My biggest bubble mistake (and theirs).

I always-always-always overestimate the fold equity I can offer my bad opponents. Limp-calling and defending their big blinds too much. My second biggest failure is missing a lot of easy, unexploitable shoves.

Why? I don't think about poker hands in terms of "perceived value", simply their value to me. So when an opponent limps up front, I put them on a hand I would probably raise or fold in that situation and if I have a hand that rates well against those hands, or well enough that the added fold equity makes it a go. So I shove. Then they call with weak aces (generally rating 60-40 against the bottom of my range here) and low pocket pairs (coin flips vs. K9 and the like).

But bad as this mistake is, I can tell you a worse one. Failing to observe the dictates of the independent chip model on the bubble when defending your big blinds. With less than 10 BB in play, you CANNOT call for your entire stack without a hand that rates as a HUGE favorite (think roughly 2-to-1) against your opponents range.

For example, many opponents open any two cards in the small blind with less than 10 bets. With hands like 44, A2, and K9, you are about even odds to play. But if you lose and it cripples your stack or eliminates you, you lose. If you win, you make it to 3rd or 2nd place. The trade-off is not worth it.

So, how do you deal with it? Let them steal. No fun, I know. But calling is costly.