GSIH - Short Stack No Limit play

Noen · #1 03-31-2006, 01:33 PM

Miller has a chapter about playing No-limit short stacked as a winning strategy for beginners. It seems very simple and primitive: Raise well with premium hand, then all-in with what's left of your small stack on flop ... Looks to be some players playing this way. But does it work? I would suggest the short stacked would be called and outdrawn too often for this to be a winning strategy, especially at lower limits. The whole thing could be misleading for beginners. Anyone have experience/opinions on playing like this?

phydaux · #2 03-31-2006, 02:50 PM

Read Kill Phil. It's basicly the same stratagy.

jmillerdls · #3 03-31-2006, 03:35 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Read Kill Phil. It's basicly the same stratagy.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, don't read this if you are intending on reading more about the strategy as they are completley different and totally unrelated.

Now, for the OP. The strategy isn't supposed to be an optimal strategy...however, it is a profitable one. The advantage that it gives you is that people are not aware of how to play against a small stack.
You were right...people will draw out on you (the exact percentage of time that they should), however, they will not be winning enough on those times that they do (because of your short stack), to justify calling. So, everytime they call with those bad hands (you will be very suprised how bad of hands they will call you with), they are making the wrong play. In the long run, this strategy can earn you about 1-3PTBB/100.

MicroBob · #4 03-31-2006, 04:16 PM

others on these forums have said they played it for several thousand (or tens-of-thousands) hands and reported that it works for them. Usually in the 2BB/100 range it would appear.

maurile · #5 03-31-2006, 04:49 PM

[ QUOTE ]
But does it work? I would suggest the short stacked would be called and outdrawn too often for this to be a winning strategy, especially at lower limits.

[/ QUOTE ]
You're saying it won't work because people with worse hands will call too often?

You make money when people with worse hands call. (That's what "worse" means.)

Ron Burgundy · #6 03-31-2006, 09:09 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Read Kill Phil. It's basicly the same stratagy.

[/ QUOTE ]

KP is a tournament book, GSIH is for cash games. They're not basically the same.

UATrewqaz · #7 03-31-2006, 09:32 PM

It works because it's impossible to play badly using this strategy.

You're normally putting all your money in with the best hand and that's what poker is all about really.

However this also puts an artifical cap on what you can win. A good player (someone who will make good postflop decisions) is missing out on alot of +EV situations playing like this.

So basically, if you think you are outclassed and/or suck then play like this.

I tried this once after reading this section in GSIH and it does work. And the fact you buy in short makes people MORE apt to call your all in bets preflop and the flop, which makes it even more effective.

(this strategy is actually GREAT for someone who worries about getting outdrawn, due to the fact you don't put in any more money once you get outdrawn, whereas if you had a deeper stack you may keep putting in money AFTER you've been outdrawn)