
Take the Leap to Playing Short Handed Poker
Short-handed poker is quite a popular option in today’s poker world. In the past, finding a short-handed game was not really a matter of choice. However many people were available to play would play. In the era of online poker however, you can go directly to your favorite online poker site and choose to play at a table of six players, four players or even two players. If you typically play a full ring game, you may wonder if the short-handed game is for you. To determine this, ask yourself these questions.
Do I Want a Fast-Paced Game?
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If the table has fewer players, the action comes around faster. Furthermore, your opponents will expect you to act fast to keep the game moving. If the leisurely pace of a full ring game has you twiddling your thumbs, you may want to check out short-handed action.
Do I Enjoy Playing a Wide Range of Starting Hands?
In a full ring game, the best strategy is often to wait for premium hands and bet them aggressively. In a short handed game, since fewer cards are out against you, you need less powerful starting hands to enter a pot. Your opponents know this and will probably be attacking many pots aggressively. If you sit back and wait for premium hands, you may be eaten up by the blinds before you ever get the chance to make a move.
Do I Like Stealing Blinds?
In short-handed play, the ability to attack and defend blinds is crucial. The blinds come around twice as fast and players are much more aggressive, so you need to take a stand with your blinds, not being afraid to call or raise bets against you. You’ll also need to attack the blinds of opponents aggressively, especially in late position.
Am I Good at Scrutinizing my Opposition? Am I Relatively Inscrutable Myself?
There are no hiding places in a short-handed game. A higher percentage of the table is involved in every pot and if any of the players has a glaring weakness, it will be spotted and exploited quickly. You need to be confident in your ability to stand up and fight back against opponents to be successful in short-handed play.
Is Short Handed Play More Fun?
You might try a few short handed games just to get the feel for it. If it seems like it’s for you, stick with it. If not, you can always go back to your full ring action.
