How would you rate starting hands at 6 player tables

Been out of online poker since the old days. Seems now the 6 per table cash games are more popular than the 9 player. How do you adjust your starting hand play strategy for this compared to 9 handed? What do you loosen up to play that you wouldn't have in full ring games?

Thanks I'm new here looks like a fine forum for poker players.

Bo

Basic answer = you need to open a bit wider range at 6-max.
I think its the reason why its more popular (you dont have to be so tight).
Also some robot short-stack strategy will not work as good at 6-max.

With only six players chances of a monster hand preflop are less than that in 9handed. Also the blinds comes quickly so you need to get more involved in hands. So your hand range should go wider. I would suggest any pairs, connectors, suited cards and A-x.

I prefer 6-max you get better success with an aggressive style and you get to use your player evaluation alot more specificly as you have less players.

plus it doesn't take as long more action wider, ranges.

you dont get stuck with fish limpers or 5 way pots taking away your card equity,
it's easy money.

*this will improve your game, more experience post flop
*pre-flop aswell 50NL and upwards you will get some good 3-betting battles
fantastic experience for all round hold em skill

Big cards gain value while hands like suited connectors lose value. That is the simple answer

The thing is that at 6-max there is more variance, because you have to play more (so weaker) hands than in full ring. I would play suited connectors more oftenly, but still depending on position. Another thing is that you will have to steal blinds more oftenly.

Loonbat said:

Big cards gain value while hands like suited connectors lose value. That is the simple answer

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To what question.

cotta777 said:

I prefer 6-max you get better success with an aggressive style and you get to use your player evaluation alot more specificly as you have less players.

plus it doesn't take as long more action wider, ranges.

you dont get stuck with fish limpers or 5 way pots taking away your card equity,
it's easy money.

*this will improve your game, more experience post flop
*pre-flop aswell 50NL and upwards you will get some good 3-betting battles
fantastic experience for all round hold em skill

Click to expand...

I completely agree that aggression becomes a major factor in any short handed game. Also your reading reading skills comes into play more.

I have been playing them more now and getting a better feel for it. It is nice to have less players to keep tabs on if they hang around for awhile. Amazing what I see for starting hands and how far they will chase them down at these low limits. I only deposited $50 to try the place out. So I am at small stakes and I know what that means but it appears after all the poker info out there and practice people can get there are still plenty of idiots. But then we count on them in the end I guess lol. Long term is great but that short burn of the bad beat is the worst.

But yeah I am starting to dig 6 max and learning what I can get away with. Thanks for all the replies I am also reading other posts about this 6 max game.

Lets say that in 9-max you played 15% of hands, so in 6-max you should play around 25% I say, or a bit less. See, before cards are dealt, each player has 16,5% chances of winning, while in 9-max each player had 11,1%