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Poker ArticleHow to play a short stackPlaying Freeroll TournamentsFreerolls play a little bit different than regular buyin tournaments. There are many weak players that can be exploited, which is what we're going to try and teach you in this poker article. A short stack is defined as a stack with less than 15 big blinds. Once you reach this point, you are left with very few options. Even though this makes the decisions easier, it is still where a lot of beginning players make their biggest mistakes. First of all, as long as you have around 20 big blinds or more you should be trying to see flops instead of moving all in pre flop. Once you go below that point, to around the 15 big blinds 'short stack' level, it is time to start looking for a hand to double up with. Just sit back, fold and wait for a big hand. You can wait until you have 10 big blinds, if you still have not gotten a hand at this point you will have to loosen up your requirements now. With 10 big blinds you are looking to get it all in with any pocket pair or A10 or better. If you are in late position and it is folded to you, you can loosen this up even more and start pushing KQ or A8. If you are unfortunate enough not to pick up any of t hese hands and go below 10 big blinds, it is really time to get it all in with any decent hand. If it is folded to you on the button and you have 8 big blinds, just get it all in with anything like J9 or Q8. Of course you may still not pick up a hand at all, when this happens I always try to get my money in with some 'dead money' in the pot. Say there are 3 limpers in front of me and I have 5s8s with only 5 big blinds I will just get the chips in the middle because with the blinds and antes added I will already double up if everyone just folds. If they call the pot will be even bigger, so if I win that pot I will really have a chance again at the tournament. Example hand: Late in a poker freeroll, blinds are at 500/1000 with a 100 ante. You have just 4500 in chips left and are on the button with 9s10s. Two people with medium sized stacks limp in before you and you look at the size of the pot. 4500 in the pot already ! You decide it's a great spot to get it all in with your weak hand, because you are getting great poker odds on your money. To your joy, everybody folds and you double up without even having to showdown your hand. In another freeroll you are at the final table with 12500 in chips. The blinds are 600/1200 with a 125 ante on top. You have pocket fives on the button and the under the gun who has about 25000 in chips player raises it to 3000. You think for a minute and then decide you only have 10 big blinds and with a pocket pair you should be moving your stack in. You move in and everybody folds but the original raiser calls and shows AdJh. The flop comes JsQs3d which gives him a pair of jacks but gives you an open ended straight draw and a flush draw. The turn and river are 4s5s, you make your flush and double up. In some cases you will win the pot without a showdown and in other cases you are usually in a 50/50 spot. If you add the chance that your opponents will fold to the chance that you will have the best hand by the river you have your total chance of winning the pot. This is exactly why it's good to go all in with bad hands but bad to call an all in with those same hands. |
