One strategic point that has helped me at the bubble is to play big hands slowly when short stacked. When I pick up AA or KK in the small blind at the bubble, I usually tend to play the hand in whatever way gets all the money in the middle by the end. If you are the small stack at the table and the blinds are high, you need to play this hand to double up, not to just take down the blinds.

To this end, I like to just complete the SB with AA or KK. If the BB thinks you are weak he may raise and pot commit himself, which is what you want at this stage of the game. If he draws out because you let him see the flop, so be it.

If you push and he folds, you've lost an excellent double up opportunity. However, if he plays his Q9 and hits top or middle pair, you have an opportunity to extract many more chips.

As a short stack at the bubble I think playing the hand this way sets you up to gain chips that will increase your ability to outlast the bubble and place 1 or 2 rather than 3.

Keep in mind that I would not advocate this strategy with a mid-size stack or when the blinds are still low, then I would raise and reraise in a more straightforward manner.

Any thoughts?