Short Stacked..

[Slinky]

Could anyone please offer some advice combating short stackers in cash games..I personally will not sit with them, i ask either reload or jog on!!

But these days they are spreading like the plague..Every table :eek:

Soo i'm getting annoyed at having to move on every 10 minutes as there is no value at the table!

The majority of times short stackers are losing players looking for a quick "spin up". But obviously sometimes they are also intelligent players with an edge short stacked!

Any advice here greatly appreciated thankyou :D

[Buldermar]

I will make a more thorough analysis of shorthanded cashgames strategies when I get time.. :)

[Blobbi-San]

Hey Buldermar, I think the question was about "Short Stacked" not shorthanded :-)
But I think it is easier to grind the short stackes for money instead of players high stack, most of them will rebuy again. It takes a little longer to make some money, but have patient.

[Slinky]

Thankyou Buldermar but yea I mean shorties..People who dont do the whole 100 BB buyin!

I cant play them..I always end up doubling them up and them running off Grrrr

[Buldermar]

Hey Buldermar, I think the question was about "Short Stacked" not shorthanded :-)
But I think it is easier to grind the short stackes for money instead of players high stack, most of them will rebuy again. It takes a little longer to make some money, but have patient.

Oh yeah you're right. Minor misunderstanding on my part :D sry bout that.

[Buldermar]

Could anyone please offer some advice combating short stackers in cash games..I personally will not sit with them, i ask either reload or jog on!!

But these days they are spreading like the plague..Every table :eek:

Soo i'm getting annoyed at having to move on every 10 minutes as there is no value at the table!

The majority of times short stackers are losing players looking for a quick "spin up". But obviously sometimes they are also intelligent players with an edge short stacked!

Any advice here greatly appreciated thankyou :D


If you are comitted when you raise their blind's don't do it unless you have some kind of hand to call a reraise with. If I'm cutoff or at the button with a playable hand like JTs or a big pocket pair I usually just clickraise. I'll make a very small continuationbet regardless of if I miss or hit. If you are playing 1/2 and raise to 4$ and SB or BB goes over the top with 20$ you just fold your weak hand and call with any PP or high ace. If the shortstack call you from the blind and checks the flop you can just bet like 3$ regardless of the flop. They only have like 13$ behind so if they call they are most of the time comitted. You basically put your opponent to a decision for his whole remaining stack. It is much easier to put pressure on a shortstacked than a deepstacked opponent. For example, it's not even worth for him to call a gutshot straight draw for 3$ if he only got 13$ behind after the call. He is not getting the right price to do so. If he does call and checks the turn you just bet again if you hit your hand or take a free card if you missed.

If you are raising from early position you will have a hand to call a reraise all-in for 20$ with most of the time, asuming that you are playing fairly tight from early position. (mucking KJoff, QJoff etc. from UTG)

If your opponent just bought in for 40$ (20BB's) you can do a standard raise to 6$ (3BB's) without being pot comitted if he reraises all-in.

You have to think how your opponents chipstack affects the value of your hand. Suited connectors and small pocket pairs lose value against an opponent with few chips. If you play 22, you play it to flop a set. Since your opponent got so few chips behind you aren't really getting paid off when he flops top pair or two pairs. With hands like 8Ts you also want to get paid off when you hit a good flop, but it is very likely that you will hit some kind of middle pair that you have a hard time folding because your opponent is so shortstacked.

Overall, I think shortstacked players have a disadvantage, so if you try not to commit yourself with weak hands you will win in the long run.

[Slinky]

Thankyou Buldermar..Great post/advice!

My problem is i find myself raising 3x BB pre with say AK and some shorty will either push or flat call. Always seems i hit my A or K and yet he has hit far better lol

Its easier to fold to a deepstacked player when you hit the flop because of betting patterns but with shorties there is only 1 bet coming so its hard to put them on anything!

As i said they seem to be everywhere these days too..but again great advice Buldermar thankyou :)

[K1-DK]

If you hit A or K with AK and he beats you, you should be very glad, that he is short-stacked. Those are exactly the kind of setups, that can cost you the whole stack if you are not very carefull.

Like buldermar i like playing shortstacked players. I can raise their blinds with almost any-two from the button and they will only fight back if they have something and then i just lay my hand down.
I play 0.10/0.25 and typically raise to $1 from the button if its folded to me. If i get a call there is now 2.10/2.25/3.00 in the pot. With only $4 left they have no room for manuveours. They are practically all-in if they want to bet into the pot and they are practically all-in if they want to call/raise your continuation bet.
By doing so, you choose to commit $1 dollar and they commit their stack... that is fine odds when you just remember, that you are the one deciding when to fight them and not the other way around

[Slinky]

If you hit A or K with AK and he beats you, you should be very glad, that he is short-stacked. Those are exactly the kind of setups, that can cost you the whole stack if you are not very carefull.

Like buldermar i like playing shortstacked players. I can raise their blinds with almost any-two from the button and they will only fight back if they have something and then i just lay my hand down.
I play 0.10/0.25 and typically raise to $1 from the button if its folded to me. If i get a call there is now 2.10/2.25/3.00 in the pot. With only $4 left they have no room for manuveours. They are practically all-in if they want to bet into the pot and they are practically all-in if they want to call/raise your continuation bet.
By doing so, you choose to commit $1 dollar and they commit their stack... that is fine odds when you just remember, that you are the one deciding when to fight them and not the other way around

Good point K1 thankyou..:)

[Mlubin]

one key that a lot of people always forget it not to spite call short stackers just cause its only 20 or less big blinds. dont make stupid calls just because it is 20 percent of a buyin