How Ought ShortHand Play Differ From Full Table? For a Beginner.

[TomBrooks]

MicroLimit Hold'Em on Party and Pacific.

Generally, what adjustments ought one to make when playing shorthanded?

I've only been playing for a few months and don't purposely seek out shorthanded games, and I don't stay in them for long; but sometimes when people start leaving the table I'm on, I wind up playing in one for a while.

I looked through this forum and see most of the posts are about specific situations and most seem to be about mid- and high-limits.

Where can I find out about some general principals so I can just get some kind of clue how to adjust my game when I occasionally find myself playing shorthanded?

Thanks,
TomBk

[naphand]

Use the search function, including the archives.

[marand]

If the game is 6-handed, pretend like the first 4 have folded.

Play a little looser than normal and a little more aggressive.
If you are going to play a hand and you are first in, always raise.
Try to steal the blinds a little more.
Defend your blinds more.

High cards are better than normal.
Small pairs and suited connectors are worse than normal.
Reads are more important SH than 10-handed.

[TomBrooks]

[ QUOTE ]
Play a little looser than normal and a little more aggressive.
If you are going to play a hand and you are first in, always raise.
Try to steal the blinds a little more.
Defend your blinds more.

High cards are better than normal.
Small pairs and suited connectors are worse than normal.
Reads are more important SH than 10-handed.

[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks marand,

Those are the general concepts I was wondering about.

I'll keep them in mind when I find myself on a table where people are leaving.

Cheers,
TomBk

[Victor]

[ QUOTE ]
Try to steal the blinds a little more.


[/ QUOTE ]

Be careful with this one. While you should certainly defend more, do not use this as an excuse to start calling raising with hands like K10o, Qxs and J9s etc.

Generally, call UTG raises as if it was a ring game. If the raise is from the CO or button loosen up a bit and especially if they are aggressive. In this situation A-high is a huge hand.

[Freakin]

Victor,

So are you saying a blind defense from a LP raise with A high is generally a good idea? What is a decent range of 3-betting hands? I have a really hard time with blind defnse right now.

Freakin

[Victor]

[ QUOTE ]
So are you saying a blind defense from a LP raise with A high is generally a good idea?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, against a normal aggressive button I call with A-high.

[ QUOTE ]
What is a decent range of 3-betting hands?

[/ QUOTE ]

Against a steal from the button I 3bet 66 and above, AK, AQ. AJ to A10 and KQ I usually just call with unless the raiser is an idiot.

Against an EP raiser I tighten up even more. I hate playing hands out of position against aggressive opponents. I especially hate doing so in large pots with marginal holdings. That is why I play rather tight and passive in the blinds.

[Rubeskies]

Get ready for some crazy swings.

The varience will be higher than you are used to.

[Jurollo]

2+2 Shorthanded Thread (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=headsup&Number=1215269&fpa rt=1&PHPSESSID=)

Go there, great index of great posts.
~Justin

[TomBrooks]

Thanks for the link, Justin. I'll read through it later. Thanks to the other posters for the tips also.

Cheers,
TomBk