Repping Strength Based on Stack Sizes - Page 2

Sherman · #1 10-10-2007, 01:22 AM

So I've been working on a volume for my overall SSMTT strategy. I'm not going to make any promises when it will be done, b/c it may be months from now. But anyhow, here is concept that I use really often. This isn't the most perfect example, but it is good enough to show the purpose.

Ok, the topic is stealing blinds. In general, we want to steal from Medium stacks. This is because short stacks tend to be desperate and willing to go all in. Also, big stacks will have a tendency to defend their blinds. This is even more true during ITM situations.

So here is the concept. I call it repping strength against thinking players based on stack sizes. Here is how it works.

It is open folded to you in LP with XX. The SB is a big stack, smart, aggressive, and thinking. The BB is a very short stack, but he is the nitty type of short stack. The type that often blinds himself to death.

Typical advice says that this is a bad situation to steal. Which makes this a PERFECT situation to steal and I do it all the time. By open-raising in this spot we have "frozen" the big stack. He can't re-steal from us b/c he knows that we know not to steal from the Short stack. Because he knows this, he knows we aren't "stealing". He thinks we must have a legitimate hand. So he mucks all but the strongest of hands. Then the super nitty BB folds and we scoop another pot.

Now the plan doesn't always work, but it is highly profitable. For example, in this situation if the big stack in the SB raises, we have a super easy fold because we have "repped strength" to him, therefore his range is even tighter. If the BB shoves, we have the odds to call with any two and we do so, almost never being in bad shape.

Here is an example hand from an $11+1 turbo:

The SB in this hand is 62/42/oo over 26 hands. Quite aggressive.

The BB in this hand is BB is 0/0/0/ over 8 hands. Very tight.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t150 (8 handed) internettexasholdem.com

MP1 (t3480)
MP2 (t1450)
CO (t1595)
Hero (t1925)
SB (t3435)
BB (t1145)
UTG (t1285)
UTG+1 (t1585)

Preflop: Hero is Button with T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
5 folds, Hero raises to t450, 2 folds.

Final Pot: t675

The key is that this is a very profitable play b/c we have gained extra FE PF from the stack size situation. This FE coupled with some equity if the BB shoves and we call, makes this play very profitable. The example above isn't the greatest example b/c I am somewhat short stacked myself (but it was the quickest and easiest one I could find), we aren't ITM, and the SB might be a little too loose. But in general, this play of "repping" extra stength against thinking opponents can help you pick up lots of free chips. Especially around the bubble.

Sherman