You Must Consider Your Stack Size in Holdem Poker

Posted by John Splash

When playing no limit poker, the stack size of every player at the table is critical. Let’s explore a few examples of how these decisions are affected by stack size. Hopefully, after identifying these situations, you will see the value in noting your opponents stack sizes.

Here is a simple hand situation showing how play varies due to stack size. You are in a NL Holdem game with $1/$2 blinds. You are in the small blind with no action yet. You have $500 and hold 4,4. The player that’s the big blind has only $25, so you can simply go all in or make a bet and push after the flop. This should make you money.

But, let’s say the big blind has $500. Then going all in would be a very risky play. Although you would win the blinds most of the time, you will also lose most of the time when you get called. Who wants to risk $500 to win $3?

Let’s look at it in an exaggerated way. How about having $100,000 all in for the $3. Your opponent calls with AA and nothing else, only a 1/220 chance. So in 220 tries you win three dollars 219 times. When AA hits he wins 80% and you win 20%. So on average you lose over $79,000 for every 220 tries.

If your opponent played the same way with his $25 you’d be very profitable. Even if you never won when you were called, you get $657 for every $26 that you lose.

Now, you get 3,3 and have a $500 stack. The game is still $1/$2 and you just call. THe big blind chooses to raise to $10. His stack makes all the difference in what you will do.

Against his $15 chip stack you could argue for any option. So, now you go by what you know of this players game, to determine a move. With $40 you can fold pretty easily.

You will make a set one in eight times and will only make at most five times the amount of the call. If he has $500, you can call for sure, or even raise if you want to represent a stronger hand. There are enough chips to win when you hit the flop to make calling profitable. Reraising will further scare your opponent.

Holding 6,7 suited is a good hand when the table is full of chips. You can make big bucks when this type of hand hits. When everyone is short stacked this hand just can’t get paid enough on the few times it actually hits.

When you have a big pocket pair, like A,A or K,K you can find yourself in some tough situations. This hits home when when everyone has a lot of chips. These hands can be tough to fold after the flop and can be very costly when your opponent hits and you don’t.

These are some simple cases that show the basic reasons why stack size is so important in no limit holdem. With everyone having a different stack size, it can get very complicated deciding what to do. You always need to do your best, as hands play out, to determine how every players chip stack will affect future play.

When everyone has radically different stack sizes this can get complex. Regardless, when you want to bet, you have to consider the stack size of each player involved.

Tags: Education and Training

Under Education and Training Tags: Education and Training