Situational Poker - Playing Shorthanded

Friday, October 21th., 2005 (By the PokerStrategyKing)

I know lots of players that prefer full-ring games. When playing at a full table, you really need to play smarter and be tighter. There are however, distinct advantages to playing shorthanded games. What exactly is a shorthanded game. Well, it means what it says, less than a full table usually 5 or 6 players or less. Personally, I like playing shorthanded. When you do you can be creative and make more plays at people because it is less likely that someone will have the nuts and you can focus on playing the player. When shorthanded, good players can play many more hands that would be undesirable at a full table situation. For instance, a hand like Q-10 offsuit is not a good early position hand in a full game. Poor players may play them and call raises with them but better players know better. This is the type of hand to play in late-position or make a steal play with them. In a shorthanded game however, this type of hand becomes more playableOne obvious drawback shorthanded is that the blinds come around faster and you are putting up more money than you normally would. It becomes easier to get stuck in hands that you would never be involved with. These situations mean that you find yourself in more gambling situations as more and more pots are being raised. No matter how you feel about playing shorthanded, eventually you will need to and when it happens, you need to be prepared for it. So today, I will give you some hands to illustrate some shorthanded situations.

Hand No. 1 (5-handed). You open with a raise under the gun to $10 with the Ah 10d. Only the blinds call. There is $30 in the pot and three players. The flop is Ad 7d 3d, giving you top pair, decent kicker, and a flush draw. Both blinds check, you bet $20 and they both call meaning there's $90 in the pot. The turn is the 8h. Both blinds check again, you bet $40, the small blind now makes it $100 to go. The Big Blind folds. In this spot, I think you should fold. You just got check-raised on the turn and to me that signals that someone already has a flush and if its even Queen high, you're drawing dead. Do you want to pay to find out?

Hand No. 2 (4-handed) - The game is fourhanded. You are in the big blind with the Qs 7s. The first player in opens with a raise to $8. One player calls so you do as well. There are $24 and 3 players. Why did you call? Well, in a shorthanded game, relatively high suited cards can be a good hand, even if your top pair hits. The flop is 8s 3s 2d, giving you a flush draw with an overcard. You are first to act and I would either bet or check in the hopes of check-raising. Either action is correct here. You have to expect the preflop raiser to bet here so a check raise is a viable option. Doing so may even cause him to fold a hand like pocket 6's out of fear you have an 8. If you get called, you still have your overcard and flush outs. You must stay aggressive to win in shorthanded games and be willing to make plays without having the best hand. Let's say you check and call all the way through. You can potentially lose the hand to Ace high which would have definitely folded had you applied pressure.

Hand No. 3 (5-handed) - You are under the gun with K-10 offsuit. You decide to raise to $8 and you get 2 callers. There is $24 in the pot and 3 players. The flop is Kc 8h 7c, giving you top pair. You bet $15 and are quickly raised to $30. The 3rd player calls as do you. The Turn is the 8s. You check to the raiser, the initial raiser bets $40 and the third player calls. What do you do? I would recommend calling here. You have top pair with a decent kicker so you may be ahead. The raiser may have a worse king than you and the caller may be on some type of draw. Had this been a full table, this is an easy fold as your king could be dominated. Shorthanded, the hand requirements drop and the raiser could in fact have a weaker king. There is a good chance you are ahead right now. Folding would be a mistake.

Hand No. 4 ($15-$30 game): It's a fourhanded game. You are on the button with the Pocket Kings. The first player limps in, you raise to $8, the small blind reraises to $16 and, and the big blind makes it $30. You decide to call There is $90 in the pot and three players.

The flop is Ah 8s 3c, giving you second pair. The small blind checks and the big blind bets $40. You make a very dubious call, fearful of the ace, and the small blind calls. There is $210 in the pot and three players.

The turn is the 4s. Both of your opponents check. You should now absolutely bet. If no one has an Ace, they wouldn't have checked here. Do not give a free card here.

Again, I hope you find these examples helpful. Don't fear the shorthanded game, adjust to it and win consistently.

Until next time, may the chips fall your way.

(For more poker strategy and tips, please visit the PokerStrategyKing's website at www.pokerstrategyking.com )

(For more poker strategy and tips, please visit the PokerStrategyKing’s website at www.pokerstrategyking.com )