Beginner - Full Ring to 6-Max Journey

So, I've been playing full-ring for a few months and I'm doing OK at micro-limits. I'm a winning player...

6-Max really peaks my interest. I have a small 1 monitor setup and multi-tabling simply is not possible. 2 games is barely managable, which makes 6-max even more appealing. I have the bankroll for 50c/$1 6-max, I'm currently playing 25c/50c full-ring limit... I'm not the best of players, but I'm learning and I want to continue learning.

Anyways, I'm wondering what people's thoughts are about jumping into 6-max so early in poker career... How can I transition smoothly??

[RustyCJ]

I'm a little bit in the same boat as you, here are a few links for you

check (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=headsup&Number=3439494&PH PSESSID=&fpart=1#Post3439494) all (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=headsup&Number=1897985&PH PSESSID=&fpart=1#Post1897985) these (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=headsup&Number=3916566&PH PSESSID=&fpart=1#Post3916566) out (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=micro&Number=3949418&PHPS ESSID=&fpart=1#Post3949418)

[benkath1]

Rusty beat me to the link punch.

What I noticed my biggest mistake when moving to 6 max was I was playing waaaay to loose and waaaay too aggressive. They say you play like a full ring table, but the first three seats have folded. So you are playing late position hands, which is nice. But you can't get too carried away.

I would advise you to start tight, and work your way into a new confidence with short handed play. You will see a lot more hands, so you will get a lot more reads on other players, which are priceless.

I haven't really decided if I like 6 max more than full ring yet. I've played about 25K hands of 6 max at various levels, and 70K at full ring. The swings are bigger at 6 max, so get ready for that, but the players are definately worse.

Good Luck,
Ben

[RustyCJ]

I'm still having trouble getting my VP$IP up, I have 1300 hands at .5/1 6max now and I'm at 18.5% VP$IP and 12% PFR, I'd like to see my VP$IP in the 20-21 range, I'm sure it'll get there as I grow more comfortable, I think I worry about it too much right now.

I made the move last month after seven months of full ring. I think it suits my playing style more, personally.

You'll find it a lot more laggy. If you don't like that, then stick to full ring. This will result in more swings in your BR and may test how well you stay even keel. It can be frustrating to be against someone that raises every hand w/ any two when you miss street after street.

I'm not used to getting pummeled and tilt sometimes still, but I'm getting used to it. (I usually don't play too long after I realize I'm tilting unless it's only mildly when the game is extra juicy.)

You'll also be in more marginal/questionable spots. You'll be in spots where betting or calling A/K high or bottom pair makes sense more often.

[TheKentock]

I started on .5/1 and 1/2 full ring. After a couple of months winning at 1/2, I thought I was a pretty good player.

I moved to 6-max and now I know that I am not.

I think this was an important lesson to learn. When the blinds swing around so fast, you find yourself in all sorts of interesting positions. I would unequivocally recommend switching.

[Goodnews]

whats the big deal with 6 max? i think its easier to play than full ring, or am do i just have a natural predisposition with my super aggressive personality? (AF aggression is approx. 3.1 after 40k hands)

[benkath1]

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whats the big deal with 6 max? i think its easier to play than full ring, or am do i just have a natural predisposition with my super aggressive personality? (AF aggression is approx. 3.1 after 40k hands)

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Ya know, I often wonder about this. 6 max almost leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. I've wondered if there is a game that "suits" certain players. Some players like aggression, some players play better in passive situations. I've often wondered if 6 max just doesn't suit my playing style.

To me it seems harder since you have to rely on reads more...am I wrong? In full ring, at least in the micros, you are in more mathematical positions with reasonable drawing odds (i.e. pot odds, implied odds, etc.).

In full ring, I feel like I'm chasing draws with good odds. In short handed, I feel like I'm putting the bets in with these draws.

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I've often wondered if 6 max just doesn't suit my playing style.

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I think that there's something to this. It has been said in poker literature that certain betting structures, number of players (SH or FR), etc., suits some people's natural playing styles more.

Of course, there are players that good at comfortably adjusting to what's necessary. You may just have to get used to it or play in games where you feel more comfortable so you don't spew.

FWIW, I tend to lean toward the slightly laggy spectrum of aggression for some reason. I think it's due to the fact that I'm naturally aggressive.

[NateDog]

I have trouble playing full now since switching over to 6M. I find myself wanting to play too many hands in bad spots, that would be perfectly reasonable SH.

[TheMainEvent]

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I've often wondered if 6 max just doesn't suit my playing style.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that there's something to this. It has been said in poker literature that certain betting structures, number of players (SH or FR), etc., suits some people's natural playing styles more.

Of course, there are players that good at comfortably adjusting to what's necessary. You may just have to get used to it or play in games where you feel more comfortable so you don't spew.

FWIW, I tend to lean toward the slightly laggy spectrum of aggression for some reason. I think it's due to the fact that I'm naturally aggressive.

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I agree with this but I think it's entirely possible for a player to be a better full ring player but still have a higher winrate in 6max, just because the games are so good. That is the case with me at least.

[bottomset]

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whats the big deal with 6 max? i think its easier to play than full ring, or am do i just have a natural predisposition with my super aggressive personality? (AF aggression is approx. 3.1 after 40k hands)

[/ QUOTE ]

Ya know, I often wonder about this. 6 max almost leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. I've wondered if there is a game that "suits" certain players. Some players like aggression, some players play better in passive situations. I've often wondered if 6 max just doesn't suit my playing style.

[/ QUOTE ]

blindplay is much much more important at 6max, and is the stumbling block for most micro guys switching over

[NateDog]

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whats the big deal with 6 max? i think its easier to play than full ring, or am do i just have a natural predisposition with my super aggressive personality? (AF aggression is approx. 3.1 after 40k hands)

[/ QUOTE ]

Ya know, I often wonder about this. 6 max almost leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. I've wondered if there is a game that "suits" certain players. Some players like aggression, some players play better in passive situations. I've often wondered if 6 max just doesn't suit my playing style.

[/ QUOTE ]

blindplay is much much more important at 6max, and is the stumbling block for most micro guys switching over

[/ QUOTE ]

What do you suggest? My blind play is horrendous.

I'd like to offer my opinion because I just recently made the same switch.

Overall I think 6-max is easier, in the sense that just making good preflop decisions and value-betting made hands takes down so many decent pots.

In full ring I find myself more occupied with the math of pot odds, protecting hands, figuring out when to call with my suited connectors, etc. But so far in 6-max I just play a solid preflop game, and value-bet the crap out of my made hands. People just don't believe you in 6-max, they all think you're pushing your weight around. I do get more aggressive, as in raising if I'm the first one in, and stealing blinds with hands as low as JTo. Getting hands to a heads up situation with good position is key.

I have also seen many, many horrendous plays at 6-max that I just don't see as much in full ring. We're talking raises with 64s and limps with Q7o. The snappy pace of 6-max just induces the donks to think that much LESS about what they're doing. Admittedly I may not think hands through quite as much either (until I get used to the pace), but I find that a distracted ME is still better than a distracted THEM.

And I think that's what it comes down to: 6-max is the super-sized MTV rock-and-roll of online poker, and many of the players being drawn to it aren't even close to having enough knowledge about the game to play +EV.

I made the switch not because of the "style" of 6-max, but because of the opponents there and my widening skill gap.

Having said all that, I have suspicions that playing only 6-max against these donks might take something away from my overall poker sharpness, but that's a discussion for another time. Today was a 6BB/100 day so 6-max is my god for now /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[adsman]

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I have trouble playing full now since switching over to 6M. I find myself wanting to play too many hands in bad spots, that would be perfectly reasonable SH.

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Same for me. This is one of the reasons that I've ditched full ring in favour of 6max.