HELP... My shorthanded game SUCKS

[Mac]

Can anyone point me to nice references/books/articles on shorthanded play in general (7CS play specifically). I notice myself playing very differently once there's only 4, even 5 players total at the table. I know to loosen up a bit, high pairs, overcards are boss, limit the draws. It just seems that I subconsciously say to myself "OK, we only have 4 players" and I change my game. Specifically, I'm not sure what are acceptable 3rd street starting requirements. I also find myself making bets that don't make much sense only because I'm high on the board and don't want to show weakness. Anyway, this part of my game equals my shoes and I could use the advice - let's assume unfamiliar, capable players for arguments sake.

MAC

[Al_Capone_Junior]

I'd take some short handed situations that have bothered you and post them on the short handed forum.

You have to be more aggressive short handed, but I wouldn't say overcards are the boss. They're really not much different than they are in a full game - marginal. Say you have [A K] 4 rainbow in a ring game. You gonna play it? I wouldn't. Short handed, it's only a little bit better. Now three overcards to the board is worth more, say you have [A K] Q with a two-flush. Short handed, that of course is worth a raise, as long as it's not already raised in front of you. I wouldn't CALL someone else's raise, but if there were limpers, I'd limp along. Short handed, catching a pair with that start would give you a pretty darn good chance of taking the pot.

Stealing the antes is very important short handed. If it's three handed, and I'm the high card, I will raise the bring-in almost every time, at least until my opponents start catching on and playing back at me.

When you're the bring in, you have to be more assertive if you have a pair or other decent hand. Say you're three handed, with [6 7] 7 and bring it in. An opponent who's been raising every time they have the highest upcard raises you. Raise him back! Then bet or raise 4th no matter what comes, as long as he doesn't pair his doorcard. If you still haven't improved, slow down on 5th, but be prepared to often call him down.

You just can't play wimpy short handed or you're done. But you must temper your aggression according to the situation. It helps to have SOMETHING as opposed to just having the high board. If you have the high board and keep betting, and keep getting called, then they must have something, and you can slow down.

al

[Mac]

is that I've been visiting this board for over a year and never realized there was a Short-handed forum!! /forums/images/icons/confused.gif

[Andy B]

Hey, my short-handed stud game sucks, too. A couple of things:

You actually don't need to adjust all that much from your full-game strategy. In a short-handed hold'em game, the blinds come up so frequently that you have to get in there and gamble. In a short-handed stud game, your overhead doesn't increase nearly as much. You'll just be the bring-in a larger percentage of the time. You don't have to loosen up as much as you may think.

Stealing is great, but you must realize that the initial pot is smaller because fewer players are anteing. The initial pot in a hold'em game is going to be the same whether there are two players or twelve. Assuming you're playing $15/30 or higher, or in a small game with a similarly large ante, stealing is still worthwhile.

Ante-stealing is my current favorite play. The house gets NOTHING. The dealer gets NOTHING. This is as it should be. /forums/images/icons/grin.gif

Middling pairs are more valuable than in a full game, and small three-straights and three-flushes are less valuable. Big pairs are, well, big. And rolled-up trips aren't good for anything except stealing the antes. At least that's what I've done every time I've been rolled-up in a short-handed stud game. /forums/images/icons/tongue.gif