The money bubble is the stage where people finally get a reward for their efforts… or walk away with absolutely nothing.
It’s also a rare moment where the poker faces are dropped and players show actual joy or disappointment based on how they fare.
This year at the 2016 Battle of Malta was particularly compelling with a couple short stacks finding miracles.
Eventually someone had to go home, however, and Martin Ilavsky of Slovakia hit the rail in hand-for-hand. Ilavsky had some company though as Italian Manuel Raffl of Italy busted on the same hand at a different table.