Online Poker and Shorthanded Tables by
Joshua Heilpern
One
of the many benefits of poker's infiltration
of the online world is the ability to create
new ways to play the game that just wouldn't
be feasible offline. Some examples include Sit
'n Go tournaments and micro-limit games. These
tables are simply unprofitable to land-based
cardrooms because they generate too little
revenue for them. Another online poker
phenomenon is the shorthanded ring game, which
typically seats 6 or less players. These games
are quickly taking over full ring games in
terms of popularity online.
Players
like these tables because of the fast action
and less competition. Shorthanded tables see
many more hands per hour, and most pots are
decided quickly. Since the blinds will be
coming around much faster, you simply won't be
able to play only your premium cards.
If
you play the same starting cards at a
shorthanded table as you do at a full table,
you'll constantly be in a battle with the
forced blinds. If you're playing at a table
with 6 players, you'll be on either the big or
the small blind 1/3 of the time. You'll need
to open up your game, and play much more
aggressively. If no one has shown any strength
yet and you're in late position, hands I would
raise with include any two face cards, any
Ace, and any pocket pair. I might even mix it
up and throw in the occasional raise with
suited connectors. Since you'll be up against
fewer opponents, the chances of one of them
holding a premium hand are less. However, you
should also be prepared to release your hand
to big raise, as your opponent can wake up
with pocket Aces at any table.
Changing
gears and mixing up your game is even more
essential at shorthanded tables. Everyone at
the table will be watching the same 4 or 5
opponents in every hand, so it is much easier
to pick up on each other's playing style and
habits. While you can generally play a
predictable game and remain unnoticed at a
full ring game, your opponent's will be more
observant at short tables. You should also try
to keep notes and remain observant to maximize
your profits. Almost every online poker site's
software package has player notes built in, so
why not take advantage of them? If you're
faced with a tough position on a similar hand
in the future, you can refer to your player
notes to see if your opponent usually has the
nuts, or habitually bluffs off his chips.
An
easy way to keep your opponents guessing is by
setting up a "standard" raise for
yourself of 3 or 4 times the big blind (in
no-limit play). Whenever you raise preflop,
try raising the exact same amount every hand.
This keeps your opponents from reading your
hands by your betting patterns. Another way to
mix it up is by switching off how you play
certain hands. For example, you might raise
pocket Aces 80% of the time, and just call 20%
of the time. From late position in an unraised
pot, you might raise 8-9 suited 30% of the
time, and throw it away the other 70% of the
time.
Finally,
I recommend that you increase deceptive plays
such as slowplaying big hands. While I am a
tight-aggressive player who rarely recommends
slowplaying a hand with a potential draw on
the board, you'll need to do it more often in
a shorthanded game to maximize your profits.
Firstly, most pots are small and are decided
pre-flop or on the flop at these tables. If
you want to build up a pot with what you
expect to be the winning hand, you can't scare
away the few opponents who are left. You'll
have to give them the opportunity to catch up
to you. Secondly, since there will be less
players involved in each hand, the risk of
someone holding the necessary cards to draw
out on you decreases.
Shorthanded
games are exploding, and you should be
prepared to sit down with the resident sharks
if you want to try them out. Don't forget to
pay attention, open up your starting hand
requirements, mix up your play, and play a
deceptively-aggressive game. Nothing beats
actual playing experience, but following a few
simple guidelines will help prepare you for
profitable shorthanded play.
About the Author
Joshua Heilpern is a contributor for several poker
strategy websites. He also runs http://www.beatthefish.com
- an original poker strategy and review site.
