Difference between full ring and max6 PLO games

[holdemsucks]

I currently play highly successful PLO online at PartyPoker 10-handed. However, everyone posts mainly from FTP and they are always 6-handed. What are some of the differences I need to think about? Is there a significant difference in likelihood that someone has the nuts most of the time? How much looser should my starting hand requirements be and how important is position now?

[LiveInPeace]

It becomes more important to know your opponents strategies in a short handed game. This is because as the number of opponents dwindle the strategies used against you are not averaged quite as much across many players. Across fewer players singificant changes in style by individual players have more impact on the game and the strategy you should adopt.

Generally short handed games need to be played more aggressively. This means that while you may find yourself bet into about the same proportion of the time as before (reduced opponent count balances increased bet frequency from them) you'll still need to come out betting a higher proportion of the time too. That is the biggest difference of all in betting style and it means that you should normally reduce your starting hand requirements for both limping and raising. Whereas before you might only raise with hands like AAxx KKxx AKQJ now you can sensibly consider raising with hands like KQJ9 or even 889T.

The nuts do become rarer in short handed games. You'll still see the nuts reasonably often 6 handed (particularly nut straights and sometimes nut flushes) but down to 2 or 3 handed two pair/middle straight/second or third nut flush all start to look very strong. Clearly these are still dangerous hands to hold and they still need to be considered carefully when facing any raise.

Some people think position is more important short handed but if I had the choice of always playing from the button 6max or 10max then I would choose 10max. One reason being that there is much greater likelihood of there being a re-raise into my nut hand before the action even reaches me. I'd much rather have position on 9 opponents than just 5. That has to be worth more, if you ask me.

[holdemsucks]

[ QUOTE ]
Whereas before you might only raise with hands like AAxx KKxx AKQJ now you can sensibly consider raising with hands like KQJ9 or even 889T.


[/ QUOTE ] In 10-handed games if you only played hands that were very coordinated you could easily profit. I notice in the PLO forum sometimes hands with one dangler are often played. Stuff like KsQs2sJd. Also, people seem to play small pairs. 10-handed, I dump all pairs below 9 because the small pairs make middle and bottom sets that run into straight draws. I guess in 6-handed I'll have to loosen this requirement. How low should my starting pocket pairs be?

[LiveInPeace]

I don't rate low pairs highly no matter how short-handed. When the big money goes in, you have no idea where you're at. Chances are high with a small set you're either dead or up against a big draw (even top two pair has a reasonable draw against you). This is a situation to avoid imo.

[holdemsucks]

Why are people turning away from full ring games anyway? (in PLO)

[LiveInPeace]

I think its simply that short handed games are more action, less sitting and waiting.

[holdemsucks]

[ QUOTE ]
I think its simply that short handed games are more action, less sitting and waiting.

[/ QUOTE ] Is this only online?

[JanelleBB7]

I love fullring PLO. I am not quite advanced enough for playing 6 max on a regular basis.... but to me the key difference is that in 6 Max you can bluff more, use position quite frequently to take pots and you can disguise your hand because it is assumed you do not need the nuts to win... agression is key I believe in 6Max... whereas in fullring it is like a loin hiding in the grass waiting to pounce... it is the nut peddlers game.

[holdemsucks]

[ QUOTE ]
I love fullring PLO. I am not quite advanced enough for playing 6 max on a regular basis.... but to me the key difference is that in 6 Max you can bluff more, use position quite frequently to take pots and you can disguise your hand because it is assumed you do not need the nuts to win... agression is key I believe in 6Max... whereas in fullring it is like a loin hiding in the grass

[/ QUOTE ] Well I certainly agree that it is a game of big draws full ring [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[LiveInPeace]

I think this applies to both online and B&M. I also agree with that the other guy said about being able to bluff more in 6max. Bluffing successfully is quite difficult in 10max, unless you can isolate one or two players early.