Should you switch gears after you accumulate a stack?

[rachkane]

In the past few weeks I've been making the change from strictly SnG's to cash games. I only have 1k hands in my PT but I'm 32/10/1.8 and I don't see myself changing that a whole lot anytime soon. (I know it's a SMALL sample size, but bear w/ me.)

I've been in a couple situations where I've doubled or tripled up at a $10 NL (.05/.10) table. Should I keep playing as "slightly-loose/semi-tight" as I have, or should I loosen or tighten up a bit. I feel like I should just keep playing "my game."

Is it conventional wisdom, though, to loosen or tighten up after accumulating that stack size in a cash game at such a low level?

[AKQJ10]

Not really -- this is a big difference between tournaments of all kinds and cash games. In cash games there's really no reason to "change gears" based on stack size, because every dollar in your stack has equal value.

A deep stack gives you the ability to make deep bluffs against other deep stacks, and it does give you the opportunity to make more money on your superior postflop decisions. You can also play more speculative hands if you expect to go against one or more other deep stacks, because of implied odds. But it certainly doesn't necessitate changing gears in the way that tournament play might.

[avfletch]

AKQJ10 makes a very a good point that I'd just like to reiterate for anyone reading. You can play more speculative hands *against other deep stacks*. Just having more chips yourself is not enough to warrant do anything differently. Whenever you play consider the effective stack in play (ie the shorter stack, not the deeper one).

[AKQJ10]

I just started a wiki article the other day on effective stacks -- come join in!

[HSB]

[ QUOTE ]
Not really -- this is a big difference between tournaments of all kinds and cash games. In cash games there's really no reason to "change gears" based on stack size, because every dollar in your stack has equal value.

A deep stack gives you the ability to make deep bluffs against other deep stacks, and it does give you the opportunity to make more money on your superior postflop decisions. You can also play more speculative hands if you expect to go against one or more other deep stacks, because of implied odds. But it certainly doesn't necessitate changing gears in the way that tournament play might.

[/ QUOTE ]

I just wanted to add a couple points.

First, remember that your stack size is not the only one that matters. You cannot win from anyone else any more than they have in front of them. If you have three times what anyone else has at the table, your effective stack size is equal to the size of the second biggest stack.

Second, to practice this kind of thing, go down to the two dollar games and play every single hand for a couple hours. Limp everything and try to win the hand after the flop. It should give you some insight on how to win these pots, as well as some insights on when you want to raise and when you want to limp.