Pushing Against Big Stacks

[EasilyFound]

I find in tourneys that I lose my aggressiveness when the game gets shorthanded if I have big stack to my left. I feel like I need better hands to steal with because I am more likely to get called. I find that I'm more successful stealing against people whose stacks are smaller than mine or not much bigger than mine.

How much should my steal attempts be dictated or influenced by the size of the stack into which I am pushing?

[swarm]

Depends on how loose the Big Stack is, sometimes they take it upon themselves to try and knock out everybody and attempt with any face card. Other times they crawl into a shell protecting their stack. Recognize who you are dealing with by monitoring if they are:

1)folding to other big stack raises
2)aggressively stealing blinds

Against tight players I am going to push most of the time with any 2 and take an occassional break when I have complete trash or have pushed several hands in an orbit.

Against loose players you still have to steal blinds, your shortstacked and your available fold equity is running on empty. The thing to remember is that even if you get called on a hand you are probably not going to be that big of dog. Just refrain from pushing complete trash unless its push any two situations. Push suited connectors, any face card, etc.... Getting called by 810off when you push J6s is virtually the same as A9 getting called by KJ and you would take that gamble every time shortstacked.

Main thing to remember is you are shortstacked, you got to make something happen, if you don't your not going to get ITM anyways. By pushing into Big Stacks you can often go from shorstacked into chip leader in the blink of a suckout...

you will run hot and cold with pushing but if you remain consistently aggressive it will work out in your favor over time. It's a % game, remember that when you push, get called and knocked out; just be happy you went out being aggressive.

[Smockstack]

Well said.....I have the unenviable gift of pushing into monsters (AA,KK...ETC).....but I still do it because in the long run it has been very profitable. I used to shy away from pushing into the tall stack, but I've found that they'll fold just as easy as the shortie.

[EasilyFound]

[ QUOTE ]
Main thing to remember is you are shortstacked

[/ QUOTE ]

I am more comfortable playing short stack, because I feel that my choices are more restricted. What I had in mind when I wrote the post, although it might not be evidence from how it is worded, is a situation when I am not short stacked or the shortest stack at the table. So maybe I'm medium stacked, looking to accumulate chips, but not yet willing to take the kind of risk that I'd be more willing---more comfortable---to take if I was short stacked. But I get your point. Thanks.