style for the richer gamblers, avoiding unnecessary risks, and enter the hand only with a good hand. And for opponents with a shorter stack, you can add aggressive moves to your playing behavior – since your opponent is unlikely to decide to risk with a small number of chips.
Gamblers with a max or chipping stack-those with the most chips at the table-can afford to be really aggressive. This is because the main goal of each player on Bubble is to survive the round and get into the prize zone, and everyone is going to be cautious when playing with a chippy. Hе, unlike his opponents, feels confident and can more easily make decisions by raising the bets and making raises. It is unlikely that a short or medium stacker would be able to take his pot at this stage of the tournament.
Buble poker – game tips
Professional gamblers believe that there are a few basic recommendations for tournament poker players on how to get through the Buble stage more easily and comfortably. A gambler should keep an eye on the size of his stack at all times. It is very important to consider your position at the poker table when making certain decisions.
Keep track of periods of increasing blinds – this can affect the size of your mandatory bet. In order to avoid being in the blind position when the blinds increase, it is best to adjust the game accordingly – do not delay with decisions and draws.
Note that in some tournaments there are two kinds of dealings, synchronous and random. So the first variant, when at all available tables the deals start and finish according to the scheme – everyone finishes one game and only then everyone starts a new one – there is no sense in prolonged decision-making – just “wait out” the Bubble stage and get to the cherished prize table. Stalling can cost you your stack, remember, the blinds are increasing in size.
