How about some friendly talk about chopping and bubble pay? We have all been in that situation where the blinds are huge and everyone is friendly, and pretty evenly stacked. Chop? No problem. We have also been in those tournaments with the jerk who absolutely refuses to chop or pay the bubble boy. Ego? Thinks he is giving something up like his equity in an eventual win? Here are a couple of my favorite stories about chopping and bubble paying (or not).
Playing in the Crazy Moose $25 tournament we were down to 2 players, me and "Sarge". Sarge had been a command sergeant major in the army, and had taught hand-to-hand combat to Rangers. He was one tough old bird, however he was around 90 years old at the time. He had 90% of the chips in play. I am not sure if I had even 2 big blinds. He said, "Do you want to chop?" I answered, "Sarge, you have most of the chips here, are you sure?" He then said, "It is time for my nap, yes". So we chopped. A most generous act and one I have not forgotten when the chop times come and there is a short stack sitting there hoping for the best.
Playing a deepstack at the Venetian, I am remembering a $130 or so buy-in. I had taken a really bad beat early on, re-entered the tournament and played down to the final table. I was playing great, had the 3rd largest chip stack, and we were on the bubble with 6 players remaining. Everyone but the big stack wanted to pay the bubble. He was a class A A-hole. The chop was out of the question. I picked up KK in the small blind with a min-raise UTG and of course the big stack calling. I shoved (poor decision as better to see a flop and avoid an ace) and both players called. The flop came ace high and the AA that had min-raised took it down. I bubbled but had the satisfaction of seeing the big stack jerk drop into a distant 2nd place. What hurt was the big blind had almost no chips and would certainly have been out before me had I waited.
My general attitude toward both of these subjects is Karma and variance. I want to create as much good karma as possible and both of these situations accomplish that. Same with variance. By chopping you are getting more than if you are the next one out. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen the guy who refuses to chop or pay the bubble be the next one out, irregardless of his chip stack. I think it is a personality flaw as they are often jerks in general.
2 comments:
I'm with you. I almost always (99%) agree to whatever is offered. The only time I can't see myself doing it is if someone is getting the shaft (not necessarily me).
Paying the bubble is usually not a problem unless Jimmer is at the table and he NEVER agrees to paying the bubble and is consistent with it, so it's cool.
Last Sunday I was the short stack so I didn't ask about bubble pay at all until I wasn't the short stack any more. It's only fair.
I also agree with you that karma will come back to bite you in the rear and most of the people who won't pay the bubble or won't chop get what karma deals them.
Agreed that short stack broaching the subject of bubble pay is inappropriate. If you want to rob Peter to pay Paul, you will always get Paul's agreement.
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