4 handed or less question

[Bubble Bully]

Anyone else enjoy playing extremely shorthanded???

How should my hand selection change for games where there are only 4-3 players?

[Bubble Bully]

anyone?

[jstill]

i actually like 6 handed quite a bit more than shorter, easier to mult-itable and autopilot (somewhat), less worry of people constantly taking shots at u (not much) but I started playing 5 max for my first year or so of online poker so the added seat I find to be quite nice.

I dont mind playing as short as 3-4 handed (1 or 2 donks and Im loving it) but I really dont like HU that much though.

as far as hands changing value most say play it as the same positions, which is generally true. steal with what ud steal with otb and in the CO and defend with pretty much (maybe a bit wider) what u would against a button or CO steal.

[johnnyrocket]

is that a serious question, obviously you should just loosen up your play.

[pmiranda.pt]

Loosen up. Play more suited and connected to see more flops. Bluff more (specially trying to steal more blinds)
I only play 4 hand if there are at least one very week player,or two weeks or the rake will will take my profit.

Regards

[Langerz]

I've been loving it lately. Of course it helps I've been on an incredible HU run.

You obviously have to loosen up. You loosen up from full ring to 6 max right? You play looser on the button in 6max than you do UTG right? Remember Ed Miller's quote about 6 max being like full ring except you pretend the first 3-4 positions folded. Well 4 handed is like 6 max except the first 2 people folded etc.

I loosen up a little more than that when it gets really short handed, but that gives you a start. I think metagame gets a little more important extremely short. If you are HU even unobservant people are going to notice that you raised the last 8 hands or just tried to steal with Q9o, so you might pass up a couple marginal steals. I pay attention even more to image/how I have been playing the shorter the table gets.

As mentioned before multitabling gets tougher, but I don't mind playing a couple HU table if I can find the right villian. You can usually tell pretty quick if you have a good villian....min buy in, plays very timid. So table selection is really important HU and probably extremely short. If you are sitting alone with a 2+2er unless you are looking for a challenge it's probably +EV to find a new table.

IMO there isn't much funner than having a terrible player sit down min buy and get stacked, say "dang you are better than me" in chat, then rebuy, get stacked a couple more times. I may just be running good, but I've found this to be very common lately on the FTP HU tables up to 2/4 (wish Stars had them).

[stonescar]

HU = sick variance, tbh.
I'm not saying you're not good, and the edge could probably be bigger than in a 6 max game, but I think 500BB+ downswings are easily achievable playing hu.

[Langerz]

I know you are right (I've had some bads sessions myself).

I do think though you can mitigate the normal HU variance a little if you can pick out a nice villian. Maybe it was just month for idiots to play 2/4 HU on FTP, but it was fairly easy to find and pick someone out. I agree the variance has to be bigger in general HU. But playing some of these weak tight dream villians couldn't be that terrible in terms of variance. The key is to get away from the good players quick, without being macho and saying "I can play with this guy just a few more hands."

And some nights there were no ideal villians. I just srugged my shoulders then and found a 6 max table.

[latefordinner]

Q9o is a value raise 4 handed not a steal [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Langerz]

True. I should have went lower with my example hand.

Also one other point to further answer a question. I don't actually consider myself that good HU. I'm sure a good 2+2 HU player would beat me solidly. It's just much easier to isolate a fish when they are the only other player on the table.