Bubble

The bubble in poker refers to the point in a tournament when one more player elimination means all remaining players will finish "in the money" (receive prize money). This creates a unique dynamic where players often dramatically change their playing style to either survive or exploit others' tight play.

Key Points

  • Last elimination before prize money
  • High-pressure situation
  • Significant strategy adjustments
  • ICM considerations crucial

Types of Bubbles

  • Main Money Bubble: Last elimination before any prizes
  • Pay Jump Bubble: Last elimination before significant prize increase
  • Final Table Bubble: Last elimination before final table
  • Mini Bubble: Few spots before actual bubble

Strategic Adjustments

  • Big Stack:
    • Apply maximum pressure
    • Target medium stacks
    • Open more hands
    • Aggressive 3-betting
  • Medium Stack:
    • Selective aggression
    • Avoid confrontations
    • Target short stacks
    • Careful ICM considerations
  • Short Stack:
    • Very tight play
    • Wait for premium hands
    • Look for survival spots
    • Fold to pressure

Example Scenarios

Big Stack Pressure: With 100 BBs at 45 players left, 44 paid, you can open-raise any two cards against a 15 BB stack who's trying to survive.

Short Stack Survival: With 8 BBs and on the bubble, you might fold strong hands like AJ offsuit to an all-in because survival is worth more than chip accumulation.

ICM Considerations

  • Risk vs Reward:
    • Chips worth less than usual
    • Survival premium high
    • Pay jumps significant
    • Stack preservation key
  • Calling Ranges:
    • Much tighter than usual
    • Premium hands only
    • Position less important
    • Stack size crucial

Common Mistakes

  • Playing too tight with big stack
  • Not exploiting bubble pressure
  • Overvaluing medium hands
  • Ignoring ICM implications
  • Missing profitable all-ins
  • Taking unnecessary risks

The bubble is one of the most crucial and strategically complex periods in tournament poker. Understanding bubble dynamics and making correct ICM-based decisions can significantly impact your tournament ROI. Big stacks should apply maximum pressure, while shorter stacks need to be extremely selective with their spots. The key is finding the right balance between aggression and survival based on your stack size and position.