Firstly I’d like to say that I don’t claim to be an expert on short handed play and I haven’t read any books on playing heads up etc. I’m basically just passing on how I play when the table gets short handed.
I also haven’t previously written advice on the forum on how to play hands as I always felt I hadn’t been playing long enough but I don’t really have that excuse anymore.
When I started playing poker I played a lot of 5 player STT’s and I would say this has led to me being a much stronger player in the later stages of Tournaments when the table only has 3 or 4 people than earlier on when there is a full table. So for what It’s worth here’s my views ………………. if anyone has different opinions on how to play shorthanded or wants to add something then I’d be happy to hear from them ……………… It might improve my game as well.
As you've noticed there is a big difference between playing with a full table and playing 2 or 3 handed. For one thing, at the end of a tournament the blinds are high, therefore they are much more significant than earlier on in the tournament. The higher blinds and large minimum bets make every pot important- so you don't want to be giving your blinds away easily if you can help it............... and you want to be stealing your opponents wherever possible. To achieve this you have to be aggressive. Once it gets down to 2 or 3 people if you sit around waiting for premium starting hands before you play, you will lose .................. unless you get a really lucky string of hands. This doesn’t mean you should bet heavily on every hand, but it does mean that regardless of the hands you are dealt, you can’t continually fold pre-flop. Experience will help you strike a balance.
Basically when the table becomes short handed you have to re-assess in your head what constitutes a strong hand, a marginal hand and a weak one. Hands that are marginal with a full table become much stronger short handed. The mistake a lot of people make when it gets to this stage is letting their opponents dictate the game. If you want to win, then you have to be then one giving your opponents difficult decisions to make. This means raising. If you raise you have two ways to win- 1. By your opponents folding and 2. By having the best hand. If you call then you can only win by having the best hand. This doesn’t mean continually bluffing by raising or going all-in every hand, when there are 3 players in the pot, but it does mean being aggressive with the hands that you play…………… again experience will help you decide what you should and shouldn’t play.
Observing your opponents and thinking a few steps ahead are the most important skills I’ve found when playing short handed. You don’t want to be putting chips in the pot and then having to fold pre-flop to an all-in raise if you can help it. Sometimes this will be unavoidable as your opponents may outmanoeuvre you, leaving folding as the only sensible option but if you pay attention to your opponents situation you can minimise your loses. When there are 3 people left at the table, before calling or raising pre-flop I consider my opponents position as well as my own cards. You have to be aware of how many chips you have and how many chips your opponents have.
e.g. If you are on the button, and the player on the big blind is short stacked, then you generally don’t want to be flat calling or making a small raise with a marginal hand that you will fold to any re-raise………. As you are inviting the BB to go all-in giving you a difficult decision to make. Remember you want to be the one giving your opponents the hard decisions. If you decide you are going to play, then if you raise all-in the SB will get their arse out of there unless they have a big hand, and the BB may still fold. I'm not saying this is how you should play that particular hand on all occasions, but its just to show that you should be thinking about how much you bet, and why you are betting. Are you wanting your opponent to call? or are you happy if they fold? That doesn't have to mean you are bluffing, if i figure i am at best a 50/50 shot then I don't mind my opponent folding as the blind is still a significant pot.................. Come to think of it I don't mind them calling either as I am a gambler
You also have to use position to your advantage ensuring your opponents have to make tough choices. If you are the person putting in a raise or an all-in it is your opponents that have to make the difficult decision, not you.
Once it is down to 2 people, If your opponent is any good then the heads up game can actually last a while. Raise most hands you play………..any pocket pair, any ace, two face cards, or even one face card if you feel like it etc. Its a harder decision to call a raise with J4 than it is to make a raise with it
but don’t get bogged down calling all the way to the river or re-raising with poor cards (when its obvious your opponent has a hand) just because you put in a raise originally- remember your opponent can get dealt good cards too……….. you have to learn when to cut your losses. How you actually play hands should depend on your opponent and how you think they will play based on your observation of them and whether you believe they have a genuine hand. I’ve raised all in post-flop with 42o that hasn’t hit anything, when I was sure my opponent had a weak hand, and I’ve folded AKs post flop when I realised I was beaten. I don’t get it right all the time, but experience helps you make the judgements. Hell……….even if you get called you can still end up winning the hand if you are an underdog.
Finally don’t be completely predictable, the worst thing is if your opponent knows what you have because you play the same way all the time. Mix your play up a bit occasionally playing hands differently so that if you do flat call on the button your opponents don’t know if you have a marginal hand or you are waiting to check raise. Or if you raise whether you have AA or 72o. If you can keep your opponents wrong footed then you are not allowing them to play their game………. Instead they are reacting to yours. If you manage to take the initiative and dictate the play, then more often than not you will be successful.
Sorry if some of this is a bit vague or wandering, but I tend to play instinctively once the table gets short handed, and have never tried to explain it before. If anything isn’t that clear or I’ve missed out stuff (which I’m sure I have) then feel free to ask and I’ll try and explain it a bit better.
