Adjusting Ranges In Short-Handed Hold’Em Games

Adjusting Ranges in Short-Handed Hold'em Games

                A range is all the hands that a player would play in a certain situation minus a small percentage for hands that don't fit the situation i.e. complete "air" (nothing).  Most above average players can put other players on hands based on the many factors including position, tells, betting patterns, and stack sizes.  Assigning ranges can be difficult at first, but as you become more experienced it becomes second nature and necessary to be a winning player against tougher opponents. 

                To drive home how different ranges can be depending on the number of players, an example will be explained at both a full-ring table and a short-handed table.  One strategy that is commonly used is set mining.  Set mining is when a player plays small to medium pocket pairs to make a set (3 of a kind).  It can be one of the most profitable strategies for winning at No-Limit (NL)/Pot-Limit (PL) Hold'em.  Many players find it difficult to let go of big pocket pairs on seemingly safe boards and end up stacking (losing their whole stack) themselves with just one pair.  It has happened to probably every poker player at some point in their lives.  Set mining in short handed, aka 6-max tables is a little different though.

                Let's look at an example of full-ring (9 players) versus a short-handed table playing $1/$2 NL.  You are the button playing a full 9-seat table.  Seat 1, under the gun (UTG), raises to $7.  At this point, you being a thinking player can assign him a very specific range of hands.  Because he bet the pot first to act, you put him on a big hand, specifically AA, KK, QQ, AK or AQ suited.  Seats 2,3,4,5, and 6 all fold.  You, the button, look down at 77.  You examine the stack sizes, you have $200 and player 1 has $225.  Calculating the pot odds, you know that you are risking at this point $7 to win $10 ($7 + $1 SB + $2 BB) in the pot, only about 1.4 to 1 odds, but using implied odds you realize that you can win $200 to your risk only $, about 27.5 to 1.  You call, and the small blind (SB) and big blind (BB) both fold.  The flop comes 10 7 3.  Player 1 leads out with a pot size bet of $19.  You put him on the big pair, raise to $60 hoping he comes over the top.  Player 1 obliges and shoves all-in and you instantly call.  The board runs out 2 on the turn, and 2 on the river.  Player 1 flips up AA and you scoop and $403 pot with 7s full of 2s.  This is basically set mining at its simplest and finest.  Using your ability to assign the players range you were able to double your money in one hand.

                Let's look at a similar example with the same exact setup, but at a full 6-max table.  Playing $1/$2, you are the button.  Player 1 UTG, playing a $225 stack, raises to $7 and seats 2 and 3 fold.  You look down at 77, using the same range as before and implied odds calculation as before, you call.  The SB and BB both fold, and flop comes out 10 7 3, and player 1 bets the pot , using the same logic as the hand before, you put him on the big pair so you raise to $60, this time player 1 folds.  Using your reading skills and using the range you assigned him, you conclude that player 1 probably had AK and missed. 

                Now, say you are still playing at the same table and an hour later, the same player, player 1 with $250, raises UTG to $7.  You, playing $225, on the button look down and find 88.  You call from the button, and the SB and BB fold.  The flop comes down Q 7 8.  You have flopped the second best hand, and player 1 leads out and bets the pot, $19.  You, trying to trap your opponent smooth call the flop.  The turn is a 6, and player 1 bets $50, almost a full pot-sized bet.  You shove all-in for your remaining chips, and player 1 calls.  Player 1 flips up 4 5 suited for a straight, and river comes an Ace.  You lose with your set.  After contemplating for a while, you decide not to re-buy and think about how you lost your stack. 

                You ask yourself some questions about whether or not you played the hand correctly and also, to you more importantly, how can a player raise UTG with 5 high.  This brings up the whole point of this article.  In a short-handed game, raising UTG, though still a sign of strength, is not as strong as raising UTG at a full-ring table.  Ranges at short-handed games are usually larger (more possible hands) than at a full-ring table because the blinds come around faster.  This causes players to "loosen" up more so the blinds don't cut into their profits.  Loosening up UTG is a great strategy to use to try to exploit your opponents.  Player 1 in this example is playing a seemingly weak to try and make a big hand.  To become a better player at short-handed NL/PL Hold'em, you have to be able to adjust better and faster to your opponents than at a full-ring table.  Though playing your hand the way you did is fine, an alternative route is to re-raise before the flop.  This way you can really define your opponents range because you will see what player 1 does.  Player 1 can fold (probably best if both the SB and BB fold), raise, or call.  This will help you define his range even more.

               This was an example of an unavoidable hand where a large percentage of the time you will get almost all of your money into the pot.  Being able to adjust the ranges you set to your opponents, you might be able to save a few dollars in the long-run when situations like this come up.  In the long-run saving a few dollars here and there will add to your bottom line. Adjust your ranges when you play a 6-max table and remember that players will be more aggressive, but remember to still use good Hold'em strategy such as always play in position.  Adjusting your opponent's ranges as well as your own (playing loose-aggressive is suggested) will help you become profitable when playing at short-handed tables.

Tagged as: Cash Games, Holdem, Short-handed