Percent stack to risk against small stacks?

Once you have some chips what percent of your MTT tournament stack should you be willing to risk with less than premium hands to try and knock out small stacks?

The goal is chip accumulation, not knocking people out.

I'd be happy to risk 15% of my stack with 99+ or AJ+ against a shortstack and I usually gamble with JJ+,AK against people with relatively bigger stack up to 60% of my stack. I usually fold everything except AA/KK against someone who can eliminate me.. I still can't fold KK when I feel and I am sure I am against AA...

Pafkata said:

I'd be happy to risk 15% of my stack with 99+ or AJ+ against a shortstack and I usually gamble with JJ+,AK against people with relatively bigger stack up to 60% of my stack. I usually fold everything except AA/KK against someone who can eliminate me.. I still can't fold KK when I feel and I am sure I am against AA...

Click to expand...

I would say 10%, but few experienced players risk 20% with J,10+...
And yes u dont fold KK even to AA preflop...never do that mate...

I would agree with spiderman on this as to 10%.

7.5% ainec. It is easy to say x% of your stack but that does not mean that you have to be making the call everytime you have marginal cards. Remember, the 10% you lose represents more than th 10% you gain.

I remember reading this is Harrington on Hold'em. I believe he suggested something around 1/10th of your stack, which is what I usually go by.

This is only for situations where I am the last to act in a HU pot vs. the short stack who pushed. If the bet I need to call is less than 10% of my stack then I'll make the call with a pretty large range.

Edit: Read marginal and sp's posts.

Harrington called it fly swatting, and would call with most hands if it cost 10% or less of his stack.

This was a late tournament play though. I don't care if a shorty goes out early, as he'll go out anyway. Early on I just care about getting chips.

When we're at the end of the game and knocking people out to move up in the money is important, then calling shorties light to KO them has a bit more meaning. That is, early on you make plays based on getting chips, while late in a game you make plays based on payout.

Weregoat said:

The goal is chip accumulation, not knocking people out.

Click to expand...

What he ^ said.
The goal isn't knocking players out. Alot of bigstack (rookies) think it's their job to make loose calls on decent stacks when SS are shoving. 'Good' players are making those calls when the odds they're getting are making it a call.... based on hand ranges they've given their opponent.

If you are going to be heads up against a small stack, I like to stay at 10% or less of their stack. The reason I use their stack is to balance risk vs reward. If I am going to play less than premium hands, I want to be paid off when I hit big.
Its important to think about how your table image will change if you start opening up your starting hand requirements.

I think one key factor influences my decision before I look at percentages to call. Where is he shoving from? Where am I with respect to position? And is there anyone that can reraise to steal my call? If the situation makes sense with those three situations, then I maybe use 10%. But no point calling 10% w/ 99's in EP after the UTG shoves, when someone can reraise.

It's actually often a benefit to keep the Shortstack alive (depending upon table conditions) so that you can take advantage of the medium-sized stacks who might be folding their way into the money.

To expand upon what I said earlier..... if you're getting 2.1 to 1 then you should be calling with Top40% of hands, if you're getting 2.1 to 1 you can start calling profitably with some 'trashy but nice' types of hands (ie. stuff like 74s). 2.5 to 1 and you should be calling with atc's (any two cards).. I'll occassionally adjust this to 2.7 to 1.