Your Top Tips for a 6-Max Newbie

[colgin]

I am just getting into the 6-max games. I will be posting Party $3/6 and 5/10 hands here (my first was today). Other than reading all the posts on this board, what are your top pieces of generic advice for making the transition from full to 6-max.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

[witeknite]

Raise.

WiteKnite

[colgin]

[ QUOTE ]
Raise.


[/ QUOTE ]

NH!

[Entity]

Defend your blinds less until you feel comfortable playing marginal hands out of position. Play lots of hands on the Button and the CO and fold lots of marginal (KTo, QTo-type) hands UTG. Until you start to decide whether you're a LAGTAG or a TightTAG, start on the tight side.

Start reading the psychology forum a lot. Realize that the swings are gonna suck, and we're all sorry, but we've all been there (many of us are still there).

Rob

[PokerBob]

[ QUOTE ]
Defend your blinds less until you feel comfortable playing marginal hands out of position. Play lots of hands on the Button and the CO and fold lots of marginal (KTo, QTo-type) hands UTG. Until you start to decide whether you're a LAGTAG or a TightTAG, start on the tight side.

Start reading the psychology forum a lot. Realize that the swings are gonna suck, and we're all sorry, but we've all been there (many of us are still there).


[/ QUOTE ]

bueno

[DangerGoodson]

Don't Run Bad.

[ghostface]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't Ever Run Bad.

[/ QUOTE ]

FYP

[bunky9590]

Play more hands, raise more hands. /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[ghostface]

What kind of specific advice are you looking for?

This thread has been a lot of help so far, I'm sure.

[RunDownHouse]

Remove "call" from your preflop arsenal unless you're in a very specific situation (excellent drawing hand/pair at a table where nobody raises preflop and there's already a couple limpers to you).

[Derek in NYC]

Dont overvalue ace-rag. Those hands still suck in all but the perfect conditions.

Middle pairs are much more valuable due to their showdown value, and can be used to 3-bet loose raisers.

[sammy_g]

My advice for new 6 maxers:

Don't try to play a totally different way than you do at a full table when first starting out. Eventually you'll get a feel for how the 6 max games play, and you can open up and add some hands and become more aggressive. Until then, pretend you're playing a full game where the first four players folded.

Find one of the starting hand charts on the forum to get a sense of what hands to open with from what positions.

Value bet more in these games. People will call with all sorts of junk. Particularly value bet on the river, even when scare cards come. This one is really important.

Rarely open limp. Rarely limp behind just one limper (raise or fold).

Run good. Have fun.

[Fianchetto]

You should almost never open limp. Open raise if you are going to play the hand.

In shorthanded games generally the pots are smaller with fewer players contesting them. Drawing hands like small suited connectors lose some of their appeal because of this, while hands that can win unimproved go up in value, i.e. ace high, pairs.

You want big cards and the button.

[xCEO]

I am also new to 6-max and I try to read a lot about it. Here is a very good article that might help you:

Abul Jalib - SH (http://www.liveactionpoker.com/articles/abdul-shorthanded/abdul-shorthanded.html)

Also I read this guide:

6-max (http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5043)

[colgin]

Thanks everyone. These are all useful tips and the links help as well.

[sfer]

Figure out who folds and who will always take a pair/Ace to showdown. Punish both.

[fyodor]

Don't coldcall. 3Bet.

[etizzle]

similar to sfers.

figure out who calls dry A high flops and check-folds the turn, and who always has an ace when they just call on such a flop.

[alfatcat]

A couple of related question for someone also testing the waters on 6 max.

Are there any "classic" posts that I should be reading? A FAQ?

And what is the best way to handle PT when you play both full and 6 max? separate database, filters, something else?

I know these questions have been hashed and rehashed here, but I didn't find the magic bullet within the first several pages on any of the searches I did.

Thanks!

[legend42]

Keep track of your opponents' headsup tendencies, especially when you have position on them (raiser vs. blind situations). The turn is the key street. Whether to bet or check behind (with overcards, draws, mediocre made hands, complete air, etc.) are some of the most important decisions you'll make. And it really depends on the opponent. Good luck.

[Nfinity]

Take it slow, don't immediately start 4-tabling right off the bat. Instead try 1 or 2 tabling and focus on getting those key reads.

Read these posts:

6 Max Baby Steps (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=micro&Number=2536762&fpart =1&PHPSESSID=)

6 Max Stats FAQ (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=micro&Number=2913856&fpart =1&PHPSESSID=)

I like this thread, keep replying with anything that hasn't been covered.

[turnipmonster]

bet, raise, see lots of showdowns when heads up.

[alfatcat]

This is great. Just what I was looking for. Thanks!

[PokerBob]

[ QUOTE ]
Dont overvalue ace-rag.

[/ QUOTE ]

agreed. i hate that [censored] hand.

[meep_42]

Fold to my turn raises. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

-d

[arkady]

[ QUOTE ]
Defend your blinds less until you feel comfortable playing marginal hands out of position. Play lots of hands on the Button and the CO and fold lots of marginal (KTo, QTo-type) hands UTG. Until you start to decide whether you're a LAGTAG or a TightTAG, start on the tight side.

Start reading the psychology forum a lot. Realize that the swings are gonna suck, and we're all sorry, but we've all been there (many of us are still there).

Rob

[/ QUOTE ]

The psyschological aspect in my opinion is extremely important. I am in the midst of a 450+ bb downswing in 10/20 and it sucks beyond belief. Certainly put my ego in check.

[Victor]

web page (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=headsup&Number=1215269&fpa rt=1&PHPSESSID=)

[doubleplus]

They really need to sticky a FAQ on this forum. I asked the same question a couple months ago. Anyway, someone pointed me to these two links, as well as the others listed above...

Hypermegachi's 6-Max Texas Hold'em Limit Guide (http://www.flopturnriver.com/6-Max-Limit-Guide.html)

Short-handed Hold'Em by Jason Pohl (http://www.pokerpages.com/articles/players/jason-pohl03.htm)

[Catt]

Guido's site has lots of resources:

Link (http://www.poker.favos.nl/)

[stripsqueez]

[ QUOTE ]
Defend your blinds less until you feel comfortable playing marginal hands out of position. Play lots of hands on the Button and the CO and fold lots of marginal (KTo, QTo-type) hands UTG. Until you start to decide whether you're a LAGTAG or a TightTAG, start on the tight side

[/ QUOTE ]

great advice

stripsqueez - chickenhawk