The Bubble Bursts
In poker tournaments, the point in time just before players get into the money is called “the bubble”. The bubble usually starts when there are approximately twenty players to be eliminated before the money. Many players will tighten up their game in order to squeeze into the money, which provides a great opportunity for other players to build their stack without actually having a good hand.
The players that are trying to sneak into the money are pretty easy to identify. They are the ones who have a fairly small stack and are folding every hand. The only way they would be willing to play a hand is if they held pocket aces. Since your goal should be to win the tournament, you want to start stealing their blinds and build your stack. Even if they call your pre-flop raise, you will usually be able to win the pot with a relatively small bet on the flop.
The higher the buy-in for the tournament, the tighter the players typically will get on the bubble. Your goal should be to identify those players and steal their blinds. Since these tight players are unlikely to play a hand, you do not need to raise as much pre-flop. If the typical raise at your table is usually around four big blinds, you will often succeed by betting only two and a half big blinds, thereby reducing your risk.
You definitely need to watch out for other large stacks who will have the same goal as you. Try to avoid confrontations with the other large stacks unless they are playing very passively. Once you are successful, continue stealing blinds and building your stack until somebody plays back at you. You will often be surprised how many times in a row you can raise pre-flop without another player showing you resistance.
Ideally, your targets will have a slightly below average chip count. Players who have a large stack will be able to call your pre-flop raises, and might want to take on the role of table captain themselves. The bubble provides a great opportunity for aggressive players to build their stack in order to make a run at the final table.