Bubble
The point in a tournament just before the paid places begin; the bubble player finishes just out of the money.
In depth
In tournament poker, the bubble refers to the critical stage just before players reach the paid positions. At this point, the next player eliminated—the "bubble player"—finishes just outside the money, while all remaining entrants secure a payout. This phase marks the transition from survival to guaranteed prize money.
Chinese: 泡沫圈