I have been playing a lot of 1/2 shortstack lately, most situations are easy, but here are a few that get me stumped.

1. OTB with A,A. Four players limp, I raise $8, four players call. Flop was 7,8,9, UTG raises $12, two more players call. Pot is around $70, everyone has me covered with my 30BB, what do I do here?

2. UTG with 10,10, I raise $8 preflop, one villain calls, he usually plays face cards. Flop is 2,J,K, off, what do I do here? If I should cbet and they call, cbet the turn?

3. BB special with A,5,o, six limpers, let's say I check the option. Flop is Ad, 7s, 2d, what do I do here first to act?

1) With 4 limpers you should raise to about $20 and then get all in on any flop.
2) I wouldn't even open raise TT if I only had 30 BBs. I would limp.
3) Check and see what happens

1) For gods sake raise more pre after 4!! limpers. only 8$ here is criminal. At least 14-16$, maybe even more.: and as Mike says then shove/or call it off on any flop.

As played flop is a disaster for you against 3 other callers, and if you are not beat yet you probably have to dodge alot of outs if you get it in. Surrender your 8 bucks and sigh fold the flop.


2) I am fine with both C betting or a check, depending on wich kind of villain we are dealing with. Against a tight TAGish villain with a strong range i think a check is fine.


3) Check your option. Against 6 others your one pair hand weak kicker is pretty weak and holds loads of RIO (reverse implied odds).

Yes I felt pretty ****ty seeing all four call the $8, last time I had A,A, earlier I raised big and the table folded to me. I tried $8 this time then was going to shove heads up on the flop, but yea, $8 was a dumb decision there. I also give off the image of a tight player who rarely raises big, so raising $20 is obvious I have A,A or K,K etc.

It doesent matter what you think your image is really in this sort of spot when playing a short stack strategy: you should aim to play a strategy that you know is +EV regardless and give people a chance to make mistakes against you. Pricing everybody in with making it only 8$ is not accomplishing that goal.


With 4 callers and the blinds it is 11$ in the pot already: and people tend to be sticky when someone destroy their limpfest (punishing the limpers as i use to announce to the table and quite often makes people spew to me easier). Had alot of fun with creating some dynamics with that kind of tabletalk at my las Vegastrip wich i loved.

Of course if its folded to you on the button and you get AA openraising to 8$ is perfectly fine, but not after 4 limpers putting money in and showing interest in the pot.

I like the sound of all that, thanks. What about 10,10, in the same position as I had A,A, with four limpers?

I think same procedure as a standardplay like if you had AA. Raise to an amount that preferably get it heads up, or 2 callers at the most: 14$-16$ pre should be a decent line to start at and be open to adjust the size up or down depending on your reads/experience with the table.


Playing a strong range hard, SPR, planning the hand, and focus on stacksizes is important key elements for proper short stack play.


Raising it up with 1010 OOP and getting like 4 callers is not what you would like obviously.