Folding near the bubble

[belizebum]

Just curious to hear what others think. If you have good cards, AA, KK, QQ etc. how close to the bubble would you just fold them. Assuming you can't see a cheap flop. Just to clarify: you are near the bubble (above or below), how many players would be left before the bubble.? Or would you shove all in every time?

 

[Pimp 007 x]

Depending on my stack size, current table bets, how much money is at stake and how far I am from the actual bubble... I can probably see myself folding QQ maybe even KK... But I will never fold AA. I know bullets are not invincible, but they are anything but weak.

I'm obviously talking preflop here, but after the flop, I might fold almost any hand except for the absolute nuts.

 

[Luvepoker]

While making the money is always a important thing, playing just to cash is not what we should do. I will never fold preflop Aces or Kings and would only fold Queens against the tightest of players who are looking to play for all there chips.

 

[Ltech]

Bubble rush

In these conditions calm is essential for action. In my experience of premium hands games can be won and of those three hands that you put in the post I would just push allwin with AA and KK. QQ, AKs, JJ, TT I would risk half the stack to see the flop.

 

[Ovuvuevuevue]

In perfect conditions you would play these monster hands the same around the bubble but let's say you're in a very important satellite and absolutely need to win a ticket. Just fold every hand to make the money without risk

 

[rjwhite99]

shove and get past that bubble mentality. the best players never play just to get in the money.

 

[sheltowee420]

(So many variables), but I see two ways to go at bubble time. 1) fold and wait for someone else to go out, or 2) go all-in and take the chips from the other folders.

 

[63burner]

Range of ten big blinds..

If I was on bubble, and got premium pairs, its insta-shove if I'm so close, the blinds will eat me up soon, say ten BB.

To clarify, talking premium pairs, not the AQs, AJs and AKs that always leave you saying, "why did I play that?"

 

[LanaRhoades]

I am capable to flod AA KK QQ before the bubble.

 

[lilpotato]

I am not folding AA near the bubble and am going to be very aggressive with other hands pre-flop near the bubble.

 

[tayday79]

Just curious to hear what others think. If you have good cards, AA, KK, QQ etc. how close to the bubble would you just fold them. Assuming you can't see a cheap flop. Just to clarify: you are near the bubble (above or below), how many players would be left before the bubble.? Or would you shove all in every time?

it all depends on my chip stack. if i have nothing to lose then i shove in all the time

 

[Transcendence]

All the time shoving only AA the rest, I don't trust

 

[cranberry]

Once in the weekly tournament PokerStars for Bronze Star, I was on a bubble, and to get into prizes I had to fold the pocket pair of KK on the preflop. It was a difficult decision for me.

 

[Complx_Poker]

I think it depends on position as well, if you are late to act or in position, you can just shove over the top of any limpers/folders to steal the blinds, if you do get called, its unlikely to be more than one player. and one player is unlikely to beat you, especially if they are simply protecting their blinds. Also depends on the stack sizes of the remaining to act players, if you have a large lead, your tournament life isnt going to be over if you do shove AA and lose to the short stack.

 

[Steve Deeble]

I rarely fold AA’s around the bubble regardless of the the stakes, KK’s and QQ’s I will fold based off the stakes involved.

 

[williamsc99]

well with these cards the advantage is too great to fold. Sometimes the chips you will win most of the time can put you tournament chipleader, or at least in a final table situation. If it was AK, or AQ, would give to think about turning off the hand.

 

[Cesar gonzalez]

with AA KK QQ I always go forward I raise 5 blinds before the flop so they do not leave me with weak cards I assume that's the way of my game

 

[xxgsaint5501xx]

Just curious to hear what others think. If you have good cards, AA, KK, QQ etc. how close to the bubble would you just fold them. Assuming you can't see a cheap flop. Just to clarify: you are near the bubble (above or below), how many players would be left before the bubble.? Or would you shove all in every time?

It depends on your goals for the tournament, If just cashing is acceptable, play tight at the bubble. But if you want to put yourself in a position to win tournaments, aggression at or near the bubble is a great way to accumulate chips

 

[UncleConRon]

My opinion

You fold them when you just won twice with them.

 

[lsbenn]

If real close to the bubble and have not been running well in the tourney, I would not fold these hands I would shove.

 

[Stevendewitt7]

Man. Laying down KK on the bub is always tough just had to but it was a good move utg had AA and the folp was A, K, 9. Whew bullet dodged for later on 2nd place.

 

[gwj63]

depending on the prize pool i'll fold jj
but I play QQ KK AA, at the bubble its safe to assume others are playing
only premium hands so I play those 3 unless its for all my chips, in that case
I can fold the qq but probably play kk and aa. I've played enough poker to accept a loss
at that stage of the game. cant win if you don't play

 

[roger perkins]

i would never fold AA preflop, probably not KK either, maybe fold QQ but remember everyone is playing tight close to the bubble. i will gladly push and take their blinds and if i get called i will feel good about the shove, scared money doesn't win

 

[HaroldHouse]

I try not to shove preflop with premium hands unless Im short stacked. But aggressive play on the bubble is a good time to build a medium stack up. I focus on stacks equal to mine or smaller. Small stacks have two options to big raises, all in or fold.

 

[EarnDAStack]

I think it depends on the tournament and how many chips you have, I've folded QQ and JJ with some degree of regularity around the bubble and even near a ladder. Generally if I only have a few BBs I might fold just about everything and use my time bank well to sneak into the money, however if I have a decent stack I might actually open my range up and play for a chance to make a deeper run.

Busting near the bubble sucks, but the big money is way further up the payout structure, sometimes the cards you are dealt have to play themselves.