Playing Against Short Stacks – Changes to Minimum Buy-in for FTP Cash Games
If you adopt a good strategy to combat short stackers it can be very profitable. It’s something you really need to explore because it’s not uncommon to be playing against one or more short stackers at the same table.
However, if there are too many short stacks at the table I will often just leave the table because it makes it difficult to play against them. I much prefer deep stack poker when you can speculate with more hands like 64s when in late position, however you are not getting the implied odds to speculate with your suited connectors and low pairs when playing against short stacks. They are playing medium/high pairs and high cards and are looking to get their stack in on the flop and turn.
One gross spot I found myself in yesterday was when I was playing at a 25nl 6-max table on FT and a player open raises from the CO which they could be doing with a fairly wide range. A short stack was on the BTN and shoves for 15bb. I am in the SB with TT. What do I do?
I didn’t know too much about the player in the CO who had a full buy-in. I know I am probably ahead of the short stacks shoving range but am I going to commit myself to this hand with TT.
I decide to flat call the shove and the player in the CO re-raises to about 35bb. Alarm bells went off and this is why I hate playing again short stackers because you face gross spots like this.
Readless I don’t think I can assume the CO would be aggressive with AK in this spot. It’s possible but I think it’s more likely they have JJ-AA. I ended up taking the conservative option because it was only early in the session and just folded.
It turns out the CO wanted to isolate the short stack because they had AA. The short stack had KQs so I was right to call the short stack shove, it was just a shame CO woke up with a premium hand.
The good news is that we will soon have the option on FTP to not play against short stacks.
According to FTPDoug who posts on 2+2 forum on behalf of Full Tilt Poker, they will be implementing changes sometime in January 2010 which will include raising the minimum buy-in on standard (no icon) tables. Other updates are listed here. So if you prefer not to play against short stacks you will like the new changes. FTP has not stated what they will be increasing the minimum buy-in to, although there is a lot of speculation that it will be increased to 40bb. I’d like it even more if it was increased to 50bb, although 40bb is much better then the current scenario.
I must admit I really like the move. Poker is boring when it becomes a shove fest. You get this scenario in tournaments when stacks are short and the blinds are big late in the tourney. Everyone is shoving any decent starting hands and it’s the same when playing short stacked cash games. Poker is a lot more fun when you are playing deep stacked and there is betting on all three streets. There is a lot more skill involved and more decisions need to be made. That’s the way I see it anyway.