Why play short-handed?

[The Spy]

I think an important part in learning short-handed poker is discovering the reasons people play it. I'm come up with the following reasons for playing short-handed:

1. High volatility (potential for huge short-term gains)
2. Frequent Action (playing most hands)
3. Tilting (short-handed is the least destructive for a maniac)
4. Chance to play a horrible player (without many/any other opponents to share the money with)


I was wondering if anyone could share any other reasons one might choose to play short-handed (limit especially) as opposed to full-sized games.

[efficacy]

This is related to number 4 above: There are less players to keep track of making reads easier.

[poker1O1]

Nice first post, but one thing caught my eye

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3. Tilting (short-handed is the least destructive for a maniac)


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I'm not quite sure what you meant, but I could see tilting being worse at short handed

[Gildwulf]

p-r-o-f-i-t

[The Spy]

The most common characteristic of a tilter is wanting to play way too many hands (typically to recover losses). This is related to point one. In a short-handed game, a maniac is going to be justified in re-raising his A7o preflop. He'll lose in the long run, but probably slower than when trying to pull the same stunt against 8 or 9 opponents.

[The Spy]

Aren't reads more difficult to get short-handed? Take the extreme case of heads up, when a player is going to play such a large range of hands the exact same way.

[bobbyi]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
3. Tilting (short-handed is the least destructive for a maniac)


[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not quite sure what you meant, but I could see tilting being worse at short handed

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I think he is saying that if you go on tilt and start betting and raising every hand, you are playing closer to the correct strategy SH than full and thus tilting will cost you less money. I agree that it's a flawed argument.

[The Spy]

Would you then consider table selection absolutely critical to profitting in a short-handed game, or are you willing to play anyone anytime?

[challenger84]

[ QUOTE ]
The most common characteristic of a tilter is wanting to play way too many hands (typically to recover losses). This is related to point one. In a short-handed game, a maniac is going to be justified in re-raising his A7o preflop. He'll lose in the long run, but probably slower than when trying to pull the same stunt against 8 or 9 opponents.

[/ QUOTE ]

You also get the "TAGs" who three bet your UTG raises with weak aces and other crap. I'm pretty sure these are also the same people who are perpetually whining about downswings on here.

[Dan BRIGHT]

I'm sure gilfwulf would agree with me that table selection is of the utmost importance. Your profit in poker comes from your opponents mistakes. The more mistakes they make the more profit you get.

Imagine these 2 tables:
Table 1: Its you vs 5 mediocre tags that you are better than, but they are still tight and dont have any huge leaks

Table 2: You sit to the direct left of 2 huge fish (think 50/15/1 and 40/30/3). The rest of the table are tough tags who know their way around LHE SH very well. You arent sure whether you are better than the tags or not, and you estimate that you are slightly better than 2 of them and slightly worse than other 2. Fine, no problem.

Which table do you want to sit down at? THE TABLE WITH THE FISH OF COURSE.

Just imagine every gutshot the fish peels on the flop headsup without odds. Now add every gutshot they peel on the turn without odds. Wait theres more? they have pocket dueces and they want a set? And they dont fold on the river ui even? Hey, the fish gaybet th paired board flop with 9 hi and bet all the way and you instantly saw through that bs?

The fish beside you give you a ton of extra profit