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  #1  
Old 12-28-2005, 07:06 AM
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Default Short handed hold\'em preflop strategy guide?

I'm looking for a starting hand chart or perhaps an article which could point me in the right direction for short-handed preflop.

Currently I'm using SSH Tight starting hand charts (mid, late, sb, and bb). I consider, UTG and UTG+1 as MP on the chart, so I tend to limp in with K9s, Q9s, KJ, etc. According to this article Hypermegachi's 6-Max Preflop Strategy:

[ QUOTE ]
UTG
Open raise or fold. You do not want to call here with anything. The only exception is if the table is unusually aggressive preflop, and you hold AA or KK, and you know there's an 80% chance there's a raise behind you, then you can consider limp-raising. UTG is the worst position preflop, limping can be very costly if someone raises after you. You must open raise to try and get as many people to fold after you, or try and induce mistakes by making them cold call.

As a side note now that I mentioned, cold calling is a HUGE leak in many people's games. This goes in full ring, and it applies in 6max. Do not cold call! Exceptions are if you're on the button and 2 people cold called already, and you hold a suited ace, expecting the blinds to call, etc.

UTG+1
Again the situation is very similar to UTG.

[/ QUOTE ]

The article says to either open-raise or fold from UTG and UTG+1. My question is simply, is this correct? And if so, should I be open raising with hands like K9s? Or just AA-TT, AKs-ATs, AK-AJ, KQs-KJs, and fold everything else?
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Old 12-28-2005, 07:24 AM
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Default Re: Short handed hold\'em preflop strategy guide?

[ QUOTE ]
Or just AA-TT, AKs-ATs, AK-AJ, KQs-KJs, and fold everything else?

[/ QUOTE ]

Surely you're not folding 99 UTG shorthanded!

Also, i have an excel form spreadsheet with starting chart guidelines for shorthanded, but you using the mid and after chart from that is fine too.

FWIW i fold K9s UTG in certain games, and i'll gladly raise in others. Herein lies the fallacy of a chart.

So follow that for basic guidelines, but when marginal situations come in to play you're better off being the judge rather than a chart not accounting for the different types of players at your table. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
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  #3  
Old 12-28-2005, 07:35 AM
Pog0 Pog0 is offline
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Default Re: Short handed hold\'em preflop strategy guide?

What conditions are you folding K9s UTG in and which are you raising it?
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Old 12-28-2005, 07:53 AM
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Default Re: Short handed hold\'em preflop strategy guide?

[ QUOTE ]
What conditions are you folding K9s UTG in and which are you raising it?

[/ QUOTE ]

If it's a tight/passive game, i relax my starting hands a bit and i'll throw in a few hands like this for open raises. Mixed in with my otherwise TAG play, it's pretty effective, and there's value to the hand should i get caught.

The looser the game is, the more often i muck this right away. I feel like im throwing away money when i raise knowing im getting many callers, since i dont think it's exactly raising for "value". If i could bring myself to limp that UTG it's playable in a loose game, but that basically goes against anything i've learned.

What do you do? Do you like this strategy?
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  #5  
Old 12-28-2005, 08:22 AM
TheMetetron TheMetetron is offline
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Default Re: Short handed hold\'em preflop strategy guide?

[ QUOTE ]
Or just AA-TT, AKs-ATs, AK-AJ, KQs-KJs, and fold everything else?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes.
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  #6  
Old 12-28-2005, 09:13 AM
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Default Re: Short handed hold\'em preflop strategy guide?

I've been known to limp K9s in passive games with multiple callers in most pots.

....come to think of it though, I'm not sure if I've ever won with it?

Oh well.
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  #7  
Old 12-28-2005, 11:44 AM
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Default Re: Short handed hold\'em preflop strategy guide?

I think Sklansky and Mallmuth advocates raising with even more hands. UTG and UTG+1 is similair to be in Mid position in a 10-table game. In HPFAP they suggest to open with a raise if no one has yet entered the pot with category 5 and 6 hands like 55, ATo, 65s, JT, Axs and K9s.
If you're on CO or Button you should openraise with category 7 hands (or sometimes even 8) like 22, J8o, and 86s.
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  #8  
Old 12-28-2005, 12:04 PM
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Default Re: Short handed hold\'em preflop strategy guide?

[ QUOTE ]


Currently I'm using SSH Tight starting hand charts (mid, late, sb, and bb). I consider, UTG and UTG+1 as MP on the chart, so I tend to limp in with K9s, Q9s, KJ, etc.

[/ QUOTE ]

I pretty much do the same using the SSH starting hands. I tend to pitch K9s, Q9s, KJ, etc. early unless the game is quite loose passive. I click fold extra hard when there is a lag close behind me.

Read up on the starting hand types. Learn what hands want a mulitway pot and which don't. Then adjust according to your game. If everybody is limping each hand then limp with some of your suited hands. If most hands are raised, then dump the speculative hands. Also read up on what the most important characteristics are for short handed starting hands.
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  #9  
Old 12-28-2005, 12:25 PM
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Default Re: Short handed hold\'em preflop strategy guide?

If you have to ask about open limping in shorthanded play, you should never be open limping. Unless you're doing it for Shania it's a bad, bad move. There's a much better shorthanded chart out there you might want to check out, try this thread by MEbenhoe. It's not a perfect chart but it's a great start.
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  #10  
Old 12-28-2005, 03:03 PM
Wetdog Wetdog is offline
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Default Re: Short handed hold\'em preflop strategy guide?

Abdul puts it all pretty short and sweet here .
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