[Closed] Owning the Bubble (or not)

Yes you should adjust your range to exploit your opponents calling range. The reason why ATC is a +EV situation is because you have a huge amount of FE, without the fold equity the bottom of your range becomes -EV. If you do come across players that call light on the bubble just wait until they bust themselves or the short stack busts. Also, in that particular example you shouldn't really view it as a 'chip leader' situation, you essentially have the same stack size as your opponents. If you do get called and lose you're crippled, if you had say 6000 chips the dynamics would change completely.

It is an ATC push against good players. But you are right, against fishyplayers you shouldn't do it and just wait for the bubble to burst. It is just not +Ev to shove ATC against people who snapcall you with AJs.

I was about to start a new thread, but found this one which addresses basically the same issue.

I am wondering about what the poker rooms would consider softplay. When in the bubble, if I'm the big stack (much bigger lead than what OP stated) I like to abuse the two medium stacks and mostly do not mess with the short stack. I find that it is a very profitable strategy to keep the short stack around and push ATC whenever the medium stacks try to play, as their calling range is then very limited. Of course, I wouldn't fold a premium hand to the shortie, but basically "softplay" him until the bubble bursts. By that time I have a huge chip lead and most of the times the tourney ends in less than 5 hands, as they are too crippled to play.

Would that be considered illegal softplay? Or is it just the correct strategy? I guess it's just the reverse of implicit collusion, when everyone checks down to the river to try to eliminate the player. However, I would hate for the poker room to close my account for "softplaying" someone.

Originally posted by AquamanBT
I was about to start a new thread, but found this one which addresses basically the same issue.

I am wondering about what the poker rooms would consider softplay. When in the bubble, if I'm the big stack (much bigger lead than what OP stated) I like to abuse the two medium stacks and mostly do not mess with the short stack. I find that it is a very profitable strategy to keep the short stack around and push ATC whenever the medium stacks try to play, as their calling range is then very limited. Of course, I wouldn't fold a premium hand to the shortie, but basically "softplay" him until the bubble bursts. By that time I have a huge chip lead and most of the times the tourney ends in less than 5 hands, as they are too crippled to play.

Would that be considered illegal softplay? Or is it just the correct strategy? I guess it's just the reverse of implicit collusion, when everyone checks down to the river to try to eliminate the player. However, I would hate for the poker room to close my account for "softplaying" someone.

I highly doubt that playing perfect strategy as the bigstack on the bubble is considered softplaying. As long as you don't do it too much. Also they would need complaints about your play, I don't think they recognise "softplaying" through their own tracking of hands...

Heh, It's not illegal to abuse a situation in poker... Keeping small stack alive in bubble is normal strategy to prolong bubble situation for blind steals. So folding for short stack shove is ok even if you get odds to call with any2.

Only if you give "advices" in chat to short stack it would be illegal. I have seen this kind of team work once and reported of it and there were some punishments.

Chat should be prohibited in the bubble. I did report a guy giving advice to the SB to push while I'm the shortstacked BB. Too bad it was in FTP, still waiting for their review after 4 days. They did reply that I can turn the chat off... If it was in Stars, I couldve called a mod right at the moment.

What are the rules when playing live? Are you allowed to egg on someone else to push? If you are, then shouldn't you be allowed to online? I agree it's horrible manners, but is it actually against the rules?

Sorry for my ignorance. Never played live!

Rules are different for every venue, but most likely it isn't allowed. The fundamental rule is "one player to a hand". However, penalties in live play are usually, IMHO, extremely soft. The good thing about online poker is that an unquestionable written record of every play is available. And the penalties online rooms give are very hard, as closing your account and seizing your funds. That's exactly why I posted my question, as I wanna make sure I'm not breaking any soft play rule.