[Jonathan]

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How many people have shorter stacks than you? That is a way more important question than if you are above or below average. In my experience, being above average at this point means you are about 5th or 6th in chips.

Anyhow, in sats., I always figure out what the average stack will be when the bubble breaks. That is always the key number to me. If I am above or just below that, I don't worry too much. There are almost always very short stacks and I can fold in with 4 BBs.

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Hi Sherman,

I always calculate this number too, but lately I've been questioning
its usefulness. The problem is that there are often one or two
players who have accumulated very large stacks (especially true if there
are a large number of seats to be paid) so therefore many people who
have stacks well below average will qualify. If you are shooting for the
average stack size, then you could very easily overplay some weaker hands
and bust out unnecessarily.

For example, in last nights $1050 EPT London qualifier, there were
5 seats, and 7 players remaining. The "average stack size at bubble" =
36,900. But the actual stack sizes were something like this:

1. 22k
2. 75k
3. 24k
4. 23k
5. 15k
6. 9k
7. 6k

This with the blinds at 400/800 antes 50 (i think). So In this case,
all the players with stack sizes 20 - 25k have an excellent chance to win
the seat, even though their stack size is substantially less the calculated
average stack at bubble. One player with the 24k stack had been playing
a 3k stack super cautiously for hours, scraping along the bottom, and
finally picked up QQ AA AA and few other assorted goodies in a short
period of time to get to the 24k mark. Now had he been overconcerned
about the average number earlier, he may have been more inclined to
push some weaker hands and jeopardize his chances to win the seat.

Although I always calculate this number right away, I find that I am
relying upon it less and less. The number simply does not have an
impact on my actions, in the same way as my M would, for example.

Suerte,
jonathan