Tips for Short-Handed Tables
Poker tables sometimes are short-handed, meaning not every seat is filled. Instead of having nine or ten people at the table, there are only five or six. In cash poker games, players come and go, leaving seats empty for a time. If you survive to a final table in a poker tournament, then you will probably face the short-handed situation.
When playing short-handed, keep these tips in mind:
* Observe your opponents intently to see who is tight, who is aggressive and who bluffs.
* It is easier to spot player patterns and trends at these tables, such as always raising on the button or blind, so look for them.
* You can widen your range of starting hands since the field is naturally smaller.
* Play aggressively when you the flop hits your hand.
* Be ready to withstand some wide swings in your chip stack. You’ll be involved in more pots, so there will be more ups-and-downs than in a full table game.
* Recognize who is your toughest opponent and steer clear of that player if possible. Be ready to fold rather than risk a lot of chips with marginal hands when against a player you can’t read.
* Remember that drawing hands have less value and don’t offer the same pot odds as when the table has multi-way action.
