Pros and Cons of Playing 6 Handed vs. 10 handed

[webiggy]

Which game do you prefer and why? It seems the shorter game provides less chance of suckouts but can be more detrimental to your bankroll, while 10 handed tends to be slower game but can provide less variance but more suckouts due to pot size and the like. Thoughts?

[eh923]

I don't have a preference, but I also think that you're looking at it wrong.

Short-handed play might not have as many "suckouts", but you definitely have to loosen up and play a lot more hands or the blinds will kill you. Because of this, you'll see a lot of hands like KQ lose often to hands like A2o that you won't see played as often 10-handed.

[webiggy]

Better players play more loosely perhaps, and you can factor that into your thinking. Poorer players will play this hand along with many more regardless. Also, in 6 handed games, I find that fewer players will stay with drawing hands like str8s and flushes as odds rarely seem to justify chasing.

[eh923]

You're right that it becomes less of a game of speculative hands...which makes it more of a big-card game. I just wanted to point out that it doesn't have to be a "two-big-card-game"....and that good 10-handed starting hands get smacked around by A or K with a crappy kicker.

[webiggy]

any other thoughts, lurkers?

[The WET BEAVER]

Another Pro is that you get to make more decisions per hour and that will make more money.

I noticed that the advanced plays like semi-bluffing and checkraising are more effective.

I also noticed that the advanced play which is the S&M checking on the Turn 60% of the time with good and bad cards alike is much better in the shorthanded game. In full games, it feels like that play doesn't come up that often. In shorthanded, it comes up alot, because you will be in more hands, and Top Pair is much stronger in shorthanded. When you're using that play, some of your opponents get thrown off balance, and they sometimes become scared to bet.