Shortstacked

[xeqtr]

What is your philosophy when you're shortstacked?

My home game is tonight, and I'm thinking about cashing in with 1/5 of what everyone else cashes in with at first, just to get better on the short stack (i'm rarely shortstacked).

If something happens at the tournament I'm hosting that causes me to lose most of my money, I'll need to be able to recover. Any pointers?

Thanks.

[Humphrind]

It depends on how short stacked you are and what game you're playing.

If you are in a SnG with about 4 people left and 5X BB. Pick a hand and run with it. Go all in with any ace or any pocket pair, but also consider folding if you have to call all-in with only an ace.

If you have 1/5 the stack of other people but you stillhave 50X BB, you are not short stacked. Just be selective, but you can still push effectively.

If you are in a ring game, buy back in. This will keep you from losing any advantage with less chips.

[xeqtr]

Yeah, a ring game I'm not worried about. I'm only buying in with less tonight to get the experience of playing shortstacked.

I don't have much of a problem with building one of the smaller stacks at the table into one of the biggest. At least not when I don't have to worry about the blinds devouring me.

It's when I'm down to 5-10x BB that I need to improve my game a lot. I also know that when you're down that low, luck plays a much bigger part. I guess we'll see what happens.

[ShadySully]

Why don't you buy in for the regular amount but just play crazy loose for the first little bit until shortstacked. Your table image will be maniac and you'll get lots of callers when you have something big later on.

That way everyone will have a share of your chips and you really will be shortstacked against their big stacks.

Just don't tell anyone your ploy.

Heck I'm always shortstacked but seem to find a way into the money

Some tips:

- Make your move before your chips fall too low to force someone to make a tough decision. ie. Its not going to be a tough call for someone to match your all in if you have barely anything. If you're going to go down, go down fighting.

- If possible stay out of multi-way pots unless you have something big.

- Don't get nervous. So many people struggle with the shortstack because they think they'll never comeback and they basically give up. They sit on their chips waiting for a hand forever and then lose patience and put all their money on a bad bet. I've been pretty much down to nothing (1 Big Blind worth) and have come back to win a 9 person tournament in the past. You have to be extremely patient/selective about picking your spots. You won't be playing a lot of hands which may become boring. Its a real test of discipline.

- While you're waiting for your moment to strike you have a ton of time to closely watch other players for tells and patterns of betting. So when it gets down to 4 or 5 players and you're ready to switch gears you'll have some good reads on people.

I like your idea. Good practice. There are some guys who I play with who are pretty good players when they have chips but can't do a damn thing when shortstacked.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

[xeqtr]

Haha I play with these guys 2-3 times a week, they know how I play. Two words: Sammy Farha.

[VeraN]

Xeqtr I am just curious, do you play CS because there is a very famous CS played named Xeqtr. Just had to ask

-http://www.pokernoob.com

[michael1123]

Basically what Humph said is how I do it. And the more you have left before you make your move, the more chance that you'll be able to just pick up the blinds as well.

If you are in a SnG with about 4 people left and 5X BB. Pick a hand and run with it. Go all in with any ace or any pocket pair, but also consider folding if you have to call all-in with only an ace

[xeqtr]

I play CS on occasion (rarely these days), but I'm not the xeqtr you're thinking of.

{This post has been removed}

[johnnyawe]

You gotta push with Ax or a pocket pair and hope for the best. But be careful about something like A6 or lower, because you are almost gauranteed to get a call from any other Ax that has been dealt.

[Toasty]

Before pushing it all in as a short stack there is one thing you have all missed.

Is anyone else on a shorter stack?

and

Are they truly the shortstack?

If they have less than you but you are due a trip through the blinds before them leaving you with less chips, you're the shortstack. If the situation reverses they are the short stack.

This obviously only matter when you are on the bubble.

With your low chip count almost all of your EV is in third place (Unless there is one big chip leader and everyone is mid to short stacked, in this situation you are a lot closer to 2nd). With this being said, your objective should be to try to creep into the money by outlasting the other shortstack.

I'm not advecating folding AA or KK but it does mean that you aren't forced to push in your last chips with A6 and "hope for the best". Leave the presure on the other SS. If he makes a move and is successful its back to getting ready to push on your next good hand and rinse repeat if successful.

Of course the situation has to be right, if you are SS but have plenty of blinds you can play your normal game, this is specifically for the times its getting down to the wire.

[Xianti]

{Moved from Hold'em Strategies}

[johnnyawe]

Yup, if there is somebody shorter stacked than you on the bubble, let him take the chance instead of you.