Does a short stack startegy still apply when all the players have 40bb? I know in standard 100bb buy in game, the short stacker will play mostly premium hands trying to get most the money in on a favourable flop. Obviously set mining becomes unprofitable because of the implied odds, any ideas or strategy on this model game? Are we trying to see flops as cheaply as possible. If set mining is less profitable how are we playing 22 - 66.


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I shouldve mentioned of course that "It Depends" I get that you will also be adjusting based on the other players styles and propensities but an overall general strategy.

If you have 40bb and your opponent has 100, then effectively his stack is 40bb. If you have 40bb and he has 40bb then effectively his stack is still 40bb.

If he doesn't change his strategy then it's exactly the same.

LOL great point I never thought about that. I feel like im trying to ask something maybe I didn't articulate it correctly but thanks for the response.

cheers

So essentially playing a short stack strategy is in tall order here because regardless of what stack size villain has we are only playing for the 40bb in front of me. Im a slow learner sometimes it take me a while very noob. thx again.

There's a trade off when playing shortstacked:

1) shorstackers usually suck so you should be able to open raise lots of hands.
2) the amount of reverse implied odds that you're threatening is lessened relative to full stacked poker, so you can't bluff as much.

So where does this leave us with opening ranges? Here's my response to a similar question in one of the limit forums. I think the fundamentals laid out remain true no matter the game structure:

my response:

The short answer is no.

Generally, a "short stack strategy" usually involves preying on the larger stacks by the fact that they'll be playing a lot of hands due to their perceived implied odds. The shortstacker raises them off those hands by 3betting a solid preflop range and the deeper stacked players have no recourse at that point the "mistake" was already made. They can adjust by tightening up preflop but that frequently means they're losing their implied odds from the lesser deep stacked players. So you have scenarios where the deep stacked players will just keep playing loose to keep their profit against other deeps and just have to eat it against the shortstacks. If the lesser deeps were to leave however and were replaced by other shortstacks, the good deeps no longer have incentive to play loose. So they'll tighten up their range and the original shortstacks can no longer profit from just 3betting top-hands. In other words, their old strategy no longer applies. Usually however, perhaps unfortunately, shortstackers won't actually adjust their strategies they'll just leave the table.

Thanks for the replies guys, I will def be rereading this again and again seems to be the best way for me to get the most from these forums.


cheers

Is this kind of saying in a game composed of 40bb stacks you should actually do the opposite of the herd and play more aggressive while the wait to play premium hands?

I don't really know how the herd plays because games where everyone has 40bb really isn't a thing. Point was you can't automatically win by playing tight and exploiting players preflop, but I suspect playing a generally tight/aggressive style is still your best option (like it is in pretty much all poker games). You just have to depend on postflop play more.

Maybe 'herd' was the wrong term to use when describing how it should be played theoretically and not the way the majority actually plays it.... Ive been reading allot of poker books lately and I noticed that allot of information is general and actual adjustments need to take place because not everyone plays the same. Thanks for the reply's again, Im really starting to enjoy this daily routine of waking up and scanning the forums for new posts.

cheers

Not only is playing tight your best option, but it's a necessity preflop because your speculative hands are not getting the same great implied odds that they would be in a full stacked game. Also, by threatening less reverse implied odds compared with a full stacked game, you reduce the effectiveness of your postflop bluffs. Because of this, high card power becomes the overriding factor with preflop selection, while suited and connected cards lose value. The resulting preflop range should therefore be tighter than it would be at 100 big blinds.