Bubble play

[Shark Bait]

OK after looking at some stats and thinking about my game I've come to the conclusion that I really need a lot of work on my bubble play (4 players left)

I have no problem getting to the bubble. I finish first through fourth 66% of the time. When I get ITM I usually do well and sometimes finish first easily. But I am getting 4th place more than any other finish.

What do I need to do or change? I've read all the guides on here.

I find myself in all sorts of positions. Sometimes I'm the short stack, where I actually have the most luck as I'm pushing or folding and they usually fold or I win unless I have the better hand preflop, then I lose for sure.

But usually I'm a medium or big stack and I find myself slowly losing chips. It's not that I'm folding my blinds, but mostly that I'm just getting beat by better hands.

So what are things that I'm likely doing wrong? Personally I feel bubble play is becoming 99% luck and good plays will not get me ITM.

Should I be push/folding, even when I have 20+ BB?

[TLR]

Bubble time is when a lot of players start to play agressively, usually you must run your fair share of bluffs and blind stealing to get ITM.

My guess is that you play too tight on the bubble, folding too many possibly winning hands after the flop.

Post some HH of bubble play and let the people comment on them

[vqc]

Do NOT be push folding with 20+BB.

To succeed on the bubble, you must be a good blind stealer. if you are the small stakc, you blind steal with pushes. If you are the big stack, you blind still with good raises. Aggression.

Iv said it before and ILl say it again
Pushing is an art.
Its hard to be a good pusher. Pushing in the right situation with a random hand is the "good play". Just becuase you're pushing does not make it a crap shoot. You can maximize ur chances and ur edge with the right pushing ability.

[stunt]

what would you consider to be some good stealing hands and in what positions...just so i can get an idea. i tend to have the same problem. i get a little confused on what hands i should call reraises with, and which hands i should just cut my losses.

[Shark Bait]

Well blind stealing is working for me about 50% of the time. The other half I'm usually forced to either fold or commit a lot more chips than the steal. Either way I lose. People do not fall for the change of pace when I become agressive on the bubble. I can raise maybe 3 hands the entire time before the bubble, but if I raise 2 or 3 timeson the bubble they don't buy it any more.

I usually only push with decent hands with less than 10BB. Too much less than that and people are calling with anything.

[fjuanl]

Trying to steal blinds against loose opponents can be frustrating. But if your against tight players who havent loosened up yet, it can be very profitable.

You say that people don't "buy" your raises. Are you just minraising? If you make the raise 3xbb, it doesn't matter if they think your stealing...because if they have terrible starting cards, theres nothing they can do. If they're calling you with junk, you should be in good shape for the flop.

[Shark Bait]

I always raise 3x or more. The only time I min raise is if I want someone to re-raise me.