What’s Your Go-To Rule for ICM Spots?”

Expert-Level Question (Pros always reply)​

“In final table bubble or pay-jump situations, what is your personal rule or mindset?​

Do you play tighter, avoid marginal spots, or apply pressure on medium stacks?
Curious to hear different approaches to ICM.”

This will depend highly on your own stack size, big stack size we can put the pressure on small and medium stacks. Medium size generally I am in protection mode, I don’t want to end up a short stack on the bubble basically. Small stack I’m trying to survive the bubble so it’s jam or fold here.

I don't think I have a go-to rule, but I do plan out some basics before each event. Just more of a mental check before such as what my goals for this event are and ideally things in my control such as to practice x-situation more often and not goals like "win 1st" because that goal isn't entirely in my control, whereas how I choose to handle certain situations is.

For ICM, I'll have already planned whether to apply pressure or be okay placing ITM without as much of a chance at winning. By deciding earlier, I remove the emotional aspect out of it.

In situations of FT bubble or pay-jump , my mindset is totally guided by ICM and the dynamics of stacks . There is not a single fixed rule, but principles:

1. I play clearly tighter against bigger stacks than mine ​

When a larger stack covers me, the elimination cost is enormous. That's why I avoid marginal confrontations against big stacks and I greatly reduce bluffs - especially those that require playing for all the chips.

2. I apply A LOT of pressure on the medium stacks ​

Medium stacks suffer the most from ICM because losing a large pot could put them in elimination position. So when I'm big stack or comfortable, I explore this by opening wide in BTN/CO and 3-betting with controlled aggressiveness.

3. Short stacks = selective pressure ​

Against short stacks, the approach depends on depth:

• 4—10 blinds: I respect their shove range (normally strong under ICM), so I open less garbage.
• But: I push when I'm in the last positions, as they avoid busting before even shorter players.

4. I avoid marginal high variance spots ​

Decisions such as coin flips, borderline 3-bet calls, hero calls, and high-risk bluffs are almost always avoidable when there are significant prize jumps. ICM values survival.

5. Adapted to the table profile ​

ICM doesn't live alone. If the table is too tight because of the pay-jump, I expand aggressively. If there are recreational players who ignore ICM, I reduce bluffs and focus on extracting value.

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Summing up my mindset: ​

• Against those who cover me: tight and risk-averse.
• Against medium stacks: maximum pressure.
• Against shorts: selective, yet aggressive when appropriate.
• Against the table: constant adaptation to behavior + ranges modified by ICM.

If I want, I can set up approximate push/fold, open-raise, or 3-bet ranges per stack size in ICM scenarios.