9-max or 6-max?

[frost234]

I like to play 9-max tables, and 6-max I only play Zoom tables

 

[Dimitris]

I prefer full ring tables. 9 max has less variance for my tiny bankroll.

 

[fundiver199]

I prefer full ring, but I would rather be on a good 6-max table than a bad full ring table. If you are a cash game grinder you should ideally be able to play both formats well for better table selection.

For me the main difference is, that there tend to be a bit more "fighting" going on at 6-max with for instance regulars 3-betting you 12% of the time. And since this is not, why I play poker, I often find it better to be on full ring tables, where I have to contend less with that sort of thing, which allow me to better focus on the fish.

Also I find, that 6-max tables are extremely easy to break, mainly because they rarely have more than 1 fish on each table. So often it can be really difficult to keep a table going, and I sometimes feel, like I am in an airport spending way more time getting in and out of tables than actually playing.

This is also because, I dont want to accept the seat directly to the right of the only fish, and unsurpricingly this is often the one available, because other regs dont want it either. This whole table selection process is more extreme at 6-max, and in generel its a bit tiring and part of the reason, why I have largely moved from cash games to tournaments.

 

[johnnylawford]

Personally I prefer 6 max, you get to play more hands and can three-bet lighter. I think it does make sense to play full ring for the first while when moving to cash, then go to 6-max.

 

[chippawa1234]

6 max you can be a little more loose

 

[StackingZChipz209]

6 max

6 max open up that range and I'm not talking about the ROVER .........
boooom that just happened

 

[TetraTap]

I would say there is more edge in 6-max but easier to become profitable on a full-time table.

 

[Gigio22]

I find 6 max the game goes by quicker.

 

[chikiriki11]

It depends, 6 max is more loose than 9. Think about your poker style and make your decision. And search for tables with more fishes on it

 

[Royal_K]

I prefer full ring tables, but i play both FR and 6max.

 

[Mr_Nuisance]

I am an absolute 9-max grinder.

In my opinion, it offers much easier decisions in some close spots with the extra people at the table. I also feel that players that have slightly tighter tendencies can also benefit more from playing at a 9 handed table. However, if a 6 max game had some relatively week players playing in it, I do not mind at all sitting down at a 6-max. Any fewer than that in a cash game is where I start to struggle a little bit and need to improve my game!

 

[ev10]

6 max

I prefer 6 max as it's played with wider ranges and is very post flop driven.

 

[EmiTou]

In my case I prefer 6 faster to identify and faster the game and with less risk

 

[arenaci]

Please correct me if I am wrong but I really think while playing 6 max you have less preflop and postflop thinking just because it is easier to construct relevant ranges.

 

[tauri103]

I prefer to play on the 6 format max. because I think it is easier to deal with these opponents. especially when you decide to play a more aggressive style of play. moreover your opponents are also forced to increase their playing frequencies because of the blinds. which reduces the risks of ending up playing against max hands each time.

 

[Poma Lekain]

The difference is not only in the speed of the game, but also in the range of hands, since there are no early positions. If you play at 1 table then 6-max is perfect​

Online I prefer 9-handed because I play about 8 tables. It's hard to keep up with making decisions at 8 tables 6-max.​

 

[poliaris747]

I fully agree with your statement. I can also play 9 max, but prefer if there is a choice of tables with the fewest players. it's easier for me to keep track and take notes on each player.

 

[Jim_Saras]

I believe 6-max can be more profitable for aggresive strategies given the fact that we all brick most of the time. So it feels like it's a great opportunity for picking up the dead money when it's possible. If you like a slower paced game you can go for 9 handed since you can wait a lot longer and give yourself the opportunity to be ahead more often than your opponents.

 

[scrappypower]

i like 9 cause you get to see more hands nd maybe run in to some fishy

 

[Zorba]

i like 9 cause you get to see more hands and maybe run into some fishy

You'll find that you will see more hands per hour at 6 max.

:top:

 

[PokStorm]

At the moment i mostly play freerolls and they are all for 9, so when i try my hand at St & Go i choose 9 players to improve myself.

 

[Nathan Williams]

Somebody just asked me this exact same question in my AMA thread here on CardsChat.

From my personal experience my winrates are pretty similar over my entire career between 9max and 6max games.

So I don't think there is a big difference in profitability. Recreational players like to play both.

Therefore, my advice is always just to play the format that you enjoy the most. Some people like the faster paced, more bluffy game of 6max.

Some people like the more robotic nitty 9max games where you can auto-pilot more and also play more tables at once.

 

[Qrise]

Do you prefer 9-max NL or 6-max and why?

I used to always be partial to 9-max because that's what I cut my teeth on in live games and home games when I started playing 23 years ago. But over the last couple of years, I have really enjoyed the 6-max tables as well. I like the faster paced action and to me it feels a little more like poker was meant to be. When you see poker in the old westerns, you don't see 9 or 10 cowboys around a poker table. You'd see 4-6 players around a table in the saloon, and as silly as it might seem, I just feel like that's the way poker was meant to be. I still will play a full ring game when I go out to the casinos, but I just really think 6-max is a much purer form of the game.

So if given the choice, are you going 9-max or 6-max online?

A very good question! I believe that if I play at a table with 9 seats, then my chance of losing increases significantly due to the fact that the game will be supported by many people. And such a table is hard to control, so I only prefer a 6-seat table

 

[black and]

Both of these options suit me well, but mostly, I play 9-max more often.

 

[No Bologna]

No Bologna

I prefer 9. The more the merrier. More action with the more players. With 6 the same aggressive player or players tend to dominate play. With 9, more players, more hands to keep them in check.