Why 6max?

Just kind of curious why everyone loves to play 6max. I know I did for awhile but now I almost can't stand it. Losing whenever I play is probably part of the reason/losing about $700 at 25NL 6max over my last x hands but seriously if u are really good at FR why would u play 6max?? Especially at micros.

6max is:
Harder to beat
Has higher variance
You can't play as many tables


And I know u can achieve a slightly higher winrate (BB/100) there, but by playing double the tables of FR u can easily make that up in hourly rate. I'm so glad I switched to FR a couple months ago. Variance is much less and my hourly rate skyrocketed by being able to play 14 tables.

lol kind of a half drunken rant, but I don't really understand what the obsession is with 6max.

Agreed. I have very little 6-max experience and I don't plan to switch from FR any time soon.

Well, I know that at higher limits its totally required to be a good 6max player. At dont know about it being harder to win, I find that people will stack off more with much weaking holdings, and you really encounter alot of weak players playing there.

You are totally right about higher variance but thats just a result of a much more aggressive playstyle needed to get the higher WR at 6max, compared to the nittier tag style that imo is best overall for FR.

Less tables is also true.... but...you could certainly make more money with 6max I think, it wouldnt be a huge diff but its there. Theres also so much more versatility with hand ranges you can play at 6max, you can mix it up and 3bet opponents so light, so much more pf play overall, I personally am liking it even with my limited experience it just seems more fun.

In order to take advantage of the more marginal decisions that occur.

You're edge is gigantic if you make better marginals than oppnts.

Well I am just learning 6-max now, I've played full ring for a long time and just felt like it was time for a change. Playing at 6-max just let's me be more aggressive which I just find to be a little more fun.

Also it seems like most players that post sick graphs on other forums play 6-max and I want to be like them

I just enjoy the short game more. More action, more concentration. But FR is cool too. Same game really, right? Just want to play tighter upfront. I think some short game skills transfer well to the long game too.

Fun is pretty much the only reason I play 6 max over full ring.

bw07507 said:

And I know u can achieve a slightly higher winrate (BB/100) there, but by playing double the tables of FR u can easily make that up in hourly rate.

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i'd say 6max has a higher profit potential, easily. first of all, ~100 hands an hour per table compared to ~60 hands an hour per table. second of all, if you're very good, you can expect your ptbb at 6max to be likely 1.5x your ptbb at full ring. maybe even a little more. just a result of getting to play way more hands, way less automatic situations, and more chance to press your edge. so yeah, it's probably more stressful and requires more concentration and focus, but it can pay off if you really do well there

that being said, i'm also kinda partial to full ring when i'm grinding for long periods (which is never atm, but will hopefully be happening in the near future). it doesn't burn me out as much, and i can auto-pilot FR way more, watch tv, etc. i just think 6max can be worth it for the right player with the right mindset

Full ring is totally different that to play shorthanded; in the tables of six players (shorthanded) the player has to have a wide range of hands to play and the style of game must be loose aggressive, the blind ones return rapidly and press very much, I agree that the earnings can come more rapid that in fullring. I played shorthanded and I not had success that I was waiting.

In addition I believe that shorthanded is the poker of the future in poker online.

Count me as one who does 10x better in FR than at 6-max. I think you get better reads in FR games. There's also more time to think as the action comes around to you.

But I do think it is easier to dominate a table at 6-max and I think that is where the good players excel. With less players at the table, you have less people to project a certain image upon. An aggro player can scoop more pots without showdown at 6-max by setting up the right image.

i was told that more fish play 6max, because of the fast pace. they can get more hands in than FR. if this is true why would you not have 6max as one of the games you play?

khicks26 said:

i was told that more fish play 6max, because of the fast pace. they can get more hands in than FR. if this is true why would you not have 6max as one of the games you play?

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I don't agree, to learn loose agressive style it is more difficult, short-handed it is game to loose agressive players, and full-ring it is to tigh agressive players; to play tigh agressive is more easily that to play loose aggressively.

In short-handed the hand range to play is more wide that in fullring and this does difficultly decisions that players take, specially post-flop.

imo, 6 max is a phase one needs to go through. Especially if they ever think they play too tight. 6max will, by necessity, cause you to loosen up and that is something that at times is necessary.

It probably also helps sharpen up the mental skills. The game is so much faster that one needs to concentrate more, and make faster decisions.

As for direct translation to the FR game, it is more like live games where at times you just don't have a full table, and the opportunities are enhanced.

-it's harder, which means it challenges me more
-in the 37-tabling FR mode, you're not progressing at nearly the rate you would 4 or 6 tabling 6max, if at all
-more profitable, albeit much more swingy
-swings help exercise tilt control
-I like how being a lagtard can be profitable

i ve been playing 6 max exclusively for the last week and its unreal how bad the fish are at the micros (25NL and 50NL). Running 7ptbb/100 over 10k hands. Obvious heater. FR is way nitty and I think you get to exploit a single player way more in 6 max.

bw07507 said:

Just kind of curious why everyone loves to play 6max. I know I did for awhile but now I almost can't stand it. Losing whenever I play is probably part of the reason/losing about $700 at 25NL 6max over my last x hands but seriously if u are really good at FR why would u play 6max?? Especially at micros.

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I play cos I got lessons from some guy online (lol) who now says he is a loser at it (lmfao), and I thought I liked it but have lost a chunk (rlmfao) but only played say 2K hands so too early to tell.
Brian I expect you'll be back sooner or later. FR is good for all the reasons people mentioned but so is 6 man (whoops -- person)...
I don't look at it like you Multitablers, I let my mood and the landscape dictate whether I'll be playing holdem, stud, 6-man (only when I have chips to burn) or whatever. I like to play poker, check the tables and players, even chat em up...
Be lookin for the bwbot in short table play in the future...
He he he

6max is much more involving, and will make you a better poker player faster than that of full ring, as you play more hands, and get into more grey areas than you would in full ring. As such, it is more profitable with the right style and observations than full ring. As for not being able to play as many tables, you can play 4-10 tables pretty easily, just start from 1-2 and work your way up.