Miller/Sklansky/Malmuth Preflop

[lsetom]

In Small Stakes Hold 'em Miller/Sklansky/Malmuth give preflop suggestions based on a typical ten-handed game and say that. "for a shorter handed game, assume that your game is ten-handed and that the first few players have folded."

I'm not sure I quite understand this advice. The book divides up the hand charts into two parts: Tight games (3-5 players on average to the flop) and Loose games (6-8 players on average to the flop). Thus, it seems like this advice gets rid of the distinction between a tight and loose 6-handed game, because even if the 6-handed game has 5 players seeing the flop this qualifies as "tight" by the charts.

On a separate but related note, if you are in a 6-handed game, what should you consider early/middle/late position?

I often find myself in 6-handed or 7-handed home games and I sometimes like to play 6 seat tables online. From a profit perspective, are these games just less desirable overall? Perhaps I should give them up and just play 10 seat games...

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Michael Davis]

If you must pick a chart, the tight games strategy is better, but you're going to have to add some hands since your blinds are coming around more often.

Really, it depends on how loose your opponents are playing, as usual. If they're coming with complete garbage, you can limp with a lot more hands but should steal-raise a lot less.

Definitely don't leave the game. 6- and 7-handed games are a beast of their own. You have to start with a bit lighter holdings, but not much, because your opponents will often look you up postflop with weaker hands. I often feel as if I'm more likely to make it to showdown with a good starting hand 6-handed than I am against nine opponents.

-Michael

[MicroBob]

check out the HeadsUp/Short-handed forum.

SH games can be very profitable.

[QuickLearner]

Compare the early and mid-position hand recommendations in the loose chart. Then compare both of those to the tight game mid-position hand recs. Then remember that he also says not to waste too much time on comparisons such as these because post-flop play is where the heart is. Man, I love that book.

[razor]

Does anyone else wish there were different words to differentiate the two pre-flop charts?

I cringe everytime someone refers to a game where 3-5 players routinely see a flop as TIGHT.

[QuickLearner]

How about "real great" and "great." Or "crazy loose" and "loose."