how much to loosen up during bubble?

[bigchips HI]

This has been something I have been tweaking with ever since I learned basic mtt strategy. All the books and all the pros advocate loosening up your game to try and accumulate some chips to make the FT and putting yourself in a spot to take 1st place.

but it seems the looser I play during money bubble and/or FT bubble, I end up busting myself out when I run into some kind of a real hand, or run my stack down getting carried away with stealing. Hardly does it ever work in my favor and result in me accumalating a chip stack.

I guess that leads me to a series of questions

1. Is that statement (loosen up during bubble play) as true today as it was 4 or 5 years ago? when most feared the bubble and missing out on a chance to cash.

Today it seems like the majority of players are using the lag bubble strategy as well with plays like steals, resteals, re-resteals, stop and go's, squeeze plays, and the how many other plays. really makes it hard to play loose on the bubble when 5+ players on your table are using these strategies as well.

2. the difference between live big mtt's, and daily online mtts bubble play? winning your few thousand dollars + some change back compared to not even doubling your $1-$100 buyin...

3. with online mtt's aggressive bubble play, is it better to play patient and wait for solid hand values to accumulate chips. I have railed a few online pros who use this strategy, all of which have tons of success in online mtts.

4. when does bubble play start for you? what levels and what stages, FT bubble, money bubble, a certain blind level?

5. how much do you loosen up and what strategies do you change from early mtt play? What are your goals now?

[KneeCo]

You're right that in small stakes mtts on Stars the money bubble is mostly a non-factor. In bigger mtts, on some different sites, in mtts where a lot of people sat in, mtts that respect the 10% payout rule of thumb, that's not the case.

You can still do a pretty good job of abusing the FT bubble though, especially since it's SH.

In any case, it's a ll a matter of adjusting to your table. If you're at a table with 5+ players at your table lagging it up on the bubble, obv you will slow down and just take em to value town. So if the chances aren't there, don't worry about it, but if you see opportunities dont be afraid to abuse them (which can be something as specific as a bubble hand, folded to you on the button, two quietish shorties in the blinds, of course you can punish them with any hand, or just generally upping your Cbet frequency as you approach the money).

[xPeru]

Make sure that if you do lag it up, you are sufficiently aggressive. Mostly you should be shoving, not using standard raises. I've been pwned by lilholdem who is happy shoving/reraising all-in with Q6o+ into other medium stacks/over at least one big stack in this situation.

From the toneof your post it sounds like busting on the bubble irritates you: this might be the problem. The bubble is where you should be busting most.