Short Stack Play

[NewBVick]

I've seen alot of people geting it in short stacked with hands that did not warrent such a move. First of all, the only reason to go all-in pre-flop is if you are commiting more than 1/3 of your chips. This essentialy commits you to the pot and you don't want to have the flop completely miss you. When it comes to pushing post-flop if your stack is the about the same size of the pot then a push is warrented since it will be respected. Often in freerolls you will get payed off for your big hands so pushing with lesser hands is not postive. Take last nights freeroll for example about an hour and fifteen minutes in I was reduced to 3x the BB for my stack placing me 137/150 or so. Pushing hands that I would raise at my position helped keep me alive. Also, a VERY important rule is to not push short stacked against a caller or raiser unless you have a HUGE hand. You always want to be the one opening the pot for an all-in an scare your opponents off. I ended the tourny in 27th place just by using this stratgey and almost doubled up to an average stack when my AJ went up against QJ which yould have guarenteed a final table. Good luck in the upincoming league and remmber that a short stack can be used just as effective as big stack.

-Vick "chip and a chair" Marques

[Jawsh]

Sometimes playing short stacked, believe it or not, actually makes for better players. Everyone seems to be a bit smarter when they're short stacked and don't want to screw around. Obviously with little or no room to move, you're not going to be going into marginal situations. The thing I try to do is play like I have the short stack, be agressive but also don't be too loose and play smart.