Playing the short stack

[BigPete33]

Here's another tip I've shamelessly copied from elsewhere (doesn't matter where).



The key to succeeding in tournament play is being able to handle the ups and downs, because it's not always going to go perfectly. Your chip stack is not always going to shoot upwards, which means you'll often need to make good decisions when you don't have a lot of chips.

Many players get frustrated when they have a short stack. They look down and see Ace-rag, King-Queen, King-Jack or some similar hand and they just focus on their own cards instead of seeing the whole picture. That kind of short-sightedness can quickly make a short stack even smaller and put the player on the rail.

Successfully playing a short stack takes a lot of determination. I believe it's like a mental war when you have the short stack because it isn't fun when you look around and everyone has all those chips. They're getting to play fun hands like 9-10 suited and Jack-10 suited and you don't have enough chips to play those hands, so you're just sitting there watching while everyone else is playing poker.

You need to have patience when you're short stacked. You can't let poor results from previous hands affect you. Instead, I think it's really good to tighten up after losing a pot so that you can regroup. To recover from being short stacked, you really have to take your time and evaluate every situation. Who cares if you're taking longer than anyone else at the table?

Before the words "all-in" escape your mouth, take a couple of deep breaths, take 20 seconds and take a look at where the raise is coming from, how much it is for, and how much the person has behind. So many times I see people coming over the top of other players and not realizing their opponent is already committed and that their chips are going in the pot. Before you push all of your chips into the middle on a call with a short stack, look at the person you're playing, re-evaluate your hand, the raise, and what position it's coming from at the table. You have to remember that as long as you have chips you have a chance to climb from the bottom of the ladder to the chip lead.

That brings up another key point: I don't care what anyone else has in the tournament because when I start worrying about how many chips other people have, I'm not focused on the task at hand, which is increasing my chip stack. Short stacked or not, I own my chips until I push them into the middle; it's up to my best judgment to determine the best time to commit them to a pot.

Being on the short stack demands that you make the right decision every time you play a pot because making the wrong one will bust you. Don't be in such a hurry to shove those chips in. Find the right spot. Don't get frustrated by a string of poor starting hands. At some point, you might have to take a gamble and push if you can open the pot, but until that time, you control your own destiny. Effectively reading the table and the situation before you act will help you survive and, quite possibly, even win.

[bennymacca]

You need to have patience when you're short stacked

never a truer word spoken.

i found this was my biggest downfall as a poker player. in the last few weeks, i have really calmed this down, and whadda ya know, i got 7th the other night, from 1800 close to the second break.

if the cards are running dead cold, they have to turn around sooner or later - just have to wait until they do.

big up for bruce, the best folder in the NPL

[BigPete33]

ahem... 2nd best.


speaking of waiting until the good cards come around (not that you want to be in this position to begin with).... I see a fair bit of 'well it's this hand or next hand' meaning the BB is on you next so chips get chucked in with pretty much any two cards.

From my own observations, if you're still not going to win enough to pay the BB and SB.... better to wait for the BB. I personally prefer having to win twice over having to win three times. Sure, winning three times would be better but if you're in that position to begin with it's likely you're hanging out for the points anyway.

[muzzington]

Pete folds faster than Superman on laundry day.

[shark]

I am interested in hearing others views on my situation last night.

3 Handed, Blinds 3000-6000

Player 1 - 30,000+
Small Blind - 60,000+
Big Blind - 11,000 (Me)

Player 1 goes all in, Player 2 calls. I now have a choice between putting in my last 5,000 to try to triple up and bring the stacks closer or folding and hoping player 1 gets knocked out. In the second scenario I would have absolutely no chance at the win because I wouldn't even have a full blind left. I looked at my cards and saw 5-7 off. crap cards but most likely different to what the other 2 players had.

I threw my last chips in but I missed totally so finished 3rd. Big Blind won the hand and the tourney with that hand. So I could have folded and limped to 2nd.

Was my move stupid considering I only had 5-7 off? I think I would have only been a 3-4 to 1 underdog against any 2 unpaired cards.

[BigPete33]

for me, that's an easy fold.

for others, they might think 2 low cards are a chance even though they're a huge underdog.

not a lot of difference between 2nd and 3rd though, guess it depends how much you like bottle openers lol

[Garth Kay]

You are "priced in" here. If player 2 does get eliminated and you do fold, you are 5000 up against 90,000. Seems pretty pointless to me, I am always putting myself in the best position to win, although I know I would be a mile behind with that hand, I would still throw my chips in hoping to get lucky and thus give me some chips to fight the big stack with.
You made the right move, I wouldn't even have looked to be quite honest. You are calling of 5,000 to win 33,000 you are getting 6.5 to 1 on your money even against two opponents holding over pairs, KK and AA, you are still only a 5 to 1 underdog. And against two unpaired hands but still strong, such as AQ and JT suited, you improve your odds to 4 to 1.
Pot odds anybody?

[Scotty]

for me, that's an easy fold.

for others, they might think 2 low cards are a chance even though they're a huge underdog.

Pete - YOU used to think that, you clown

[BigPete33]

as if, I was relating a story to you about how Garth said that as an excuse for calling my allin.

"I've got a good drawing hand" was the bollocks I heard

[Garth Kay]

Pete,
YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME!!
One day my son I will have the honour of calling you a fellow poker player. Until that day I will just have to persevere with the teachings of pot odds, implied odds and fold equity.