New to O/8 6max; comments and questions

[benfranklin]

I've been playing O/8 at Party, .05/1 and 1/2 mostly, with a few hundred hands so far at 2/4. I haven't seen much difference between them, except the .5/1 is just a little fishier. Because of the lack of full ring games at 1/2, I decided to try 1/2 6max. My first impressions, based on a relatively small sample size, are:

1. the games are a little tighter and a little more aggressive than 1/2 full

2. unless the table is short, you can't loosen up much in starting hand requirements

3. there is a higher percentage of scoops in 6max

4. there is more dead money in a full table game (more limpers who see the flop and fold if they don't hit)

5. in every table I've played the 5-seat, all different players, sucked out on me something awful [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

I intend to do further research on #5 in the literature. My bias right now, largely because of #4, is to stick to full table games. Any comments appreciated.

[Ironman]

Ben,

In my experience, the 1/2 (6 max) game is much harder than the full game. I think there are a lot of good players there that are practicing for the 5/10 (6 max) game.

My numbers are VERY good at .5/1, 1/2, and 2/4. My numbers at PLO8 and 1/2 (6 max) are bad.

Good luck

[GeoffM]

Disagree. You can loosen up hand requirements, I play almost any suited A (with another card to the wheel) and have had absolutely fantastic success, moreso than full ring games.

You will win more bets/hour than a full ring. Also, I find these games to be just as loose if not more loose than full ring games IMO.

[TGoldman]

I like both game types and play either 6-max or full tables depending upon my mood. Full tables are all about patience and starting hand selection. So when I feel like just sitting back and waiting patiently, I'll play the full tables and happily collect the limper's dead money as you said. The 6-max tables are more fun when I want to mix it up a bit. You can play looser, but don't go too crazy. Random mixes of high cards and middle cards, small/middle pairs, middle cards, etc. are all still junk. I like to play hands with any 2 or 3 wheel cards as long as it has some coordination going for it on the high side as well. I've found position is also more important in the 6-max games. If two players check it to you in LP, a bet actually has a decent chance at picking up the pot especially if high cards flop (This is rarely the case in a full game). Bluffing becomes a larger part of the game when it's obvious your opponents have missed their low draws. You can also push your lows/low draws harder to put the squeeze on the high hands. When it comes to shorthand poker, I actually prefer Omaha 8/b 6-max tables to the Hold'em 6-max tables. I've found that short handed Hold'em can become a pure aggression fest, whereas shorthand Omaha/8 has a more balanced mix of aggression/solid play. I'm not expert by any means, but I've enjoyed a decent level of success at the 6-max tables thus far.