6 handed tips

[HtotheNootch 0]

I haven't played much six handed. Tonight I decided to try it for a little bit, and proceeded to lose 30 BB (at two tables) in about 15 minutes. I know variance is higher, but that seems a little excessive.I tried to change my game slightly by being more aggressive with middle pairs pr, playing top pair more aggressively, worrying less about kickers, basically what I've read are short-handed adjusmtents.Some of it was fate, such as running KK into AA, on a non-threatening board and the guy let me lead the betting. Flopping top pair, and having someone else make 2 pair on the river. Having an overpair, and someone hitting trips on the river.Are there more adjustments to make, or did I just run into a bad night and should expect things like this playing 6 handed.

[cbiscuit20 0]

when figuring out starting hands count back from the button. Button, CO, Mp3, Mp2, so bascially UTG in 6 max= same starting hands as MP in full handed

[Mattnxtc 0]

in 6 max if kk is runnin into aa then ur having a rough night...Ive really been workin on my 6 max game and ive found that aggression and reads are the way to go. You have to pay close attention to the others as there is always someone who will try to bluff most hands. Dont be afraid to call down with marginal hands as they have a lot more value than in a full game.

[potpumper43 0]

Variance should be much higher in a 6 hand game because you need to rev up the aggression, as you realize. Sounds like you lost 3 tough hands. Even the best players sometimes lose a buy in over 15 minutes. 3 situations as you described will do that easily.

[Smasharoo 0]

Most people play 6-max far, far, far, too loose and agressively. It's really not that short. It plays more similarly to 10 handed than it does to heads up/three handed.

[Mattnxtc 0]

Most people play 6-max far, far, far, too loose and agressively. It's really not that short. It plays more similarly to 10 handed than it does to heads up/three handed.

i agree...i do play more suited connectors though and have had a ton of success with them...but yeah..just dont play the marginal hands like always and make sure ur post flop game is solid..its a game that can be cleaned up in if u play the right way

[avsfan 0]

Play one table at a time till you get it right.

[zimmer4141 0]

I almost disagree with smash here. I have been playing 6max 5/10 on Party and Fulltilt and am up nearly 100BB over 4k hands. I play using what I consider a hyper-aggressive style. I will raise with almost anything from the button if it is folded to me. Those players will only raise usually if they have a decent hand. I will defend my blind with almost anything, and push hard if I hit the flop.

[avsfan 0]

I almost disagree with smash here. I have been playing 6max 5/10 on Party and Fulltilt and am up nearly 100BB over 4k hands. I play using what I consider a hyper-aggressive style. I will raise with almost anything from the button if it is folded to me. Those players will only raise usually if they have a decent hand. I will defend my blind with almost anything, and push hard if I hit the flop.

Generally I semi-bluff like crazy too. fwiwVery nice food for thought Zimmer4141.

[Mattnxtc 0]

I almost disagree with smash here. I have been playing 6max 5/10 on Party and Fulltilt and am up nearly 100BB over 4k hands. I play using what I consider a hyper-aggressive style. I will raise with almost anything from the button if it is folded to me. Those players will only raise usually if they have a decent hand. I will defend my blind with almost anything, and push hard if I hit the flop.

wish i could afford to play with yah haha j/k...nah aggressiveness is fine..but be careful of guys like me who trap u haha...im defiantly more liberal 6 max but i make sure i have somewhat decent cards..since i knwo u i know ur post flop play is pretty darn good so ur strategy works..i just wouldnt recommend it to others who arent as good post flop

[avsfan 0]

I almost disagree with smash here. I have been playing 6max 5/10 on Party and Fulltilt and am up nearly 100BB over 4k hands. I play using what I consider a hyper-aggressive style. I will raise with almost anything from the button if it is folded to me. Those players will only raise usually if they have a decent hand. I will defend my blind with almost anything, and push hard if I hit the flop.

wish i could afford to play with yah haha j/k...nah aggressiveness is fine..but be careful of guys like me who trap u haha...im defiantly more liberal 6 max but i make sure i have somewhat decent cards..since i knwo u i know ur post flop play is pretty darn good so ur strategy works..i just wouldnt recommend it to others who arent as good post flop

Yeah, if you dont got a clue what other players actions and tendencies are you will lose alot using this approach. but if you have an idea whats going on with other players......this may be the next level aproach to explore. fwiw

[HtotheNootch 0]

That's my point. I was aggressive as hell. What I'm trying to figure out is dis I run into a bad night or is there a problem in my pay?

[Jordan 1]

uhm, you may have just been running poor.I lost 100bb in two days 5 handed...3 $100 plus pots in a row seeled my fate with top set, mid set, mid set to rivered gutshots.I was in the lead each hand till the river in huge multi-way pots playing 2/4. Again, this was 5 handed...and three hands in a row..lol.No exaggeration. All three were gutshots. Brutal.Yea, if you are running into bigger pairs, or sets, you're bound to get in trouble. Sometimes it happens, and when it happens repeatedly, it seems to hurt more.- Jordan

[Mattnxtc 0]

probably a little of both..were running bad and possibly getting out played post flop...i dunno u so i cant judge ur post flop play..but u did take some rough hands 6 handed..if ur post flop play is solid ull make the money back if not...drop limits and learn to play 6 max and then move back up

[avsfan 0]

That's my point. I was aggressive as hell. What I'm trying to figure out is dis I run into a bad night or is there a problem in my pay?

truth about aggresion is its a tool something you use to intimidate and provoke with. You want to intimidate your weaker opponents into folding better hands out of fear. You want to provoke your smarter opponents into miss judging you. So they play back at you while you shift gears to a more sttraight forward game. thus creating a constant perceptive struggle between you and your opponent. hopefully you get them to assume the wrong thing more than you do.There is also other issues.....Such as should you even be aggressive like are they all going too far as it is? why be aggressive there? I would be weak tightish. Are they weak/ Get crazy mean. Are they average exploit the hell out of every tenedency and situation they give you.where do they fight back when they make a stand/etc,etc,..I ramble and make lil sense proably.I'm just not in the strategy mood. flame away.

[Mattnxtc 0]

aggression works well till u run into anybody who has read sshe...then they run over u b/c they know how to set u up and take big pots off of u...id play TAG and it works fine for me...i have addes suited connectors and high suits to my 6 max game and it has worked well...Be realistic about urself and the players around u...if on is out playing u..avoid pots with him or dont bluff agianst him as he will tear u apart...otherwise concentrate on learning to play the marginal hands against people..thats where the real money is in limit 6 max

[justblaze 0]

hyper-aggression will get you killed against a passive opponent who calls down too much.

[ek703 0]

I have found that generally speaking a six handed game isn't all that much different than a full ring. I do play more starting hands, but essentially just use the countdown from the button mechanism discussed earlier. I think the key is too play more hands against the weaker opponents.

[Rocketwadster 0]

Most people play 6-max far, far, far, too loose and agressively.  It's really not that short.  It plays more similarly to 10 handed than it does to heads up/three handed.

i agree...i do play more suited connectors though and have had a ton of success with them...but yeah..just dont play the marginal hands like always and make sure ur post flop game is solid..its a game that can be cleaned up in if u play the right way

I don't play a lot of short-handed games (ie. 6-handed), so I am confused about playing the suited-connectors like you have suggested. Wouldn't it be less profitable to play suited-connectors with less players? When it is a full table, are you not supposed to play them when a few people have limped in, to make it worthwhile? With less players, there would be less limpers (as a general statement). I agree with most of the other comments people have made, but this one here seems backwards to me... :?

[Jordan 1]

you should only be playing sooted connecters from CO or button, and you need a limper or two to play em' short handed. You also shouldn't really play unless you have like 89 or better. I muck 23,45,67 (well sometimes I'm in there with 67, but rarely).I sometimes will raise from the button here with em' if folded to me, but not every time.- Jordan

[Rocketwadster 0]

you should only be playing sooted connecters from CO or button, and you need a limper or two to play em' short handed. You also shouldn't really play unless you have like 89 or better. I muck 23,45,67 (well sometimes I'm in there with 67, but rarely).I sometimes will raise from the button here with em' if folded to me, but not every time.- Jordan

Glad to see I am not the only person who thought this about the suited connectors...

[ek703 0]

I am not arguing for the great value of always playing suited connectors, but I will say that on EP it always seems that people are willing to pay off hands with next to nothing. I think it helps to play these shorthanded because often a flop of 47T you are best especially if you have a flush draw or turn sometype of draw. In full games tptk or better is needed and there are very few ways suited connectors help in w/o a str8 or flush. I think they can take some pots in shorthanded, but that is why i prefer playing sh w/ 5 or less players.

[potpumper43 0]

I almost disagree with smash here. I have been playing 6max 5/10 on Party and Fulltilt and am up nearly 100BB over 4k hands. I play using what I consider a hyper-aggressive style. I will raise with almost anything from the button if it is folded to me. Those players will only raise usually if they have a decent hand. I will defend my blind with almost anything, and push hard if I hit the flop.

wish i could afford to play with yah haha j/k...nah aggressiveness is fine..but be careful of guys like me who trap u haha...im defiantly more liberal 6 max but i make sure i have somewhat decent cards..since i knwo u i know ur post flop play is pretty darn good so ur strategy works..i just wouldnt recommend it to others who arent as good post flop

By the time you finally get the trapping hand the LAG has picked up 5 or 6 small pots so he's freerolling on that pot anyway, and he'll win it some portion of the time. Waiting for "good" hands against a skilled LAG isn't much of a counter strategy, more likely they'll smell what you are up to and do a lot of checking against you after the flop. TAGs don't beat skilled LAGs.As for suited connectors shorthanded, not great stealing hands, high card power is better, but great 3 bet hands when the softer players try to steal and you smell they're weak.