B
bbbjonson
Rising Star
Bronze Level
Playing tight on the bubble is basically asking to get run over. Sure, you’ll sneak into the money more often, but you’ll do it with a crippled stack and no shot at a deep run. The bubble is where aggressive players print chips because everyone else is scared. If you’ve got a medium or big stack, you should be the one applying pressure, not folding everything. Min-cashing is fine, but the real value comes from building a stack that can actually win the tournament.
Newzooozooo
Legend
Loyaler
ITM has always been my primary goal. Any plus is always a plus. If there are more pluses than minuses, then I believe that the player has potential for development. Step by step. Of course, there are situations when it is not worth avoiding risk, but understanding how to act comes with experience, and here, in my opinion, the main thing is not to rush.
F
fundiver199
Legend
Loyaler
Its a little more complicated than this. The bubble is a good time to take advantage of other players risk aversion by applying pressure to them, when the stack sizes are correct for doing so. But its not a good time to play loose by opening a lot of hands, if a big stack on your left is going to 3-bet you a lot, and you will then need to fold to this 3-bet. And you should in fact be quite tight when putting the majority of your stack at risk without fold equity. Making bad calls on the bubble and not cashing as a result is not "brave", its just bad poker 
ms_attack
Visionary
Platinum Level
I don't think you can generalize and say that playing passively on the bubble is a mistake. It depends on the specific situation, the tournament you're playing, your opponents and your reads on them, your own stack, and so on.
If it's a tournament that's not normally within my bankroll, since I usually play it through a sat or ticket, and I'm close to the money with a small stack, then I'd rather try to reach the first prize tier and boost my bankroll significantly instead of playing for the tournament win. If it's a freeroll or a tournament with a buy-in that matches my bankroll, then I can be aggressive on the bubble and try to collect chips and put pressure on my opponents.
It's like everything in poker—not so simple and quite complex.
If it's a tournament that's not normally within my bankroll, since I usually play it through a sat or ticket, and I'm close to the money with a small stack, then I'd rather try to reach the first prize tier and boost my bankroll significantly instead of playing for the tournament win. If it's a freeroll or a tournament with a buy-in that matches my bankroll, then I can be aggressive on the bubble and try to collect chips and put pressure on my opponents.
It's like everything in poker—not so simple and quite complex.
Goggelheimer
Legend
Platinum Level
Lesson learned?
dzsire
Legend
Platinum Level
Why would it be a mistake to not take risks in the bubble phase, but to try to be patient and wait? This is not a mistake, it is a rational play. After several hours of fighting, if you are only a hair away from ITM, it is worth being a little more patient. Your suggestion is wrong.
M
Margo17
Rock Star
Platinum Level
You are completely wrong! Getting into the money is more important than doubling up when you're short stack. We should play aggressively when the bubble scenario allows it. Getting into the money makes a huge difference in the long run.
ms_attack
Visionary
Platinum Level
Yes i think so
S
skaterick
Legend
Loyaler
t
that's a rather simple generalization austral . tight is right with a middling stack . aggro bullying is correct with a big stack vs a middling stack . and open shoving widely in reasonable spots when too low to fold thru the bubble is also correct .
Igor Popadyk
Legend
Platinum Level
yesterday on the bubble I pushed AJ with sb. I was closed with Q2s and I lost, I had a passing stack in the prize, but I did the same bi again - of course, the point is in the right pressure if you have a relatively large stack, but I played in the tournament not for getting into the prize- but for the first place
tagece
Legend
Loyaler
That depends on the table, the stack and position.
Sometimes, when the table is very loose, the only option is wait for good cards and spending all the time. You will be called if you raise 3 BBs.
When you have a spot with players with short stacks on your left, that can be eliminated if they loose the hand, shoving can be the best decision.
If your the stack is so small that doubling up doesn't represent a significant increase in the premium, it's better play to get a minimum prize.
But it's always a uncomfortable situation...
Sometimes, when the table is very loose, the only option is wait for good cards and spending all the time. You will be called if you raise 3 BBs.
When you have a spot with players with short stacks on your left, that can be eliminated if they loose the hand, shoving can be the best decision.
If your the stack is so small that doubling up doesn't represent a significant increase in the premium, it's better play to get a minimum prize.
But it's always a uncomfortable situation...