Moving From Full Tables to Short Ones

As discussed in the last issue, many people fear playing shorthanded. However, on the positive side, shorthanded play can be fun, exhilarating, engaging, and quite profitable. Of course, you will have to make several adjustments to your full-game strategy to account for the fact that fewer players means you will pay blinds more often and that the average winning-hand value goes down when there are fewer hands dealt.



The following paraphrased excerpt from an introductory chapter in the soon-to-be-published book Limit Hold'em: Winning Short-Handed Play by Terry Borer and Lawrence Mak, with Barry Tanenbaum, summarizes what those adjustments are. Take a look, and I'll be back at the end of the column with some additional points.



Shorthanded, the average played hand is much weaker than in full-handed, so you will have to make adjustments. This often means calling instead of folding, and raising instead of calling.



Even though you need to play more hands than in full-handed games, tight, solid poker is still a requirement for success. [Barry's note: The book contains a chapter detailing the requirements of solid shorthanded play.]



Here are key adjustments:

• Bluff and semibluff more often.

• Call down more often.

• Value-bet more often.

• Play fewer preflop drawing hands.

• Any pair is much stronger.

• Vary your play more often.

• Respect position.

• Be more aggressive.

• Always play solid poker.



Bluff and semibluff more often: Weak hands mean pots are up for grabs. Your bluffs are more likely to work, so go ahead and try them when heads up with just a weak draw or maybe even nothing at all. With a drawing hand, consider semibluffing instead of just calling. You can win with any two cards when all of your opponents fold.



Call down more often: More bluffing means erring on the side of calling. For example, calling the river when heads up with ace high or any pair is often correct.



Value-bet more often: Your opponents will be calling, so you need to value-bet as much as possible. Players often call down with an unimproved A-K, so make sure that you bet every street with any pair when heads up.



Play fewer preflop drawing hands: In shorthanded play, you will not have the pot odds to hit your draws. In multiway pots, hands like 2-2 or 6-5 suited go up in value because when you hit, there are a lot of people who pay you off. As the number of players seeing the flop drops, so do the pot odds, reducing the value of draws.



Some low-limit shorthanded games resemble full-handed ones, since many people see the flop. In these games, play the flop like a regular full-handed game, deciding to continue only when you have the pot odds to do so.



Any pair is much stronger: Correct play means seeing many more showdowns. Second pair on the flop is a very good hand when heads up, and you must often go to the showdown.



Vary your play more often: With fewer players and more hands per hour, you will have to vary your play more often so that you don't become predictable. The other players will quickly figure you out if you don't change your game around. [Barry's note: The book contains a full chapter on how to vary your play for shorthanded games.]



Respect position: Position goes up in value as the pot gets smaller and the number of players drops. This is because a bet here and there is a larger percentage of the overall pot. Thus, position is relatively more important in shorthanded games.



Be more aggressive: The best players dominate the game with their fearless raises. This makes weak players afraid to bet or raise because the pro will reraise, and they won't know what to do. Have no fear. Get your money in with good hands. If you bluff the flop, often bluff the turn when heads up. Relentlessly push out opponents or make them pay to beat you.



Passive opponents cannot be long-term winners shorthanded.



Example No. 1: When heads up on the flop with A-7 and a board of Q-7-6, your hand is likely the best, but vulnerable. Any overcard or even a 6 may be trouble. Pound the pot and make your opponent pay. Chances are that K-K isn't out there against you, and even then you'll win about 20 percent of the time.



Example No. 2: You have the K Q in early position and raise. The blinds call, and the flop is K J 2. You bet, and the small blind raises. The big blind calls, and you reraise. Everyone calls. The turn brings the 4♥. The small blind bets again, and the big blind calls. What should you do?



You have top pair, second kicker, and a flush draw. You may be behind, but there is a good chance that you are ahead, and the big blind is likely on a draw. Raise! You are getting 2-1 on your money and are either ahead or not far behind. Don't shut down because the small blind has shown strong action. Even if you are reraised, you have 14 outs against A-A. Top pair wins the majority of hands and is worth pumping the pot. If you miss on the river, you can check if you are convinced you are behind.



Always play solid poker: Although you will be playing looser than when full-handed, you must still play solid poker. Preflop, tight play is your biggest advantage. No player can overcome the disadvantage of playing too many hands.



Never call raises without premium cards or defend your blind more than half the time unless you really know what you are doing. If you miss the board against multiple opponents, fold early. Above all, when you do play a hand, play it hard.

The biggest mistake weak players make is getting involved with weak cards and bad position.



Conclusion: That ends the excerpt. Much like a soup that you boil down to make a stock, everything about shorthanded play provides a deeper and richer experience than playing in full games. You get to play more hands, bluff more often, raise more, put more pressure on opponents, and learn to cope with increased pressure yourself.



As you adjust, you will find some hands gaining in value, and some losing. Here is a summary (again, from the book):



Hands That Gain Value

• Medium aces (A-10 to A-7)

• Medium pairs (J-J to 7-7)

• Medium-big cards (for example, K-J, Q-10)



Hands That Lose Value

• Small pairs (2-2 to 5-5)



Hands That Have the Same Value

• Big pairs (A-A to Q-Q)

• Really big cards (A-K, A-Q, A-J)

• Small aces (A-2 to A-6)



You continue to use the fundamentals that you employ in full games (play selective-aggressive poker, and respect position), but you get involved more often. Wild play may seem successful at times, and many opponents will attempt it, but in the long run, value plus your willingness to back it gets the money.



In the next issue, I will offer another paraphrased excerpt from the 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].