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When the chips are down

Understanding stack sizes key to winning

By: Marco Carreira

Posted: 04/22/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

(ISAAC BREKKEN / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)

How can you make sure you take the best line during a hand? More often than not, the answer will lie in your stack size and the stack size of your opponent.

For most recreational players, the biggest leak they have without even knowing it's a leak is understanding stack sizes. Before you can become a good player, it is essential for you to fully understand this concept.

Since I am primarily a cash-game player and I always buy in for the full amount, over the years many people have asked me why I do this. Old-school gamblers almost always short buy. The reason for this is they feel if they take a bad beat, they will lose the minimum. Although they are right, literally, their line of thinking makes no sense whatsoever.

Your buy-in amount should be a reflection of your skill level at the table versus that of your opponents. If you know you are one of the best players at the table, would it not be in your best interest to have the most money in front of you? Buying in short in cash games does not allow you the ability to manoeuvre post flop; therefore, if you are better than your opponents, try to have them covered.

Tournaments, unfortunately, are a different animal altogether. Everyone starts with the same amount of chips, and before long some players will have big stacks, others medium stacks and many players will be short-stacked. In order to excel in tournament poker, it is very important to know how to play all sorts of stack sizes.

Playing a big stack is obviously the easiest and most fun to play. The fact you can't bust out (assuming you have everyone at your table covered) allows you the freedom to play so many more pots. The more chips you have, the more pressure you can put on your opponents. Use this stack size to your advantage.

A medium stack size -- let's say of about 30 to 50 BBs -- can be tricky to play for many players. Many people think they still have a lot of play post flop but with this stack size, you have to proceed with caution in order to not over-commit yourself to the pot, eventually having to fold. It is very easy to mess up this type of stack size, and if you do within one hand, you may find yourself short-stacked.

A short stack is all about patience. Way too often, players panic when they get short. Sure, everyone wants to play a big stack, but if you play your share of tournaments you know that more often than not you will find yourself short on chips. You can't wait around for aces, but you can pick up your spots wisely and slowly build your stack back up. Whenever I get short, I try to shove over any late position raises with any medium-strength hands. Too many beginners will call when they get short, and seeing as how they will miss the flop way too often, they end up just bleeding the few chips they have away.

Understanding stack sizes will go a long way to help determine what is the best way to play your hand so pay attention to that.

You might just be able to fix a leak you didn't even know you had!

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 22, 2012 B13

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