Playing the Short Stack

I think the main strategy when you start getting short stacked is the All-In strategy.

You have to start pushing your chips All-In while you still have enough chips to put your opponet to a decision to call, also you want enough chips so if you do get called and double up it's going to actually help you out.

Some obvous mistakes I see players make.  They have $800 and limp in with hands like QT and then fold when it's raised behind them.  If your going to play a hand like that you have to be the aggresor.  You can't commit 1/4th of your chips to a pot that you are going to fold if it's re-raised behind you.

Don't know when you are pot commited.  There comes a point when you are in the blinds you have to play for all your chips no matter what your dealt. 

I've seen people with something like $525 left in the BB.  The SB raises to put you all in and they fold to leave themselves with $125 left.  It's going to be almost impossible to make a come back with only $125 in chips.  You have to take your chances with $525 in hopes to double up and have over $1,000 in chips.  Your going to be all-in on the very next hand, no matter what your dealt and you might be up against more than one opponet making the odds of survival even worst.

There are sometimes though when folding short stack might be the right answer.  But basically the only time that would be is if someone at the table is in a lot worst shape than yourself and you think they will be eliminated before you and you can move up a spot on the pay scale.

There is definatly a point in a tournament when you have to go allin, as you do not have any other options.

The best play is to try and steal the blinds when you are either on the button or the button is 1/2 spots away from you. You got to make sure that there aren't too many callers before you and that you aren't going into a huge stack that is going to call you anyway because of pot odds.

I think the main skill is to determine when you are getting into a position where your stack is really too short. Normally I look at the blinds, if I have a stack of 1000 and the blinds are 100/200 then I know I am in trouble and that I have to try and steal some  blinds before I get hit by another Big Blind.

Bart

Also another thing.  You want to noramllay be the first one in the pot.  The more people already in the pot the more likely you will be called.

You want to be the aggresive you player.  When your short stacked you have to be constantly puting your opponets to make a decision on weathe or not to call you.  The only time you should be calling is if you have a premimum hand and you're certain you do have the best hand.

I have learned when playing from the short stack to never push into a raiser unless you have a premium hand. It took me about 5-6 times of doing this before I learned to just fold instead of push. Oh yea, and avoid the big stack like the plague.

Short stack- is that when you have the smallest amount of money around the table or just low on chips, not necessarylowest?

Short stack- is that when you have the smallest amount of money around the table or just low on chips, not necessarylowest?

It's when your getting low on chips compared to the blinds. 

That's why you want to start making moves while you still have enough chips to make the players that are in the blind to make a decison on weather or not to call you.

Yeah the blinds are much more important then how much money the people have around you. However that is a factor!

If everyone was to have 4k on the table and you have 1k then you need to think twice before making a big bet as you will probably always get called because if they loose 1k out of 4k it doesn't mean THAT much to them

Thanks, im learning something new every day  I thought the short stack was the one with the fewest chips on the table.

One person mentioned it here, but it bears repeating. Harrington talks about 'first in vigorish' in his book. Basically, unless you are dealt a premium hand, once you are the short stack, being first in the pot (with all your chips, of course) is more important that what cards you really hold. Your odds decrease dramatically once you are against more than 1 opponent, so being all in before anyone elsehas acted will give you the best chance to be up against just 1 person.

I read another thing lately about short stack strategy that kind of made since, but I havn't used it yet.

This was from Andy Bloch.  Say your shortstacked with like $650 and the blinds are at $100/$200.  Andy suggest not going all-in here, just bet $600.  That way if anyone decides to play agaisnt you they will have to re-raise to get you all-in.  The players re-raise of $1,200 might prevent another player from deciding to go all-in with you two.

I never thought of that...good point. 

Especially if you are desperate and don't have a premium hand.

The best play is to try and steal the blinds when you are either on the button or the button is 1/2 spots away from you. You got to make sure that there aren't too many callers before you and that you aren't going into a huge stack that is going to call you anyway because of pot odds.

is that when you have the smallest amount of money around the table or just low on chips, not necessarylowest?

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