6 player max games

[Talking Poker]

6 player max limit HE is my specialty. Like anything else poker, winning strategy is extremely complex... but to oversimplify it:

Play big cards only (none of that K7 suited crap that I see people play all day long). Play aggressively. Position is important.

[2Tone]

TP, do you find 6 player max consistently more profitable than a full ring game? It it because your aggression is rewarded? People more likely to stay in with inferior hands? Some other secret?

More specific question – are you more likely to defend your blinds than in a full game, or not necessarily?

[Talking Poker]

I do find them more profitable. My preferred style of play seems to suit the game, the faster play helps me stay focused and not get bored, and I can get a LOT more hands in per hour - usually close to 100 per table, and I play 2 or 3 tables at once.

As for defending my blinds more, absolutely not.

[nutbag]

I have no real patience , which hurts my game alot(even at the 6-max tables), but I find it more interesting for the low limits I play, the variance is much higher. Also, if you can isolate a table with two clueless people, you have a huge advantage at table, compared to a ten person table where the advantage is lessened.

[Aequitas58]

[quote=Talking Poker]6 player max limit HE is my specialty. Like anything else poker, winning strategy is extremely complex... but to oversimplify it:

Play big cards only (none of that K7 suited crap that I see people play all day long). Play aggressively. Position is important.[/QUOTE]

Funny, that's also a winning strategy for Party's cheap SnGs.

[Frontin]

What hands would you play in 6max? K7s seems like a possible playable hand in late position for 6max, given the amount of blinds you'll be paying.

[PShabi]

With all due respect, say I'm on the button in a six man game, and only one man called before me. I've got one limper and the blinds left to act after me.

I would raise K7 suited everytime. I don't agree with your big card theory in a short handed game, especially when not everyone is in. You have to take your starting hands requirement down here a little, not play everything though. Then you have to be aggressive, as you said.

I'm not saying raise on the flop when you don't have anything. But when you hit, play hard.

When I get short-handed, my aggressive approach gets people on their heels a bit.

[Penguinfan]

HHMM, seems like there is disention among the ranks reguarding this type of game. For the time being I am back to the SNG and 10 handed games, though I am starting to play LOW BLIND NL, .50/1.00 usually and finding it more attractive than the 6-max games. Although suck outs and bad play get to be expensive quick.

Played a hand late last night had KQs flop of QQ7 turn 8 river 3 and had 25 dollars into the pot only to see AQ in his hand, tough to figure all four Q's in play, but thats the way it goes I guess. That hand completely wiped out any profit I made plus some, but I'll be back at it.

[Talking Poker]

Sounds like you and I play these games quite a bit differently. I wouldn't even consider playing some of the hands you mentioned. The rule of 20 is a good starting point, but I disagree with a lot of what you wrote earlier. What % of flops do you see - do you know?

Do you mind if I ask how well you do in these short handed games? Do you know how many BBs you win per hour? I'm just curious. And before anyone says anything, yes, I realize we aren't comparing apples to apples, but it's better than comparing nothing to nothing.

[PShabi]

I don't purposely sit in short handed games. This is just my strategy when, in a 10 handed game, it gets short handed from people leaving, or folding to the button.

So, I don't have stats.

I should've specified that. I would adjust a little more if it was set up to be a shorthanded game.

[GeoffM]

See, this is the great thing about Omaha. EVen if the table is short, I still stay fairly tight and play similar hands regardless.

Hold-em is a bit different, but I tend to play any and every Ax in a short handed table. Smart or not?

[PShabi]

Not bad in my opionion. If I have an Ace in late position, I'll raise and unraised short-handed pot everytime. I like to follow that with a bet if it's checked to me on the flop.

Aggressive plays are good for me in these situations. I've had two shots to win the pot with a raise on the flop and a bet afterward. Gives everybody the chance to fold. It's probably a better play in a higher limit game but I've been making money.

[Talking Poker]

Ah, I see. Well, I certainly won't ay I'm right and you're wrong here, but I will say that I suspect there is a leak in your shothanded game... namely your Q5 suited type of hands. These hands are worthless in any limit game.... NL is a different story entirely (just ask Gus Hansen), but in limit, playing "big-little" is a losing proposition in the long run.

[PShabi]

You may be right. The thing is, I'm very tight unless it gets short-handed. I'll fold a 8 in early position everytime, for instance. Also, I've been making some pretty damn good BB/hour rates lately so it's hard to see if it's hurting me or not.

So, what I'm going to do, is make note of how many times I play these hands and see what the results are when I do. I'll do it for 25 hours and see how I fare.


Thanks for helping improve my game.

PS Do you play at Party and under what name? Maybe I'll look you up for a friendly competition.

[PShabi]

NO MORE K SUITED IN LATE POSITION. DIDN'T TAKE 25 HOURS.

[Talking Poker]

Hey, no problem - Talking (about) Poker helps me improve my game too...

One thin to keep in mind - Playing in a 10 seated game the gets short seated isn't the same as playing in a 6 player max game. Yes, there may be 6 players in both rings, but one is people used to playing a full ring, and you can probably exploit that better than the people who have been playing 6 max all day.