Approaching the bubble play

OPRC

Ok i have a question concerning STT's and MTT's. When approaching the "bubble", do many of you change your style of play to cruise thru the bubble mark, then resume your normal style afterwards? or do you stick with the type of play that got you that far to begin with and hope it carries you thru?

The reason i ask this is this:
I consider myself a solid poker player. But, when it comes to MTT's mainly, i am usually finding myself making to the top 15% (problem is most large field MTT's end up paying out the top 10%).
A few examples-- 11508 start..out in 1502

---

6704 start...out in 700 ---- 1559 start...out in 204

While i have placed and won a few, i feel like i should have placed and won more times than i am.

In STT's, my record is not so good, cashing in alot less of the STT's. usually out in 7th -4th consistantly.

I find that in early stages, if i take a hit, within a few orbits my stack is back if not higher then before, but in late stages, if i take a hit i rarely seem to be able to recover.

So, in a nutshell, i am wondering what the majority do when closing in on that bubble spot. Do you change up your play and coast thru, or do you continue as normal and hope to make it?

compuease

Well personally, I play it aggressively now. I used to play waaaaaay to conservatively, waiting for AK, AQ suited, decent pair to play. Now it is much more about your position at the table and relative chip stacks. I will push almost ATC into medium stacks from late position in an unopened pot at least once per round, probably twice if I get the opportunity. Remember the medium stacks (ones you can hurt if you double up through them) want to make the money. Most will fold all but top 10 hands, it's amazing how true this is, even today.
Now if I happen to have a big stack, say >30BB I am opening for 2.5BB almost every 2nd hand until someone plays back at me with consistancy. This way you can really build your stack to go deep. This works even better in DON's....

OPRC

i am pretty much the same way. At first, when getting close, i used to keep my play the same way that got me that far to begin with, but after several outs leaving me doubting, i began to get tight when approaching bubble, playing only quality cards in position, all the while trying to get in(and win) at least one round of blinds(if not called) per round in order to maintain stack size without the drain of the blinds. But i have found that doing that has led me to take a few hits i could not recover from. While i usually maintain my composure during the game, and save the hit of frustration till after, it seems to be an ongoing thing where i am going out in the 15% mark and not making that elusive 10%. I know patience is a factor in this game, which i have(usually) but sometimes i can picture myself setting the world record for the discus toss with my laptop.
Like i said, i play pretty solid poker, and can usually make that 15%, but i need to figure out how to consistantly make that 10%/payout spot.

westside8

Doesn't apply as much in STT, as you are going to be 4 handed by bubble and you should be playing pretty aggressively to begin with otherwise your stack will just get eaten alive by blinds going around fast.

MTT, identify your table whether they're filled with guys who just wants to get into the money like you, or guys who don't care about min-cashing. Feel free to open more pots if you're tables are filled with guys simply content with making the money as you will find yourself taking down many pots uncontested, adding those chips to your stack will put you in a better position to make a deeper run in the tourney.

Graham

I think it depends on your chip count vs your opponents. Most of the time if I do play MTTs (which isn't often) I will play to win the whole tourney and not just make it past the bubble. At the bubble most players tighten way up, so if you have a commanding chip lead I think you can take more chances. Just try to avoid getting into hands with stacks that dominate you without premium hands. Most tournaments are so top heavy that making it past the bubble usually only means getting a bit more than your buy-in back. Where I think you really need to adjust your play is once you get to the point where there are huge jumps in money for each position that you can last.

So essentially I don't change much and will continue to play rather aggressive like the others mentioned.

OPRC

I play solid, and usually get my stack to be one of the higher on my tables. I won't say that lasts, because, for some reason (probably through fault of my own) i take a hit. Which puts me back to average. Speaking of which, that is the only thing i check every now and again throughout the tourney, is average stack. I like to try to stay above that, and usually do thru the beginning and middle of the tourney. But when i take a hit late in the game, it just seems hard to get it back.
Or there is the ever popular, table move, which always seems to be once i get my stack back up there, i am moved to a table that has huge stacks(compared to mine anyway) and then the fight begins again as the huge stacks try and pick me off. LOL But that aside. My goal in any and all tournies i go in is to win it, and for the most part, thru the beginning and middle of it, it stays that way. The mind set seems to slowly change as my stack dwindles and i can't seem to get it back in the later stages of the game to where it becomes a hunt for the bubble.
probably something i should work on, as i know mind set is a huge part of it.
I also notice when i do try to "make a move" late in the game when i am in position, its the wrong time to try it. I'll get one limping in (player with a medium sized stack) and i'll have the cards, so i make a move and he either shoves to my raise, or connects and i miss. it gets frustrating as hell, but, i guess thats poker.
Thanks everyone for the advice and your thoughts on this. I guess in the end, the longer i play, the better i will get at this.