Needing some help on strategy/theory before/during bubble

[pokerprochris]

Hi

Recently been playing some of the $30+3...$20+2 MTT's on Partypoker. I'm a fairly tight player and only enter hands with some supreme holdings before level 5 to ensure I don't go tossing chips left, right and centre.

Usually at the break I'm mabye 500-1000 above average from doing this; but I feel my game after the break isn't that great to accumilate chips as I find many players chip stacks escalate and I suddenly fall way below average even though doing the occasional CO/Button steals.

However I recently found myself within a bubble situation on a satilitte tournament where the top 15 got a seat.

The hand in question is - http://www.pokerhand.org/?234919

Is there any way I should of played this hand - was it wise to enter like this before the flop? My image to this player was that I was tricky as I'd limped into his BB and pushed OTT of his raise twice in the last 30minutes.

If anyone could share advice on playing around this time level of tournament it would be great to hear. . .

Thanks

Chris

[mornelth]

Please give more details on the "bubble" - for a satellite game where top 15 get a seat the bubble would be, oh, 25-30 players left at most. I sthis the sitution in question - or are you talking about more of like middle levels where there's, like, 150 people left? There's a difference between the "break" and the "bubble".

Having said that - your image is not "tricky" if yuo pulled COTT move on the same player twice and trying to do it the third time. Your image is "predictable". Your opponent's call taken in a vacuum is not great, but considering your previous antics - and the fact that he had 15 outs against a 10 (non-diamond 10) - and he figured you might be making your standard move... I do not hate his call.

In your hand - I'd push preflop, simply because if your bet is called - you can't really make any sort of a meaningful CB without becoming totally pot-comitted - you'll have to push regardless of whether or not the flop hits you or not. Loosely referred on this forum as "~10BB rule" - if you have around 10 BBs or less - push preflop, whether you're stealing or hoping to get some action. Makes it real hard for A7o to reasonably call.

JMHO

[pokerprochris]

At the time there was 22 players left and the top 15 made it through - I felt with my chip stack that was about 4000- below average that is was best to try get in and gamble to make some chips.

He made a nice call on the turn but I'm not 100% if he would of made it with a diamond as I'd expect a push from him on that flop with one?...

Mid blinds at 100-200 (where there is 150 or so players left) is where I am having problems accumilating chips? Should I be playing mediocre hands if I'm not getting dealt much?....

I usually start playing alot wilder when there's less than 30 left in a bubble situation i.e raising with any two from the CO.... but not committing myself - is that a good thing to do?

However I considered betting all in on the flop but I imagined most the time I will be getting called by any big diamond? or 2 big cards?

Chris

[mornelth]

Read through digest and Anthologies - look for posts from "Haven" - he has a good guide on blind stealing.

Here are some of what I use -

- Reads are important. I can fold JJ when a tight player raises in front of me, but I may raise or push 27o if I think blinds are weak and won't defend (and same is true fro the people between me and the blinds)
- Vary your steals - positions, bet sizes, occasional pushes. People pick up patterns. Your third raise in a row from CO WILL meet resistance from any sort of reasonable hand, and will be reraised by hands that can't take a showdown. I allow myself to follow a "pattern" that I had followed in the last round or two when I pick up QQ-AA in the stealing position - but then I WANT action.
- (Not my thought, but I love it...) Steal liberally at the tight table, but do not re-steal much. Resteal libelrally at a loose table, but do not steal much.


Other than that - I think in a satellite you want to play middle rounds aggresively and get your stack well above average, then tighten up on the bubble and play premium hands only (because winning doesn't matter, but "squeaking" into top 15 does matter). Steal / resteal occasionally from middle-to-large stacks to stay afloat. Avoid coinflips with small stacks.

That's all I have to say - I'm playing $11-$33 MTT's myself, so I'm not one of the best people to give advice (just one of the people who are not watching SuperBowl...)

;o)