Stack size In a Cash game

[KingFourOff]

In a tournament, sometimes if I'm short, I just have to go all in preflop with an OK but not great hand to try and double up to give myself a fighting chance.

Alternatively, if I'm tall stacked and think there's a decent chance I'm ahead, I may want to push very early on even if I don't have a typical "premium" hand.

In a cash game though, I rely much more on Pot odds, and almost never think of my stack size as a guide for my betting. I won't often call "cause I can afford to with my stack" or push in hard and make 15x BB raises with what I read as only slightly above average shots if I find myself the tall stack on the table "cause I can"

I look at my stack in a cash game to determine "what's the biggest bet I can make here that doesn't commit me to an all in? Will I still be able to impact pot odds the next round If I call here?" basically only when there is a real chance my entire stack could be involved.

So basically, until the pot becomes such that looks like I may have to risk my whole stack, I try not to make choices based on my stack size, and just look at each pot.

I play mostly low stakes NLHE, $.50/1, 1/2, the very occasional 5/5.

Am I thinking Reasonably? Other ideas?

[Cleveland Guy]

I don't play much NL in cash games, but for the most part I think your right. The big difference being in a tournament when your chips are gone your out, and in a cash game they can just buy back in the next hand.

So using your big stack to muscle someone off say 99 in a tournament might work, that same player might look at their last $12 and say, well if I'm wrong I'll buy back in.

[JFB37]

Not to be contrary, but I strongly disagree. I think stack sizes in a cash game are very important. One of the biggest factors in evaluating how to play is the size of your opponent's stack. And, for him/her, one of the most important things is the size of your stack. Which means that it should also be one of the most important things for you.

There are hundreds of ways where this is important, but let me offer one for illustrative purposes. Suppose that you are in on the button with suited connectors, say, 6h7h, there are two limpers in front of you and you call. The big blind then raises to 4x and the other two limpers fold. Because of the implied odds, the size of both of your stacks is very important. If either of you is short-stacked then what you can win if you hit is small and the call (about a 7.5:3 proposition, depending on the size of the small blind) is probably not worth it. But, if you are both deep, if you hit you have the chance to take down a huge pot. An old rule of thumb I once heard is that in this type of situation you need the potential to win about 20x the size of the bet you are facing. I'm not sure how accurate that rule is and I don't know how you would figure it out, but the underlying concept seems sound to me.

[JFB37]

This thread hasn't gotten much action, so maybe nobody cares, but this post (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Number=1080728&page=0&view=c ollapsed&sb=5&o=14&vc=1) has an outstanding example of exactly what I was trying to explain.

[eyekast]

just to give an example say your in late postion with 7 /images/graemlins/spade.gif6 /images/graemlins/spade.gif and UTG raises to 4*BB you get 2 callers should you call?

well if the raiser has a nice size stack then you should call whereas if he is short stacked you should fold. the reason being is because when you flop a good draw say an open ended straight draw which i believe only hits about 10.5% of the time you want to get paid off. if the raiser doesn't have a stack then obviously wouldn't get paid off.

see the difference?

[eyekast]

i'm such an idiot i didn't see your post JFB37. so yeah what he said....lol
/images/graemlins/tongue.gif