Poker is constantly evolving. Players are always developing new strategies, and from time to time smart players will spot a small edge and take advantage of it. This article is designed to help you deal with one example of this, and one of the most detested type of player in six-max cash games today: the short-stacker.

WHO ARE SHORT-STACKERS?

Strong players who believe they have an edge generally aim to play cash games with enough money to cover everyone at the table. More chips means more options and more earning potential. Short- stackers, on the other hand, choose to sit with less than the maximum amount.

Players sit with a short stack for a variety of reasons. They could have a small bankroll and lack the patience to build it up at the appropriate level. They might previously have played $1/$2 and lost the lot, yet still want to play at that level. On the other hand, they could be strong, intelligent players who have seen an edge in a game by buying in short. The vast majority of the time however, short-stack players are losing players.

A lot of negativity surrounds short- stack players, as their presence can ‘spoil’ an otherwise good game. Players will become more defensive, aware that a short-stack could move all-in at any time. Opening ranges become narrower and overall play becomes tighter, as the benefits of deception and image are outweighed by pure hand value.

Another hated tendency is for a short- stacker to double-up and then leave. This can be most frustrating, especially when they sit down again a moment later with the minimum again. In bricks-and- mortar card rooms this practice is called ‘going south’ and is rightly banned.

COMBATING SHORTIES

Firstly, we need to recognise that the strategy to beat short-stackers varies from player to player, but there are a few underlying principles. The general lack of flop play and the lack of implied odds is something you should keep in mind. If an opponent is relatively short (50 big blinds), you shouldn’t be calling with small pairs hoping to hit a set. You need to be a lot deeper to play a hand solely for implied set-value heads-up. There are very few nice flops for pocket fives.

Short-stacked players often have an advantage because the stacks at the table are uneven. They get action a lot of the time, as regulars tend to lump short- stacks into one category, against which they have preset ranges and lines given certain action.

For example, a shorty might patiently wait for three orbits, then suddenly go all-in for 30 big blinds and find himself getting called by A-J, purely because A-J is often at least neutral EV against a short-stack’s shoving range. This is a call a good regular would never make if the opponent had a full stack.

Let’s imagine you are sitting with $800 in a $2/$4 game. A huge fish raises to $12 in early position (with K-J), you call with 4-4 in middle position and a very tight short-stack moves all-in on the button for $65 (with Q-Q). The early- position fish calls and you call behind. For the short-stack it’s a hugely +EV situation, but it’s one that just wouldn’t occur if he was playing with a full stack.

The other advantage of having a short stack is that it makes decisions simpler. When you have a shorter stack, your options are limited and you become pot- committed very easily. Let’s say a full- stack player raises with pocket Jacks from early position. He is flat-called by a tricky, good opponent on the button. The flop comes 5♣-6♣-Q♠. The full- stack player bets out 2/3 of the pot and gets raised by the tricky player. Very often the Jacks are winning here, but it puts the early-position player in a tough spot, where he would usually fold.

Compare this to a short-stack, with $50 in a $1/$2 game. He makes it $8 pre- flop and then bets $14 on the flop. He is not folding this hand now on this flop (if he has half a clue). As such, he can get his money in good against an opponent who has a very wide range, and more often than not he’ll be in good shape.

KEY POINT

Make sure you adjust your play against a short-stack player, and avoid calling with small pairs and suited connectors, as you will not be getting the correct implied odds to make the call profitable

BEATING 20BB STACKS

Okay, so now you understand how short- stacks play, let’s look at how you should adjust in order to beat them. Depending on the amount of money your foes have at the table, you should fine-tune your play to optimise your equity. There’s a big difference between playing against a stack of 20 big blinds and one of 40.

Against very short opponents, there are plenty of occasions where the pot is laying you a good price to call. Don’t hesitate to call with 5♠-6♠ after being re-raised all-in a small amount by a very short-stacked player. Often the price the pot is giving you more than makes up for the 60/40 situation you find yourself in when up against A-K.

Always remember that the correct play is dependent on how many big blinds they have. Multi- tabling short-stacks are extremely predictable. Often they have a simple ABC style pre-flop, and they don’t balance their range or deviate from the norm very often. If they always four-bet A-A/K-K all-in pre-flop, then guess what – you should fold your Jacks!

BEATING AGGRESSIVE SHORTIES

Just recently, a cooperative of Spanish players was found to be playing in a very robotic manner on a major site. This troop of short-stacking Spaniards would open 100% of their range on the button to maintain loose PokerTracker stats, but played fairly tight in other positions and made a decent return. By three-betting a lot pre-flop they could take advantage of loose-aggressive games without the normal risks of a full stack.

So how do you deal with aggressive short-stacks such as this? For a start, you should three-bet a lot more over their late-position raises, and expand your range to include hands like K-x suited, Broadway combos and most suited connectors. Against their three-bet range pre-flop you can profitably four-bet hands with a lot of showdown value (9-9 or better, A-Q suited, etc). Against very short players, don’t even think about letting them push you off your hand on the flop. Just send the troops in as you would in a tournament.

If players like this are truly spoiling the game with regards to the numbers of flops being seen, it’s best to attempt to bust them quickly so you can start seeing more flops against deep-stacked fish.

BEATING PASSIVE SHORTIES

These are the easiest opponents to deal with. Simply get into a lot of pots with them, in position. Provided they won’t feel committed (40 big blinds is a nice stack for them to be able to fold) you can punish their loose starting hand requirements, which will rarely flop big enough to enable them to call a bet. A bit of calculated aggression should see you through. Make full use of continuation bets and size your bets well so you don’t risk more than you have to.

BEATING TIGHT SHORTIES

These players simply wait for a good hand and try to get all the money in pre- flop. This is where statistical analysis programs such as PokerTracker and Poker Office really come into their own. If a player has a pre-flop raise average of 15% or lower, he is generally tight; however, some of these nitty short- stackers have pre-flop raise percentages of less than 10%.

Obviously the best way to combat these players is by liberally pinching their blinds, but do not give them action without a real powerhouse of a hand. You should rarely flat-call their raises unless the pot is multi-way, and preferably only from position.