TABLE GAMES By Al Moe
SHORT—HANDED POKER Tips On The Game, Odds & Players
W
ell, the good news is that we’ve still got some poker games going in Arizona. But if you’re used to fulltable ring games, forget about it. What we’ve got now are cubicle seven-handers. That’s not a problem for some players, but if you are worried about how to adapt and adjust your game, read on. Have The Odds Changed? To start with, don’t worry about your odds of picking up starting hands changing. You’ve got the same chance of seeing a pocket pair (about 5.8%) or an off-suit hand (about 70.6%) as you’ve always had. However, since there are fewer players, the hands go faster, and you’ll have more chances each hour to get premium starting hands. Unfortunately, that’s where some players get in trouble. you. Yeah, the other players are thinking like you too! The idea that you can wait for top-twelve hands (Top Pairs and AK – AQ) and make a profit short-handed is likely an illusion. With fewer players and more hands per hour, the blinds alone will chew into your bankroll and leave you gasping for air. In short-handed play, you’ve got to see more flops. Where the odds have changed is in the “per round hand value.” In a full-ring game, you’ll see top tier hands quite often, and a pre-flop raise often represents a top pair or Ace-King. Shorthanded games are different. Players don’t wait for top hands. They are more than happy to raise with a more comprehensive range of starting hands. And you are likely to see more raises and re-raises. Sometimes, you have to know where you stand! You don’t need Ace-Face every hand to play. You’ll find that KT and Ace-X are quality hands short-handed. If you are playing limit, keep in mind that where you could limp in a 9-handed game with Ace-suited and suited connectors and get value, you won’t see that in a six or seven-handed game. That’s because you won’t have many chances to call on the flop to a flush or a straight draw against three or more players. More flops grind-down to heads up short-handed, and playing heads up on a drawing hand is usually a losing proposition; the odds aren’t there. Not to immediately contradict myself, but keep in mind that your Ace-X has more value than usual. Just don’t be surprised when your Ace-6 makes two pairs and Aces and eights beat
14 Arizona Gaming Guide | December 2020 | azgamingguide.com
Still, you can improve the size of your winning pots by always betting for value. You might be reluctant to bet on the end with a single pair, but it’s more likely to be good short-handed than in a full game. It helps if it’s a big pair, but often your kicker is going to be the key. Know Your Players It’s always good to know other players’ tendencies in a poker game, but it is critical short-handed because you will be bumping heads with them more often. If someone is running over the game, you better find out quickly if they are really holding hands, or just using their image to bluff (which is also more valuable short-handed). You’ll also need to know what range of starting hands your opponents are using. You can’t just assume they are playing the best hands. You’ve changed your requirements. So have they! What have you learned over the course of playing thousands of hands of poker? We’d love to hear your stories and your experiences. Send us an email to Editor@AZGamingGuide.com with the word “Poker” in the subject line. $ Writer Al Moe has worked in the casino industry for many years. He has lived and worked in Las Vegas, Reno, and Lake Tahoe. He also attended the University of Nevada, Reno. He is an avid writer and blogger. His book, “Vegas and the Mob," is available online at Amazon.com. He is also the proud father of four beautiful girls.
