Battle-of-the-bands.info/blog

You need to know how many chips everyone has at the table to make good decisions in no limit holdem. Let’s list a few hands that show why stack size needs to be in your thought process. Then, I think you will agree that stack size is key.

This hand will demonstrate why chip stacks affect correct play. You’re playing $1/$2 NL holdem. No one has played and it’s your turn from the small blind. You have $500 and 4,4. The big blind has a small stack of $25 so an all in play is fine. This will be a winning play in the long run.

Let’s say the big blind has $500. Now, the all in play doesn’t look so good. You will win the $3 a lot, but will get crushed when you are called. You don’t make enough $3 hands to cover the $500 loss when it happens.

Let’s take it one step further. Would you risk $100,000 for the lousy $3 in the pot? Even if your opponent only plays A,A (which happens 1/220 times), you will win the $3 two hundred and nineteen times. However, the one time you do get called, you will lose the $100,000, 80% of the time.

Having an opponent that only calls with A,A would be nice for your bankroll if you go all in every time. You’d win $657 because he will fold 219 times. Then when he has AA, he would win $26. This makes you extremely profitable.

Now, let’s say you have 3,3 with $500. The blinds are $1/$2 and you limp in. The BB raises to $10. Depending on his stack you could call, fold, or raise.

With a $15 stack you could do any of the three choices. It would depend on your read of this opponent. Now, when his stack is $40 this becomes an easy fold.

You only get your three of a kind 12.5% of the time and the max payout is only five times if you can even get an all in call. A $500 stack means you need to call or maybe even raise. With either play you can get enough value from the hand when it goes right.

Holding 6,7 suited is a good hand when the table is full of chips. You can make big bucks when this type of hand hits. When everyone is short stacked this hand just can’t get paid enough on the few times it actually hits.

With A,A or K,K you will find yourself in some difficult situations when players have lots of cash. It’s very hard to know if these pairs are still good, so you will find yourself paying off people who hit the flop.

If we turn this around the A,A and K,K hands do great in the short stacked situations. With preflop betting and a good hand you will rarely fold. These are pretty routine conditions to play.

When stacks are short, you can play these hands all the way. You won’t be risking a huge chipstack with just a pair. Often the preflop bets will get you all in or to a point where you can push after the flop. So, this is an easier situation for playing with big pairs.

Tags: Games // Add Comment »