Shorthanded Poker

What do you think of playing shorthanded? Some players love it, and others get nervous when a game has only eight payers left. They may go to great lengths to avoid playing shorthanded poker.



My late-night game quickly became threehanded, while the only other $30-$60 hold'em game remained full. Luckily, the three of us were locals, had faced each other many times, thought the other two were weak, and were quite happy to play threehanded.



After a half-hour, three players left the other game, and the remaining players started signaling us to join them. We waved back, but were happy to keep going shorthanded while they played sevenhanded. Alas, it was not to be. The sevenhanded-table players broke their game and all of them came over to fill in our remaining seats!



Why do shorthanded games frighten some players so much? It's the action. If your whole game philosophy is waiting for premium hands, you can't win in a shorthanded game. The following characteristics of shorthanded play bother these folks:



• Blinds come around faster

• Decisions are more difficult

• Players' strengths and weaknesses are magnified



Blinds come around faster: If you play 10-handed, you will be in the blinds 20 percent of the time. You make a decision on your hand before putting money into the pot 80 percent of the time. You can wait for premium hands if you wish.



Playing fivehanded, you put in a blind 40 percent of the time, leaving just 60 percent of the time for you to be choosy. Plus, since you are paying so many more blinds, your stack gets eaten up twice as fast. You feel pressure to play more hands because not playing them has become more expensive.



Decisions are more difficult: Shorthanded play creates more awkward decisions, for two primary reasons:



1. Players become more aggressive.

2. You cannot use the "protected pot" theory.



1. Players become more aggressive: Your opponents also realize that they cannot wait around for good hands, so they play more hand types, raise more often, and play back from the blinds, thinking others are also stepping out. Aggressive opponents are more difficult to read and force you to make more decisions. Inasmuch as poker is a game of decisions, making more of them means that you have an opportunity to make more mistakes.



2. You cannot use the "protected pot" theory: When several players see the flop, the likelihood that someone has hit it goes up. Everyone knows this, so whoever bets must take into account that someone else has a piece of the board and will probably at least call. The sheer number of opponents "protects" the pot from bluffs and random moves.



Fewer players seeing the flop increases the chances that no one has much, and players are freer to make plays. Coupled with the increased aggression, shorthanded poker is much tougher to play.



Let's try an example. You have pocket threes on the button in a 10-handed game. Two players limp, and you call. Both blinds play. After the flop of Q-9-4, everyone checks to you. I would not advise betting here, but I am not there to advise you, so you bet. The small blind folds and the big blind check-raises. The two limpers fold. What do you do?



First, of course, you regret betting, but it's too late now. The big blind probably has a better hand, because five players saw the flop and they effectively get to vote on who will play. Second, the big blind does not know that one of the other two players was not planning to check-raise, so his check-raise would be a big risk for a small pot unless he had something to back up his play. Finally, if he has a draw, he would like the other players in. If you are beat, you have only two outs, and the pot is offering you just 8-1 for a 22-1 draw. You should fold.



Now let's move this scenario to a fivehanded game. You now have your threes in the cutoff, and raise preflop after the first player folds. Only the big blind calls. On the flop of Q-9-4, you bet and the big blind check-raises. What now?



This is much tougher. The big blind certainly could have a pair with the board, in which case you should fold, just as you did above. But he could be semibluffing with a draw, like J-10 or K-J, or he could have a hand like A-8 and think it may be the best, or he could have nothing, such as 8-6, and be check-raising because he thinks it is unlikely that you as a lone opponent have hit the board, and he is just trying to take it away. In any of the latter cases, you are ahead and should at least call.



Clearly, this case is much tougher than that of the full game. Since the pot is not protected, your opponent is more inclined to be aggressive, and your small pair easily could be the best hand. Even though you are now getting only 7-1 for your call, you have no idea where you are in the hand, and could be making a bad laydown if you fold. But if you continue and are really behind, you are putting in money with a very thin draw. Whatever you decide, your decision is unquestionably tougher.



Players' strengths and weaknesses are magnified: When you have nine opponents, their relative abilities are sometimes obscured by the fact that most people play quite straightforwardly. If there is a strong player in the game, you generally can avoid him. If there is a weak player, you may strain to get involved with him, but your opportunities to do so may be limited.



In a shorthanded game, you cannot hide from anyone; similarly, no one can hide from you. Fewer players are easier to study individually, and if you know that someone in your game has a weakness (folds too easily, calls too much, rarely bluffs), you can discover and exploit it more frequently because you are often in pots with each player.



Of course, the inverse is true, as well. Your opponents will have an easier time discovering your weaknesses and using them against you.



Conclusion: Playing shorthanded undoubtedly requires some additional skills and abilities. However, it is also far more fun, exciting, and profitable if you learn to play well. In addition, you can look forward to continuing to play after a few people leave, instead of having to go home because you believe you cannot play with few opponents.



Recently, it was my great pleasure to collaborate on an advanced text on shorthanded play, soon to be published. Written by Terry Borer and Lawrence Mak, two shorthanded experts, the book, called Limit Hold'em: Winning Shorthanded Play, reviews many aspects of these games and details of how to beat them. It particularly emphasizes Internet play, where more shorthanded play takes place, and where more and more of the games are being contested this way.



In the next few columns, I will include some excerpts from this excellent new book.



Barry offers poker lessons tailored to the specific strengths and weaknesses of the individual student. Please visit his website at www.barrytanenbaum.com or e-mail him at [email protected].