As you play Vegas88, you must be aware of at least one thing, you are short stacked at one point during the hand. Being short stacked is no fun and usually leads to playing less than your natural game. But the reality is that being short stacked only means keeping your stack small and not going all-in, or taking shots with really weak hands.
When you are short stacked, you are dependent on the big stacks to help you stay alive, your stack is like a rollercoaster ride that can either get you to the top or the bottom. The ideal situation is that you are not interacting with other players at the short stacks. In other words, you are playing tight and strong poker and the other players are wooed by the blinds.
First, some pointers to consider. When you have a short stack, it is not advisable to push the small blind. You need to take a look at the conditions. The situation may be that the short stack will be the first to act. If this is the case, you should probably wait for a stronger hand before pushing the big blind. Definitely, if you have a short stack and the big blind is a calling station, you should probably steal the blinds.
What are the possibilities of being heads-up? If you have a small stack, you are a favorite to lose the game. In case you push all-in, you are risking your entire poker tournament. If you play aggressively, you may win the pot, but you are certainly not making any money in the event. So if you know you will most likely lose the game, don’t try to make a play for the pot.
In case you have a big stack, you should push all-in with any hand. You are the clear favorite. Being a big stack, you are not afraid of losing your blinds and may want to win the shorter stacks money. Big stacks are the ones who can afford to play aggressively and take any risks to win the pot. Aside from the fat stacks, there are also short stacks and medium stacks. When you have any hand, you want to have a chance to win it.
The most important thing to consider when you have a short stack is to chose your battles carefully. If you are the first in, chances are you will get taken out. It is imperative that you don’t let your stack get so low that you are too short to play. Of course, you don’t have to pushed all-in every time you even have a short stack, but once is enough.
Once you are within striking distance of the big blind, you should be shoving a flop Relentless Predicament. Sure, your hand may not be the best, but the fact that you are making a move with the best hand anyway, increases your odds of winning the pot.
In case you get re-raised pre-flop, you should consider a wider range of hands. Your opponent may indeed have something, but he also knows that you are taking the risk of calling. If you have a good hand, most of the time you can take him to the cleaners.
When you have a big stack, you are practically invulnerable. Even with the worst hand, you are nearly guaranteed to win the pot. You just need to be a bit aggressive in case you get re-re-raised preflop, but you should have a read on your opponent already.
Not all players, are good in moving all-in. Some are just plain maniacs, which will leave you with nothing but trouble. In case you find yourself short of chips, you should not just concede them to your opponents, chase them down and get them back to the bar. Just take them to your bar and gut them.
When you have a big stack, you might want to tone down the crazy. Even if you have something, you don’t want to risk it all in one pot, because you could be knocked out in one hand. With three hands or less, you should be able to get away from a hand if itails, but with more than three hands, you run the risk of being a sitting duck. With two other players, you can be sure they won’t have nothing, but if you play three hands, you can at least try and lose with one hand and be left good and corpse, or be eliminated.
After the bubble bursts, it’s up to you. If you still have a big stack, you are more likely to win the tournament. If you have a short stack, you should be looking to get it over with, before you let anyone get any free chips. With your actions in the early stages, you can set a strong image. When you finish on the bubble, most of the players tighten up.