Short Stacked in Cash Game

**lairyboy** · 08-22-2006

At my local B&M Casino there is a $20 max buy-in NLHE cash game that i love to play because it is fun while easy on my wallet.

The problem is that the blinds are $1/$1 meaning that players can only start with 20 big blinds, making me feel short stacked. Once i get one double up then i feel comfortable but i am asking for a general strategy for playing when i first buy in with only $20.

Any advice?

P.S. There are generally about three or four people per nine handed table who have $40-$80 in front of them but very rarely will a person play for more than half an hour with more than $80. The rest have somewhere around $20.

**KINGJACK** · 08-22-2006

My advice would be to avoid this game, but if you really want to play, you have to be very agressive... In 10 orbit you lost your whole stack without playing a dam hand, thats sick.

Never limp, push TT+ AK AQ

and raise AJ KQ 99 88

You can call small raises with other PPs IMO

fold the rest IMO

KJ

**OrionPro** · 08-22-2006

I asked a similar question a while ago, maybe you can find the thread it contains very good responses. The bottom line was that you cannot play any hands that rely on implied odds, such as low pairs or suited connectors, you prob have to throw those hands away most of the time (unless there's so many limpers in front of you that you'd already get direct odds to call).

**tightagressive** · 08-22-2006

lol, this game sucks.

play like a robot i guess, push where you have an edge preflop, there is no postflop play.

**Eclipse86** · 08-23-2006

yea man, that game really sucks.. avoid it as its not gonna teach u how to play postflop... and the main thing about cash game poker is about learning to play well postflop..

anyways.. heres my advice to you:

open push JJ+ AK AQ from any position.

push 88 99 TT AJ KQ from LP in a unopened pot.

fold everything else i guess.

**the alex** · 08-23-2006

This is what you're gonna find in most casinos (20-50bb max buy ins.) for games $500 and under. Usually it's to minimize the white chips on the table, but this is just weird.

I've played a ton $200 games with 2/5 and 3/5 blinds and $500 games with 5/10 blinds and they're not that ridiculous. The fact that it's $20 will make it ridiculous. Avoid it. The smallest NL casino game worth playing is $100 with 1/2 blinds. In normal casino games, there's a lot of postflop play in these shortstack games. These games is where I learned that Hold 'em is a 7 card game with unique betting rounds on every street. Stick to online until you can play a better game. $20 games are gonna be really goofy and force too much overbetting with not enough information.

And guys, online games are shortstacked. 100bs is still short with all of the pot betting that goes on.

**Porg** · 08-23-2006

Raise big pairs preflop, pot flop and push turn. Play pretty similair with AK.

Good luck.

**bonchkid** · 08-28-2006

Originally Posted by the alex

This is what you're gonna find in most casinos (20-50bb max buy ins.) for games $500 and under. Usually it's to minimize the white chips on the table, but this is just weird.

I've played a ton $200 games with 2/5 and 3/5 blinds and $500 games with 5/10 blinds and they're not that ridiculous. The fact that it's $20 will make it ridiculous. Avoid it. The smallest NL casino game worth playing is $100 with 1/2 blinds. In normal casino games, there's a lot of postflop play in these shortstack games. These games is where I learned that Hold 'em is a 7 card game with unique betting rounds on every street. Stick to online until you can play a better game. $20 games are gonna be really goofy and force too much overbetting with not enough information.

And guys, online games are shortstacked. 100bs is still short with all of the pot betting that goes on.

You're missing the entire point of why he is playing this game. He likes to play poker and its a very affordable game for him.

You'll want to push TT+ from early position and push lower pairs from later positions if you're first in, maybe 77+ AJ+ KQ on the button.. You CAN'T call a raise unless you have AA/KK and are trapping. Even after you double up twice, its a short stacked game. Have fun and adjust your pushing standards to what everyone is playing.

**Steve Ruddock** · 08-28-2006

I'd use my Short-stack NL game plan

Raise all-in with QQ, KK, AK

limp re-raise All-in JJ and AA

If the game is passive, limp with 22-99, ATs-AQs, KQs

When I find a loose aggressive I like to come over the top with hands like AQs, 99, 88.

If there are more than 3 limpers I will move all-in with all the above hands (in your game that would be a 5bb increase)

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