Playing against shortstacks

[JH1]

I was wondering if someone could provide me with a link or some advice on playing against shortstacks. The past 3 days, it seems that every full ring table at the micro limits has about 1/4 to 1/2 the table sitting with 1/2 a buyin or less.

I am getting quite frustrated as they tend to sit around waiting for monsters and then reraising for half there stack. Usually if I have JJ+ or AK I just go ahead and push against the ones with about a 1/5 stack when they do this and there are no other callers, but it hasn't been very profitable. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[JH1]

This is 10NL and 25NL by the way.

[Harv72b]

The short-stack strategy, when properly executed, is a great equalizer for a player with little or no postflop skill. And the proper execution is basically exactly what you described--wait for a big hand and then pot commit yourself preflop, trusting that your opponent will either fold to your raise/reraise or that he'll double you up with a worse holding. And having the small stack makes it easier for many deep stacked players to talk themselves into making the call with a worse starting hand.

The counter? Be patient, try to get a good handle on that player's preflop range, and make sure that if you see a flop against him your starting hand stacks up well against that range. If there are that many players sitting at the table short-stacked & playing their short stacks well, just get up and find a new table.

[Richas]

Good short stacked players are a real pain, essentially their strategy is sound. If half the table is short stacked there will however be some bad short stacked players.

The good play AA-1010 and AK the bad lose patience and think A3s or 44 is a hand to pot commit to. Identify which is which and call/raise appropriately. (Hint position plays less of a role in correct short stack strategy).

[Cry Me A River]

Steal from them like a mofo. 3-bet them more liberally than full stacks. Identify which are the good/nitty shortstacks and which are the terrible ones. Be prepared to stack the bad ones lightly. Stay out of the good/nitty ones way unless you have a strong hand.

[vixticator]

Most shorties in NL10/25 are playing wrong. Until you figure out that one of them might be executing the short strategy properly I would not adjust.