Beginning 6-handed play

[ChicagoTroy]

Please forgive a beginner's question. I'm researching this and using the forum as a supplement, not asking for spoon feeding.

What adjustments should a solid player transitioning to 6-max from 10 expect to see in terms of VP%IP? What are some common mistakes players make when transistioning to shorthanded games? I'm going over the HPFAP section on shorthanded play, I'm looking for info I should look at in PT on how to adjust properly.

Thanks very much

[Surfbullet]

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I'm going over the HPFAP section on shorthanded play

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While I love HEPFAP and its advice, applying the shorthanded theories to most online SH games at low limits (5 or 6max) will turn you into a chip-burning machine. The theories are great, but very few of the calling stations you meet will know how to fold enough to make a semibluff worth it - at that point you are just betting with crap cards.
Additionally, while there are the occasional LAGs who will bet your BB every time, most players play their cards - if it looks like a steal raise but they aren't very analytical players or don't raise often it's more likely they actually have a hand.

IMHO you are much better off searching through the forum (and archives) for old posts discussing this issue - as I recently discovered someone asks this question once every week or two, so it's been covered ad nauseam.

The limits weren't mentioned, but some good starting advice is to play it like it's a full table game where the first 4-5 positions folded... however position and big cards (things like KJ which are not good full table) become playable when you lead with a raise, especially if it reduces the # of players, and hands like small pairs and suited connectors aren't profitable in many cases because there won't be enough postflop action to pay you off.

Best of luck,

Dan

[James282]

The biggest problem people have is limping(as opposed to raising) too much and loosening up too much. If you never cold-called or open limped you'd be losing very little and you would keep yourself out of many uncomfortable postflop decisions. As you get more comfortable, you can make exceptions.
-James