6 max poker cash games
Shorthanded poker is a fascinating game. The major differences from full ring is that hand values change. Hand ranges are wider than full ring. Some plays that were reckless at a full table can be profitable 6 handed.
Let’s take pocket pairs for example. Would you raise a pair of deuces under the gun at a full ring table ? Probably not, but when you are playing 6 handed it’s always profitable to play your hand like AK.
So how do shorthanded games differ from full ring ?
* As we said previously, you should open any Pocket pair from any position when playing 6 max cash games.
* Hand values go up. This means your top pair medium kicker can be a very strong hand in some cases.
* A majority of pots will be played heads up or 3 handed. Because the game is more fast paced there will be more + EV spots for the good player.
*You can make plenty of squeeze plays from the blinds. The fast paced and aggressive nature of 6 max cash games allow you to push your preflop equities.
So you can’t make up your mind on your favorite kind of game? Here is a test for you. Count up how many times you reply yes to the following questions.
* Do you enjoy maximizing you long term win rate at the expense of variance ? By this we mean although you will win more money in the long term your swings will be much larger?
* Do you like playing a lot of pots? Do you prefer creating a loose aggressive image at the table to get paid off on your strong hands?
* Are you a semi-pro looking to maximize your hourly earnings? Do you like to multi-table and increase your expected value by playing as many hands as possible ?
* Are you a player that uses online tells and reads in his decisions ? 6 max allows you to develop better reads because the field is so reduced.
The best game for you will depend on your approach to poker. Do you like high variance situations to maximize your expectation and multi-table ?
If you are interested in the best online poker players then please read our articles on
Phil Galfond, and WestmenloAA. If you are brand new to poker, find out what beats what in poker first!
