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In
poker, few things are worse than finishing on the
bubble. In layman’s terms, the bubble refers to
busting one spot out of the money. As in toiling for
hours for nothing more than a pat on the back and a
healthy dose of bad breath from the dude sitting beside
you. But I’m here to tell you that there’s nothing
wrong with being the bubble boy, and in fact it is often
the mark of the champion player.
How
could that be, you might ask? How could a good player
finish on the bubble more often than a bad player?
It’s easy. In a nutshell, good players always want to
finish 1st. That means playing to win at all
times, and stepping up the aggression factor when the
bubble looms. Weak players will tighten up when they get
close to the bubble, content to merely sneak into the
money. Strong players recognize this, and start stealing
and stealing and stealing, building up the crucial chips
required to make a run at the top spot. It may mean
finishing on the bubble more often than the next guy,
but it will also mean more trophies on the mantle and
big paydays. You have to be willing to trade smallish
cashes for the chance to take down the big kahuna.
Consider
the nature of payouts in poker tournaments. The real
money is always found in the top few spots, and it gets
proportionately smaller for the lower spots. Let’s
look at a recent $10,000 Bellagio event for evidence.
The field boasted 324 runners, with the top 50 spots
getting paid. First place took down $960,000, almost 1/3
of the prize pool. Second paid $560,000 and third
$296,000. 25th took $18,700. And lowly 50th
netted $12,000, a mere $2,000 more than the buy-in.
After Uncle Sam takes his bite I doubt if there is even
a profit to be shown.
The
above example illustrates the importance of finishing
near the top, especially for those who make a living
playing tournament poker. When you get some chips
together you have to make it count. You won’t
get by squeaking into the money, cashing for a few
thousand dollars here and there. When the opportunity to
make a run presents itself, you better ride that sucker
hard and wear out your whip. God knows they don’t
happen too often, and one big cash can carry a poker
player through a lot of dry spells.
I
recently encountered the bubble in an online sit and go.
It was a 20-man event with a $50 buy-in. We were down to
5 players, with the top 4 spots getting paid, and I was
the short stack with around $3,000. Then, with the
blinds at $200-$400, the 2 big stacks collided in a
massive pot. They got it all in, and one guy was left
with $470, barely more than a blind, which would be
around to him in 2 deals. I could now fold for a round
and almost certainly edge into the money. But the very
next hand I was dealt QQ, and the player to my left
raised enough to put me all-in, presenting a dilemma:
If I
fold I’m guaranteed $100, as the short stack barely
had a blind left and would have to face 4 guys that
would gang up on him. But then I enter four handed play
very short stacked and would have to make a quick move.
My chance to finish first diminishes greatly if this
happens.
If I
call and double up I now have over $5,500, giving me a
legitimate shot at first place and $400. QQ is the third
best starting hand in Texas Hold’Em, and I would bet
my life I am ahead. How can I fold.
Well,
I can’t. I called, sacrificing $100 for a shot at
winning $400. My opponent turned over AQ and I was in
great shape. But of course an A flopped, and I went out
in 5th with no money after 2 hours of
grinding. But I actually felt good about the play. I
made the correct decision, and I didn’t let the money
influence my thought process. That’s critical to
success in poker. If you start thinking about the money
when you play, you’re dead in the water. Forget about
what’s at stake and forget about edging into the
money. That’s a loser mentality. Play to win at all
times and treat the money as your reward. You’ll be
amazed how effective this can be.
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