Fear of playing

[bruno13xs]

When you're close to the bubble are you afraid to play?


I think I'm a little afraid of playing when I'm close to the bubble, because I don't play with a hand that I would normally play with, like a K9 J10 and I'm hoping for something better.

 

[Robbie1583]

Im totally afraid to play most of time , it depend on situation but most of time i totally focus on getting in the money , not try profit from bubble situation . I do appreciate [ have respect for ] the players taking extra risks on these moments as the pots at that stage always worth it .
The small blind position i find hard when close to bubble , at times you have these half decent hands you cant give the pot away to the big blind.
If my stack allowes it i may fold pretty much any hand in actual bubble situation .

 

[Sparta77]

A fear in the game happens when the card dies. The bubble goes up in front of you.

 

[Rachidao]

I always target the first place, so I don't play afraid at the bubble, if that happens it is better to play lower stakes.

 

[Margo17]

No, I have the discipline to not make bad decisions and end up being eliminated, especially because the money is right there and big mistakes can cost you dearly in the long run. This is a situation where you will be pressured and will put pressure on your opponents as well.

 

[black and]

I'm a pretty conservative player and usually play only with strong cards. Therefore, I have nothing to fear, I just wait for a good situation in a disciplined and patient manner and hope for luck

 

[MishkaZL]

When you're close to the bubble are you afraid to play?


I think I'm a little afraid of playing when I'm close to the bubble, because I don't play with a hand that I would normally play with, like a K9 J10 and I'm hoping for something better.

I think that players who follow bankroll management do not feel fear at any stage of the tournament. Perhaps your fear is caused by the fact that you play without following bankroll management, and then the solution to this issue is quite obvious.

 

[Dejana]

I think that players who follow bankroll management do not feel fear at any stage of the tournament. Perhaps your fear is caused by the fact that you play without following bankroll management, and then the solution to this issue is quite obvious.

Like we said, never play with something you cannot afford to lose...

+ you get more comfortable with years with losing, nobody wins every single game, if it's a bubble/beginning or ft.
Poker is a beautiful game and you have to enjoy it, not fear in any kind of situations! 😉

 

[WinnersCircle]

I'm not sure how much experience you have, but not fearing the bubble is something that you'll gain over time. Making a very deep run and only winning a couple of buyins when 1st place is 50+ buyins feels awful. Just fully embrace the fact that tourney payouts are wildly asymmetrical, and playing timidly greatly reduces your chance of winning. Basically all of your outcomes will be getting into the money incredibly short stacked, making it damn near impossible to run up your stack to being near the chip lead.

It's even harder when you're in person, because no one wants to drive to the room, register, play a bunch of hours, get knocked out just before the money, then drive home. Playing online (if that's an option where you are) will really help you get good reps in since it eliminates the overall feeling of commitment.

 

[R.Holynskyi]

When you're close to the bubble are you afraid to play?


I think I'm a little afraid of playing when I'm close to the bubble, because I don't play with a hand that I would normally play with, like a K9 J10 and I'm hoping for something better.

I think players can feel fear because they are not confident. Players who know what they are doing are confident and therefore should not feel fear. Your fear may be an indicator of a lack of skills or knowledge.

 

[kosha_]

I don't get stuck when a bobble happens, it all depends on my stack and future prizes.

 

[choprav]

When you're close to the bubble are you afraid to play?


I think I'm a little afraid of playing when I'm close to the bubble, because I don't play with a hand that I would normally play with, like a K9 J10 and I'm hoping for something better.

I used but depending on the situation and min payout I'll play my hand - obviously always best to min. Cash then start doubling up if you're low.

 

[c.heck]

Getting the best non-paid spot is my specialty.

 

[NKGB13]

When you're close to the bubble are you afraid to play?


I think I'm a little afraid of playing when I'm close to the bubble, because I don't play with a hand that I would normally play with, like a K9 J10 and I'm hoping for something better.

that's called ICM. The main objective of any player should be to reach ITM. Hence, near bubble game is tighter when you don't cover the stacks of others at the table.

However, if you're the CL, you should use it in your favor and put pressure on your oppponents by playing more hands.

 

[kaynbergo]

Most of the time, if I'm close to a bubble and have or even close to a pass-through stack, I'll try to get into the money.

 

[dzsire]

It's an exciting part of the game, but you shouldn't be afraid of it.
It's the same as nervousness. If your state of mind changes, your entire game will change. It's obviously hard to deal with this because the payoff is close, but you have to know how to deal with it.

 

[Mauricio Perrotta]

I think it's normal to be a little scared when you're close to achieving whatever goal you set for yourself in life.

 

[steve01991]

i go into every tournament to win, not just to cash, so if i have a strong hand and i am on the bubble, i will play!

 

[dreamer13]

I realized that poker, like so many other things, is mired in a mixture of signal and noise. My years playing the game have given me a keen understanding of the role chance plays in our lives and the powerful illusions it can create when we try to understand and predict the world.The bigger the bubble factor, the more pressure you put on your opponent, and therefore the more equity his hands need against your range to be able to call a shove.

 

[r_iiiichard]

I believe the key is having discipline and avoiding poor decisions — whether during the prize bubble, at any stage of the tournament, or even in life. The fear It's part of the journey. The fear of losing will always be there, but you can't let it hold you back. You need to trust your judgment, focus on what matters, and when needed, take the right risks at the right time. Play to win — not just to reach the prize. That’s the mindset shift that makes all the difference.

 

[comeburras]

It's normal to feel fear near the bubble in poker tournaments. Many players become more cautious and avoid hands like K9 or J10 for fear of being knocked out. However, it's important to distinguish between playing strategically (per ICM) and playing fearfully. Sometimes it's right to play tighter, but other times you can take advantage of the pressure if you have a decent stack. The key is to make logical decisions, not just emotional ones.

 

[havingfun]

I think it is always a bit scary when you get near the bubble, but regardless of the bubble or not, if you want to win then you probably need to play when you feel you have a hand and there is an opportunity.

 

[bem te vi]

Yes. Nobody likes to be so close and lose money

 

[10gerka]

When you're in a bubble, you don't have to go crazy and play another metagame. It will also depend on many factors, but the first thing is to get into the prizes, and then you can play more calmly.

 

[RALF_AK]

...regarding the fear of playing, a valuable tip is to respect your bankroll, the rule of 100x the buy-in you are playing with or 40x for players with more poker experience... study the game because the bubble situation is a phase of the tournament where the best players tried to explore the field to the maximum to win more chips...