One of the most difficult things about poker – whether it is online or in the live arena – is battling through hours of play to come up just short of making the money, or finishing on “the bubble.” Every player has his or her own horror story to tell about those times they “just missed” a big payday but, with a new development, now you don’t have to be the one to tell that story.
A website aptly called Bubble Protection is now offering online players the opportunity to insure their tournament buy ins against being on the dreaded “money bubble.” Bubble Protection allows you to pay a fee – roughly 12% of whatever your buy in for the tournament was – and garner a little breathing room to play your best game.
For most tournaments, the top 10% of players make the money (for example, if it is a 1000 player tournament, 100 players get paid). If you have Bubble Protection, however, you are insured to another 10% below the payout level, or down to 200th place as in our example. The technology used by Bubble Protection allows players to simply register their online name, the tournament and, after purchasing the insurance, will automatically pay the player back their buy in and rake upon the tournament’s conclusion.
At this time, there are only a few selected sites that Bubble Protection covers. Currently, PokerStars, PartyPoker and the iPoker Network are the only operations covered by Bubble Protection. The Bubble Protection offerings also do not cover rebuy tournaments or multiple entry events. Unfortunately, if you are an American player, Bubble Protection is not available, but the site does state that, once the issue as to online poker’s status in the U. S. is determined, Bubble Protection will become available.
The website itself is highly easy to navigate, with directions provided by one of the top players in the United Kingdom, Chris “Moorman1” Moorman. An extensive FAQ section is provided as well as a listing of the day’s tournaments that will be covered by Bubble Protection (on Sunday, 78 such events were listed). It appears the main money transfer system – so players can fund their insurance purchases – used by the site is Moneybookers, as it is mentioned in the FAQs.
So what are the advantages to having Bubble Protection? In the event that you make it into the top 20% of the tournament – but fail to make it to the money – the insurance is excellent coverage. For example, if you were to buy into a $22 event, then purchase the Bubble Protection offerings for roughly $2 and change, you would receive back your buy in fully and only have the minimal expenditure of the Bubble Protection insurance to show for your efforts. This helps to conserve a player’s bankroll – especially those who play frequently – from the hits sometimes taken by deep runs without anything to show for it.
Another advantage is that, with Bubble Protection, a player can play their best game without concern for making the money. If a player has made it into the Bubble Protection zone, then they at the minimum are guaranteed to get their buy in back.
There are some downsides to Bubble Protection as well. If you’re a recreational player who doesn’t drive deep into tournaments, then you not only lose your buy in but also whatever the cost was for your Bubble Protection offerings.
Another disadvantage is that, with Bubble Protection, a player may be TOO loose once making it into the zone. A player may make moves that they wouldn’t make in another tournament and, instead of properly using their arsenal of chips, end up spewing them away. It also does not prepare a player for live tournaments, where there is no such thing as Bubble Protection.
After examining the Bubble Protection concept, it seems – for those players that play actively or as a career online – that the expenditure is well worth the cost. If the site is successful, we’ll see how popular the concept works out.
