6 max vs 9 handed

[Desiatpoker]

Hello team,
Just a quick question, let's say your good 6 max cash game player regardless the limits, will this make you a good 9 handed player or both game have a huge difference? Oh and if anyone have any experience between both games live and online and can share their views. Thanks 🙏

 

[fundiver199]

Its still a ring cash game, so its not like, full ring and 6-max are completely different games. They tend to play a little different though with 6-max attracting more action junkies and full ring attracting more nits. On average I will also say, that 6-max attract the most ambitious regulars, because the game has more upside potential. So my personal opinion is, that full ring tend to be softer overall.

However the most objective and general difference is, that to play full ring you need to develop ranges for all those situations, where either you are in the first 3 seats, or there was action from the first 3 seats. This can not happen at 6-max, so if a 6-max player move to full ring, he will face preflop situations, he is not used to, and learn how to develop ranges for these.

Which mainly involve folding, because you need a very strong hand to enter a pot, when so many guys can wake up with a hand and take position on you. This is of course why, most winning players at 6-max tend to have a VPIP between 18-25%, but for full ring that number drop to 14-19%.

A full ring player moving to 6-max on the other hand has no work to do, because a 6-max table can just be seen as a table, where the first 3 guys folded, and a full ring player is used to these situations already. So for people new to the game, I generally think, it makes most sense to start at full ring, and if at some point that gets to boring, then move to 6-max.

 

[Sidetracked]

You need to play a bit tighter at a 9 handed table as opposed to a 6 handed table. The dynamic at a 6 handed table tends to be more aggressive (more open raising and 3 betting).

Live games typically play much looser than online games, with often 4 or 5 players seeing a flop even in a raised pot.

 

[kristersb123]

Its a pretty big difference especially if you are playing zoom, 6max you play more hands, it gives you more action, wider hands. I have played a little bit of 9 player NL2 zoom and players there are very tight, playing top hands mostly. So I dont recommend 9 player zoom, 6max is better format for playing , even regular tables.

 

[Cash2019]

Hello! I think that if a person plays well at 6 max, then he will be able to adapt his skill to the full ring. In addition, 9 max exists only at low limits, so when you start playing nl 50, this question will disappear by itself. The main difference between 6 max and 9 max is that at tables 6 max the game is more aggressive, there is constant pressure from the villains.

 

[pentazepam]

IA full ring player moving to 6-max on the other hand has no work to do, because a 6-max table can just be seen as a table, where the first 3 guys folded, and a full ring player is used to these situations already. So for people new to the game, I generally think, it makes most sense to start at full ring, and if at some point that gets to boring, then move to 6-max.

I often agree with you on most things poker - but I definitely think that in general 6-max players and HU-player are better at poker in general. They see a lot more postflop situations and can value-bet thinner and balance their bluffs when necessary. The are also more have more knowledge about 3-betting due to the aggressive nature of the game.

So I think it is much easier for a good 6-max player to adapt to full ring than the other way around (as you stated just tighten up in EP). But the difference is post flop skills.

A 6-max player is used to play a wider range pre and post and can often read hands better.

It is much easier to just play tight in a full ring games and still win. In 6-max and HU you have to defend your blinds more often and have to play more difficult situations.

 

[fundiver199]

I often agree with you on most things poker - but I definitely think that in general 6-max players and HU-player are better at poker in general. They see a lot more postflop situations and can value-bet thinner and balance their bluffs when necessary. The are also more have more knowledge about 3-betting due to the aggressive nature of the game.

So I think it is much easier for a good 6-max player to adapt to full ring than the other way around (as you stated just tighten up in EP). But the difference is post flop skills.

A 6-max player is used to play a wider range pre and post and can often read hands better.

It is much easier to just play tight in a full ring games and still win. In 6-max and HU you have to defend your blinds more often and have to play more difficult situations.

As for 6-max vs. full ring I did actually write, that I think, full ring tend to be softer at a given limit. In fact this is the main reason, I keep gravitating back to full ring, even I was planning to get more into 6-max, when I moved to 888 poker 4-5 month ago.

But most of the time, when I jump onto a 6-max table on 888 Poker, it turns out, I am playing with 5 regulars, or there are 4 regulars and 1 fish, who is on my direct left forcing me to play most pots out of position. Neither of these situations are profitable, so I end up moving back to full ring, where if nothing else most tables feature a bunch of bad regs, that are easily exploitable.

Therefor it was perhaps a bit misleading to say, its easier to move one way than the other. If full ring is actually softer, and of course this is difficult to prove scientifically without huge samples, then a good 6-max player will do just fine at full ring after learning to fold a bit more against EP opens.

I still think, it makes sense to start at full ring though, since it teach you a lot of good habits like patience and folding. And if at some point you want to move into tournaments or live poker, you need to learn full ring, because these games still mostly play in that format.

But that being said, if someone just enjoy 6-max much more, then I would let that be the deciding factor. If you are new to poker, you are probably playing at least partly recreationally, and then there is no point in forcing yourself to do something, you do not enjoy.

 

[Killdalimper]

Don't like them and wont recommend them.

 

[molokheia]

Hi There
I really do not see big diferences
More important is the buy-in cause in freerolls and micro
you may find a lot more fishes and donkeys

rgds

 

[pentazepam]

As for 6-max vs. full ring I did actually write, that I think, full ring tend to be softer at a given limit. In fact this is the main reason, I keep gravitating back to full ring, even I was planning to get more into 6-max, when I moved to 888 poker 4-5 month ago.

But most of the time, when I jump onto a 6-max table on 888 Poker, it turns out, I am playing with 5 regulars, or there are 4 regulars and 1 fish, who is on my direct left forcing me to play most pots out of position. Neither of these situations are profitable, so I end up moving back to full ring, where if nothing else most tables feature a bunch of bad regs, that are easily exploitable.

Therefor it was perhaps a bit misleading to say, its easier to move one way than the other. If full ring is actually softer, and of course this is difficult to prove scientifically without huge samples, then a good 6-max player will do just fine at full ring after learning to fold a bit more against EP opens.

I still think, it makes sense to start at full ring though, since it teach you a lot of good habits like patience and folding. And if at some point you want to move into tournaments or live poker, you need to learn full ring, because these games still mostly play in that format.

But that being said, if someone just enjoy 6-max much more, then I would let that be the deciding factor. If you are new to poker, you are probably playing at least partly recreationally, and then there is no point in forcing yourself to do something, you do not enjoy.

Yes, I agree that it is easier to start with full ring.

And on some sites all the good regulars plays mostly 6-max or HU (what is left of it), that can lead to that full ring gets softer (especially post flop).

A lot of tournament players (and live players) are used to full ring. This can also be good for 9-10 player games. Since these players in general are bad at cash games online.

But besides pokerstars (and maybe 888), where do you find full ring tables online?

I only see them at very low stakes and not a lot of the running in general.

 

[fundiver199]

But besides PokerStars (and maybe 888), where do you find full ring tables online?

These are the exact two sites, I play, so no idea about other sites. Its kind of weird by the way, that there is this disconnect between cash and tournaments. If you go in the SnG lobby at 888 poker, then 9 man SnGs fill much more rapidly than 6 man SnGs, and the few 6-max tournaments available are not among the most popular on the site. So tournament players clearly prefer 9-handed or sometimes 8-handed games, while cash players move more and more towards 6-max. Even on Stars full ring Zoom tables are dead except for 2NL.

 

[Loky13]

You have to take in consideration that the chances for someone to have a better hand preflop or to hit one after flop are bigger when you play with 8 other players than it is when you play with 5 other players. So first of all you need to be more tight and play premium hands

 

[antonis32123]

When I played 6max cash games I got crashed , in 9max I had decent , good sessions , somtimes very good . The same goes for my tournaments , at 6max it is a matter of time to make a bad decision , but in 9max I go a lot better . 6 max is more difficult without doubt . A 9max player imo might find it harder to play 6 max games , but on the other hand for a six max specialist it wouldn't be harder to play a 9max game , which is easier , at least this is what I believe

 

[finaltable1]

Hello team,
Just a quick question, let's say your good 6 max cash game player regardless the limits, will this make you a good 9 handed player or both game have a huge difference? Oh and if anyone have any experience between both games live and online and can share their views. Thanks 🙏

I've played 13 handed game once and 11 handed many times. Live ofc.

The difference between 9, 6, 3, 2 -max is simple. The lower number of players = The wider ranges you play with and against.

 

[SightUnseen]

When playing Online I prefer 6 max over full ring 9 handed everytime. When playing 6 max NLH or PLO it allows you to open your range and punish players who play too tight. Less players so more action and getting involved in more hands. Full ring plays extremely slow for me and plays on the tighter side. Stick to the variant you feel more comfortable with.