Good Tips For Playing Short Stacked?

[JohnBoyWWFC]

It depends of how short stacked you want to be, the lowest stack that can be played profitable is 40bb so dont go below that, it is quite easier to play 40bb if youre beginner but it is a bit dificult to switch to 100bb when you get better...

First of all i would define my opening ranges for every position, i would define 3bet for value and 3 bet as bluff ranges for every position and against every position. Postflop when shorter, made hands are in a big advantage against drawing hands so you can often stackoff TPTK on flop when ~40bb you often wont have odds to setmine tho, this is just top of my mind, if youre interested to play mid stack poker i can share more of my experience i played a lot of mss last years

You can't really say "Don't go below 40bb" as in tournament, this is unavoidable. Every single player who has played any substantial amount of tournaments will have times where they've gone below 40bb. Smaller stacks can be played profitably, you just have to learn the correct adjustments for each stack size.

 

[nestabear]

I've been down to less than 1bb twice in a $250 Jackpot Freeroll on unibet and ended up winning it...If you are short stacked your two options are all in or fold. Unless you get a monster and want to slow play it to get as much $'s into the pot as possible. The funny thing about poker is that you can play a perfect game with no mistakes and still end up nowhere... & you can play the worst game and still win LOL Poker you gotta love it

 

[teepack]

Check out the Short Stack Strategy article in the CardsChat strategy section.

It's got a lot of good tips and is very well presented.

 

[nafanyalg]

after reading all the comments above, I came to a common response.
With a short stack it is best to be patient and wait for a good hand and then just decide to go "all in" or to play more accurately. What a special scheme does not exist, it all depends on many factors.

 

[DrazaFFT]

You can't really say "Don't go below 40bb" as in tournament, this is unavoidable. Every single player who has played any substantial amount of tournaments will have times where they've gone below 40bb. Smaller stacks can be played profitably, you just have to learn the correct adjustments for each stack size.

My bad!

For some reason i missed that this was in tournament poker, i was referring exclusively to cash games

 

[AgentXtreme]

All depends of the position , in early position just be patient , wait for big hands

 

[Ezekiel162]

Not to be facetious... really... but make good decisions BEFORE u become shortstacked so that you DON'T become shortstacked to begin with... lol... naw... seriously, be patient for best possible hand, preferably from late position, then ALL-IN (hopefully against tight players)... not much else u can do... but no matter what, never allow yourself to get blinded out like a sucker... If u gonna get eliminated, go out fighting... If u wait too long, your stack will be so small you'll no longer be competitive and any and everyone will call your bet/raise...

 

[Ezekiel162]

Whoops... i just realized from earlier posts that you are probably talking about cash game... my comment above was pertaining to tournament poker... sorry...

 

[7svetoslav]

It depends on what type of poker game you play. If you are in sit''n go tournaments, the short stack is very bad for you, specially when you have 12 big blinds or less.

The advice here is, preflop all- in on pair or with good highs and kicker

 

[IntenseHeat]

I'm going to go with my standard answer here and recommend patience. If you're already on a shortish stack, then you definitely don't want to getting involved in a lot of multiplayer hands where you're going to be check/folding after the flop. It's better to wait for hands that you can raise with to try to see a heads up flop if you can. That way you take control of the hand, which will allow you to continue with more confidence after the flop.

I should also point out that I tend to mix up my post flop play throughout, from leading straight out, to trapping and check/raising. This might make my opponents hesitant to try to bluff me, because they can't be sure I'm not setting a trap. This allows me to get away with checking from time to time, so I can save a few chips if I see a board that I don't necessarily feel comfortable firing out on, and still get some idea where I might be in the hand.

 

[wayrOK]

I can't be the only one who's ever been in this position. I was wondering if anyone has tips for a good short stack game. The point in the game when your stack is considerably smaller than the rest, but it's not time to go all-in on a couple of paints. I was just wondering if anyone has tips that are consistent to rebuilding your stack

when I have remained a small stack I expect that card to go to the All in, in fact do not have much choice either luck or you are lost !

 

[romych007]

You must use a push/fold strategy, and go all-in, depending on the actions of competitors, positions and categories of hand. Do not expect very good hands, because it may not come, or when it will come, your stack will be so small that you will be called entire table, and you will have no chance.

 

[antonis32123]

As long as my stack becomes smaller and smaller ,the range of hole cards I am willing to play becomes less wide, smaller .

I choose very carefully the cards and the positions, I 'm trying to take as many blinds as I can , I'm trying to avoid confronting the big stacks but I am not letting the others stealing my blinds as a result of being now short stacked and playing less hands , I am doing whatever I can to project an energetic , not passive image on the table to avoid being the sucker - victim of the table .

If my blinds reduced more than 20 or so , I play more aggressively ,12 or less blinds I shove for sure Ax kQso,kJso,QJso,Q10so,j10so ,it depends on the blinds , the position , the opponents.
This is not 100% exactly what I do , they are -more or less- the instructions , a guide that I follow when short stacked .

 

[Snakester420]

Short Stack

So how short do you mean? If you are over 20 BB you can steal blinds on almost every button (regardless of cards unless at micros with calling stations). You can raise and fold to shoves still. Sometimes you can 3-bet bluff if the button or small blind raises on your big blind and fold if they shove. Play lots of MTTs to get a feel for this.

As for 20 BB and below, all of the best will tell you shove all in or fold for the most part. Maybe defend your BB with a call time to time if they min raise and there are antes, but you will find that going all in will get a lot of folds and add chips to your stack if you do it in the right places.

The rules change if it is a really low buy-in tourney and the players will call you with a super wide range... in this case, shove fold tighter. But consider the cards your opponent in the BB has with you in the small blind... your shove will rarely be called unless they are a total idiot which I run into way too much. Most players shove too wide a range, and most call too wide imo. Hope this helps.

 

[Snakester420]

Not optimal...

As long as my stack becomes smaller and smaller ,the range of hole cards I am willing to play becomes less wide, smaller .

I choose very carefully the cards and the positions, I 'm trying to take as many blinds as I can , I'm trying to avoid confronting the big stacks but I am not letting the others stealing my blinds as a result of being now short stacked and playing less hands , I am doing whatever I can to project an energetic , not passive image on the table to avoid being the sucker - victim of the table .

If my blinds reduced more than 20 or so , I play more aggressively ,12 or less blinds I shove for sure Ax kQso,kJso,QJso,Q10so,j10so ,it depends on the blinds , the position , the opponents.
This is not 100% exactly what I do , they are -more or less- the instructions , a guide that I follow when short stacked .

This is terrible advice in the opinion of any good MTT player. You should always shove a wider range as your stack gets smaller, because when those 1 or 2 BBs are added to your stack, that is at least a 10% stack size increase, and it is hard for them to call a lot of the time. Sometimes you get unlucky and they wake up to a pair or big ace and call you. Sometimes idiots call with ace rag and you are flipping. Even when you get it in unless you have undercards to their pair or are dominated, you still have a good chance to double up. So unless on/near the bubble, it is very profitable to shove a wide range from the CO, button, and small blind. Do the math and think it out yourself and you will notice this is true.

 

[antonis32123]

This is terrible advice in the opinion of any good MTT player. You should always shove a wider range as your stack gets smaller, because when those 1 or 2 BBs are added to your stack, that is at least a 10% stack size increase, and it is hard for them to call a lot of the time. Sometimes you get unlucky and they wake up to a pair or big ace and call you. Sometimes idiots call with ace rag and you are flipping. Even when you get it in unless you have undercards to their pair or are dominated, you still have a good chance to double up. So unless on/near the bubble, it is very profitable to shove a wide range from the CO, button, and small blind. Do the math and think it out yourself and you will notice this is true.

When I say small stack I don't mean very small to the point you are obliged to shove to be saved and when I say play I mean play normally , with minimum raises (as much as your stack allows you ) to see the flop , I don't mean shoves or trials to take/steal the blinds with raises / reraises , to which subject whatever you mentioned in your post is true about raises from button ,sometimes 3bets from BB trying to bluf , if our stuck permits us .Ofcourse when my blinds are low I cannot play (normally, with the meaning I gave above ) the wider range of cards I would play if I had a very big stack (trying to see suited cards ,small pairs etc). You have to be more aggressive up to the point to shove with a wider range of cards when you have no option , when BB are down .
So I think we're saying the same thing

 

[Gh0stL]

I thing is a one dificult situation but I thing only alternative is play all in with a good hand.

 

[sttoil]

push-fold Nash equilibrium!

 

[George Lewis]

There will be a point in the game where you will be getting short enough that shoving to steal the blinds and antes will be a good idea. You are looking for the best chance to not be called at this point even with AA you will be fine with just taking the blinds and antes with no chance to bust. Ok if called with AA you will be i great shape but you will also be at risk to be out where as if everyone folds you win without risk. I try to avoid being too short that I will be called for certain as well. I will push early with a less than ideal hand before I let myself get so short I will be called 100 percent. It is more an art at this point. Math tells you that you need to do it but skill and experience as well as feel tell you when. If you can master this skill you will be a far more dangerous player. It does not matter the level or buy in either. Yes in tougher tournaments players will make less mistakes but here you are only concerned with making the best move preflop so you can hone your own skills.

 

[Tomioto3095]

I think you have to play avoiting the big stack. Unless you have big cards, then, is likely to him to call

 

[9peso]

When you have short stack, better wait for min. 1 Ace or 1 King on hand and try your luck going all-in. There aren't any better moves than going all-in with that high card with small stack, anyway every player check small stack player with bad hand.

 

[Jim Brown]

Look for spots where you can be aggressive and win without showdown. Raise more, call less (or occasionally try never just see how it goes).

Even if you're getting in AK v AQ going to showdown twice for you tournament life you would be out about half the time. (.26404^2 = out 51.38% of the time) Every showdown at risk is a chance to bust.

 

[sttoil]

i have one tip we should risk more when we have midium big stack adn dont let as to blind out becouse even AA have bad equity in 4/5 way pot.

 

[619Leafs]

I can't be the only one who's ever been in this position. I was wondering if anyone has tips for a good short stack game. The point in the game when your stack is considerably smaller than the rest, but it's not time to go all-in on a couple of paints. I was just wondering if anyone has tips that are consistent to rebuilding your stack

My suggestion on the short stack for a fighting chance to win would be move all-in on
Ace 9 to K
any pocket pair
K9 to A
QJ to A

 

[wlad20082009]

I can't be the only one who's ever been in this position. I was wondering if anyone has tips for a good short stack game. The point in the game when your stack is considerably smaller than the rest, but it's not time to go all-in on a couple of paints. I was just wondering if anyone has tips that are consistent to rebuilding your stack

And what can I say . A good top pair . And at Ollin ! Lost ! It doesn't matter . Next time better luck .