Short handed adjustment:

[Baulucky]

This may have been asked many times. Would you please name the main adjustments to play 6MAX LHE from a full table. I have put some items already below, feel free to comment/add/correct:

1-Loosen on initial hands requirements as one is either closer to the button or on the blinds more often.
2-Raise more often with above average and medium hands.
3-Play more agressively after the flop, in other words, bet and raise more on weaker holdings, and only slow down, when the opponent shows us the error by playing back at us.
4-In general, use more semi-bluffs, raise-bluffs, CK-raise-bluffs and steal more pots.

Please add/correct as you please.

[Ulysses]

You should start by reading through this forum. Look both here and in the recently archived posts. These topics have been discussed many times. Davidross had a number of threads asking about pre-flop strategy at 6-max tables that generated some good discussion.

[redsamurai]

I've started to play more and more 6 handed tables lately and have been putting a lot of thought into this question and experimenting with playing style. My conclusions are fairly counter-intuitive so let me go one by one through your points and hopefully the board can jump in on the debate (I've been know to be wrong on occasion.

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1-Loosen on initial hands requirements as one is either closer to the button or on the blinds more often.

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This is generally true but not to the extent that many people do. Playing short handed big cards go up in value and drawing hands usually go down in value. Hands like KTo and A9o are more playable than the smaller suited semi-connectors like 86s.
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2-Raise more often with above average and medium hands.


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Before the flop I like to be a little more passive than in a full ring game. If I have something like KJs and I am raising I'm likely to scare off lesser hands that I'm a favorite over. After the flop players are often too aggressive with 2nd pair and top pair weak kicker. You want these players around on the flop to pay you off when you hit.
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3-Play more aggressively after the flop, in other words, bet and raise more on weaker holdings, and only slow down, when the opponent shows us the error by playing back at us.

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While this seems reasonable, it is off of this type of opponent that I am going to make the most money. Be very aware that this is the type of play that will lead you into big traps. Be smart and use position when doing this. From EP don't be afraid to check call with mediocre holdings as many players are too aggressive. Unless I'm strong I don't mind checking down a hand from LP. This is especially true of drawing hands. Take the free card when it is offered if it could help your hand. Since calling requirements are lowered 6 handed it becomes less profitable to semi-bluff.
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4-In general, use more semi-bluffs, raise-bluffs, CK-raise-bluffs and steal more pots.


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I disagree. As mentioned above semi-bluffing tends to go down in value because you are more likely to be called by a hand like 2nd or bottom pair. The same logic goes for raise-bluffs and CR-bluffs. Also, because players are more aggressive with worse hands playing short handed, they will play back at you more. I will bluff occasionally but it will usually be at scary flops such as 3 suited, a pair on the flop, or a single high card with 2 rags rainbow and it will be at only one or two player who I have a read on.

I think that playing short handed you need to be very wary of falling into the Fancy Play Syndrome trap. Money can change hands fast and you get paid for making better decisions more consistently than your opponents. Playing shorthanded you are required to make these decisions more often. Play better cards than them, stick around when they improve, and win on the river. If you can do that 6 handed games can be very profitable.

Comments/Criticisms on this line of thinking are appreciated.

[Achilles]

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Look both here and in the recently archived posts.

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Is there a special way to have access to archived posts?

[Baulucky]

Thanks all. A lot of study ahead...

[ctv1116]

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4-In general, use more semi-bluffs, raise-bluffs, CK-raise-bluffs and steal more pots.

Please add/correct as you please.

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You aren't stealing any pots at 1/2. Bet only if you have it. So you shouldn't be bluffing or semi-bluffing either. You should be value betting more though, since they'll call with anything.

[naphand]

Disagree: you can steal pots at $1/$2, just not routinely.

Aggressive play (right table image) and right opponents/board and you can steal on the flop enough times to make it pay. Not usually possible when more than 3-way, much more likely HU.

Agree: most money is made at $1/$2 by value-betting.

[kiddo]

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Before the flop I like to be a little more passive than in a full ring game. If I have something like KJs and I am raising I'm likely to scare off lesser hands that I'm a favorite over

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I think most good SH-players aggree on: Never limp first in! KJs is a great hand, you must raise and make the blinds pay for seeing the flop cause you will win the pot more then your fair share. Also, raising a lot preflop makes it much harder to put you on a hand. If the game is very tight - which it almost never is - you can sometimes limp with monsters like AA, KK, AKs, trying to trap. But trapping with KJs is a misstake, at least half of the flops will not help you, what do you then do when BB bets out with his 95 and pair of 5s?

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3-Play more aggressively after the flop, in other words, bet and raise more on weaker holdings, and only slow down, when the opponent shows us the error by playing back at us.

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While this seems reasonable, it is off of this type of opponent that I am going to make the most money. Be very aware that this is the type of play that will lead you into big traps.

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You are normally not making money of people being aggressive, you are making money of people being loose. Being aggressive is the most important adjustment playing SH. If you wait for a real hand SH you will lose all those pots when noone had a hand.


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Take the free card when it is offered if it could help your hand. Since calling requirements are lowered 6 handed it becomes less profitable to semi-bluff.

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You must semibluiffbet a lot SH as long as the other players aint very loose. Semibluff is much better SH because:

1) You are up against fewer players, bigger chance noone got a hand. That is bluff works more often.
2) People will fold more drawing hands cause the small pot isnt giving the right price to draw.

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As mentioned above semi-bluffing tends to go down in value because you are more likely to be called by a hand like 2nd or bottom pair. The same logic goes for raise-bluffs and CR-bluffs.

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You honestly think a decent SH player will call you when you bet? The players only betting when they got a hand are the easiest to read. Against players only looking at their own cards and the board, yes, you will get action when you bet and this is often the case at low limits. But this is because you play against calling stations, not because you play SH.

Playing weak with weak hands and strong with strong hands is suicide against decent players SH. SH its very important to play in a way so that your opponents dont know what you have. Being predictable will only work as long as your opponents are bad.

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I think that playing short handed you need to be very wary of falling into the Fancy Play Syndrome trap.

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Yep, totally aggree. There are a lot of players SH that use "random trickiness" as there best weapon and there are a lot of players that get a huge kick out of getting away with a fancy move like raising with nothing on river.

I think much of what you say in your post will work well against players beeing very loose and not trying to analyze your style. Against better players you have to be more aggressive and play in a way that will not give your hand away.

[Baulucky]

thanks.