[Nairb]

The trick to any bubble situation is to be extremely agressive as most players will be getting eaten up by the blinds for lack of aggression. In both your situations play was pretty standard. You got your money in good both times and you should have made both moves even if you knew what they had as you were a solid favorite in the first hand and about 50/50 in the second hand. That is what the bubble is about, getting your money in ahead and make them draw out to bust you. BTW unless I had a read that villian was very loose I am not sure I call with A J there if you were a bigger stack but as the small stack you have to do something and A J is a better hand than you would need to push and about the weakest hand I would CALL a push with.

The key to winning money is to play for first, not just to get ITM. Last place in the money barely doubles your buy in. You need some solid 1 and 2 finishes to build a solid ROI. That is why I think you made the standard play in both these situations. Get your money in as a favorite and you will win over time. The short term luck factor disappears with time and I think both these moves are profitable over time.