Poker
Holdem Game: Playing
Short Handed
by Bill Burton
This lesson Poker: Holdem Game teaches strategies
for playing
short handed at the
How
to Play Poker
program.
In most cardrooms and on the Internet poker sites, the Texas
Holdem
table can accommodate either nine or ten players. Non-tournament
Holdem games
are called “ring” games or “cash” games and while the tournaments get
all the
publicity, it is actually the ring games that are bread and butter for
the
cardrooms and the players.
Players have the option of
leaving or joining a game
at any time. They can sit out a hand or leave the table for a short
time to
visit the rest room make a phone call or for any other reason as long
as they
are not gone for too long.
Each card room has a set policy
as to the length of
time a player can be away from the table before their chips are picked
up and
their seat given to another player.
There are many times when you are playing Texas
Holdem when
you will find yourself at a table that is not full. This is known as
short-handed play. It can happen when some players have left the game
and no
one is on the waiting list to take their place or when one or tow
players leave
the table temporally to take a break.
Many players will avoid playing in a short-handed Holdem game
and in
doing so they are missing out on a profitable situation. Many times a
short
handed game can be more profitable to playing at a full table if you
know how
to adjust for the reduced number of players.
The blinds will
come around faster
and many times the pots will be smaller but you will be playing more
hands than
you would at a full table. You will also be raking in more pots if you
become
proficient at Holdem short handed play.
You make more money from the other people’s bad play than
you do from your own fancy play. In a full game you will usually find
two or
three bad players along with a few good players.
If you can
get into a short handed
Holdem game with mostly bad players you have a greater opportunity to
make
money.
Because of this game selection will be important.
If your
short handed game
consists of only good players you might want to just drop out and avoid
this
game.
More
Fluctuations
You will likely encounter more fluctuations in your bankroll
when you play in a short handed holdem game. You will be playing more
hands to
the
river that offer smaller edges than in a full game.
Over time however you will find as you
gain
experience in short handed games that the swing will not be a great.
Play Adjustments
Playing in a short handed game is like playing in late
position in a full game where everyone else has folded. Your starting
hands
will the ones that you usually play form late position.
Many times you will find that players will raise with weaker
hands than they would in a full Holdem game. They are also more apt to
defend
their
blinds in a short handed game. If they are not raising a lot on the
button or
defending their blinds then YOU SHOULD!
In a short handed game you want to be the aggressor. Mix up
your play more by calling in some situations when you should raise.
Raise in
situations where you should call or fold. If a tight player is the big
blind
try to steal by raising more often even from early position.
You
may bluff a
little more than you normally would but back off doing this if there
are any
calling stations in the game.
Since most players will be playing looser the chances of a
middle pair being the best hand after the flop will be greater. example
if you
hold Queen-Ten and the flop is: Ace- Ten-five. It is likely that your
pair of
tens could be the best hand.
Don’t automatically fold if
there is a bet in
front of you. Remember other players may be betting just to represent
the ace
even though they don’t have it.
After a while you will get a feel for short handed play.
Just remember to pay close attention to the style of the other players
and
adjust accordingly. Becoming proficient at playing in short handed
situations
will take some practice but it will be worthwhile once you master it.
Rake Reduction
Overcoming the rake in a low limit game is tough enough at a
full table. In a shorthanded holdem game it is too much. Many cardrooms
will
cut or
eliminate the rake for a short handed table. It is harder to get a game
started
than it is to keep one going so it is in their best interest to keep a
game
from disbanding.
All you have to do is call over the floor
person when your
game drops to five or six players and ask if they can do something
about the
rake. Many cardrooms have a set policy and you can inquire before you
sit down
to play.
Holdem Game
is followed by Mistakes &
Corrections
OR
How to
Play Poker 1
Program
OR
Learn
Poker Games 2 with 7 Game Types
Gambling
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