I disagree with the logic behind it, although I totally understand what you are saying. In your example it is very extreme (one player has only 4xBB, 2 others only have 10x BB while you have 100x the BB, but so do 2 other players at the other table). This *may* come up every time to time, but Id think its fairly rare. Even so, the field (the other players at your table combned) are going to be raising as often if not more often than you if 3 out of the 5 (or 6) have less than 10 BBs in their stack. This limits your steal posibility. Even on the bubble, they don't want to sit and be blinded out so they are forced to make moves (and the majority of people dont wanna sneak into the final table and then just bust out -- they are going for a W)
Lets assume you and one other "chip leader" are at your table and the last one is at the other table. I don't think you stand a great chance of bullying. Ok sure players are going to play tight being that its a bubble situation, but what about your position relative toward the other big stack? Is your BB in his button? Is his BB in your button? etc. furthermore the other big stack is likely to try and bully just as much as you are going to try to, so you lose steal attempts often as well. Also players with decent stack sizes know that it is the perfect time to play back at you (their all in can make you the new short stack/medium stack) so are assuming players are going to play extremely tight being on the bubble (which is a good assumption, but that doesnt mean there wont be other players stealing as well, players playing back etc)
With a chip stack like you mentioned (100x BB) and the short stack having 4x and having both other chip leaders at the other table as well I can see an arguement that you have more to gain by folding here (and losing your BB by the way), but if you continue to shy away from calling players all in bets you are giving away money that you are suppose to be making more of. At some point you are going to need to call an all in bet before a 4th chip leader emerges. You may be able to steal more and bully more in this situation, but players arent going to sit there, they know what your doing, you can easily double up a short stack 1 or 2 times, and other players will be raising too. I completely understand your point here, but I still cant find a way to fold this hand.
So I ask the same question again, in these circumstances, is what you are recommending, folding in the dark to a short stacks all in everytime, since you stand to gain more by keeping them around? And if so at what point does it stop (assuming no one gets eliminated)
(PS...unless reel deel didn't give us alllll this extra information we are probably waaaaaaaaay off what sklansky's scenario was lol
