When you don't put pressure on the small stacks, is it a courtesy or a bad game?

[Vallet]

The bigger the stack, the wider the range of hands, the more you want to apply pressure.

 

[Sparta77]

In this case, you have to take advantage of the aggressive game.The chip of the big blind is useful

 

[hardongear]

I think it's a terrible mistake the vast majority of the time.

There are however those times when you just know villain will raise or shove if you just limp but won't call if you raise or shove. In those situations one should always limp. Raising to scare the worst hand away is just not smart. Specially if it's in a bounty, KO or PKO tourney. You could cost yourself a huge bounty not just a players short stack of chips.

Cheers!!!

 

[Station_Master]

Its because there are lots of bad players. Also alot of short stacks are bad and call too loose so perhaps the big stacks should tighten up anyway.

 

[makudonarudo]

there is no courtesy in poker. softplay is a form of cheating

 

[john_entony]

Trying to pressure even the big stacks. But it matters the importance of the tournament, the style of my opponents, and my position at the table towards to small stacks. But in general the closer the prize zone is, the more short stacks will suffer if my stack is bigger.

 

[SpanRmonka]

If its in a severe ICM situation, the big stack should be pressuring the middling stacks, and actually keeping any very short stacks in the game as long as possible.

For example, lots of stacks around 20 bbs, on or around the bubble, but 2/3 stacks of 3/5 bbs.....the middle stacks have to fold almost all hands due to ICM presure and the big stack can print chips, but if the big stack pressures those short stacks they have more incetive to call and double up, so you are less able to put pressure on them!!

 

[hilary antonik filho]

Lately when trying to pressure the opponent, it has been unlucky, and I end up losing

 

[userX]

The bigger the stack, the wider the range of hands, the more you want to apply pressure.

In my case, the size of my stack has a minimal impact on my range or playing style. I always play quite tight, but of course I'm ready to make changes to my game depending on how my opponents play. Even if I'm a chip leader, it doesn't mean that I'll play too aggressively or play with junk.

 

[Tero]

This is a thing that people often go overboard with and end up losing. Doubling up in very early in a tournament doesn't make you a big stack (yet) even though you have 100% more chips than your opponent. But easy come, easy go.

My answer to your question - it is never a courtesy.

 

[dannystanks]

There is no courtesy in poker play. There is courtesy towards the other players.

 

[SPANKYSN]

Playing marginal hands when you are the chip leader or at least table leader to put pressure on small stacks is never a good idea. J, 10 os may play well on average after the flop, but you only need to get caught two or three times with your hand in the cookie jar to drop you way down on the leaderboard. Instead of trying to put pressure on small stacks, focus on chip conservation, with a patient/aggressive strategy.

 

[Poker_Mike]

The bigger the stack, the wider the range of hands, the more you want to apply pressure.

The more one "should" apply pressure.

It is the whole game at late stages of the tournament!

there is no courtesy in poker. softplay is a form of cheating

This! Many players don't understand how soft play can be cheating.

Lately when trying to pressure the opponent, it has been unlucky, and I end up losing

This can happen.

If you are pressuring with medium hands and a short stack shoves preflop then it is probable that they have you beat and you need to get lucky to win that hand.

Which can also happen ~!

 

[Chica_bonita]

I don't know, I usually do this when I want to finish the game quickly - it has nothing to do with the opponents. I don't do it at the usual time, so I can't say anything.😆

 

[Poker_Mike]

I don't know, I usually do this when I want to finish the game quickly - it has nothing to do with the opponents. I don't do it at the usual time, so I can't say anything.😆

Sometimes one has to be a mean mushroom to get all the chips on the table.

 

[rachelle2291]

If you are trying to win a popularity contest then just limp or fold, if you are trying to win the tournament then raise

 

[NKGB13]

Raise, but raise it wisely, don't spew your chips with a high raise w/o strenght to pay the 3bet shove =)

 

[Garik777]

For me its not a bad game. I like to play with good cards.

​

 

[Poker_Mike]

For me its not a bad game. I like to play with good cards.

​

So if you are playing a tournament and you have 300 BB and all other players at the table have ~20 BB then you would only wait for good cards?

Your stack is so big relative to other players that you should always raise and make the smaller chip stacks decide if their hand is good enough to call or raise.

 

[Garik777]

So if you are playing a tournament and you have 300 BB and all other players at the table have ~20 BB then you would only wait for good cards?

Your stack is so big relative to other players that you should always raise and make the smaller chip stacks decide if their hand is good enough to call or raise.

Yes, mostly I will wait for a good cards.
Maybe it is a bad game^.^

 

[BillyR23]

When you don't put pressure on the small stacks, is it a courtesy or a bad game?

First of all- IMO it's a mistake to be 'friendly' in the hands you're involved- you should always try to get as many of your opponents' chips as possible... after that, if it's late stage in MTTs and you have a big stack- you should always put pressure on the small stacks(especially close to ITM and/or if the pay jumps are significant), picking up lots of small pots will add-up and people will usually be careful in their hands selection when fighting back- which will make them predictable and you can just fold your bad hands in this cases(both preflop and post-flop).

 

[Vallet]

So if you are playing a tournament and you have 300 BB and all other players at the table have ~20 BB then you would only wait for good cards?

Your stack is so big relative to other players that you should always raise and make the smaller chip stacks decide if their hand is good enough to call or raise.

It's a fantastic situation. The game is for one player, and the rest of the players just survive. That's why I prefer to call when chipleader starts aggression with trash cards. It gives you a good mood and laughter.

 

[eberetta1]

I am usually at the bottom of the pile, so I let others do the heavy lifting. Maybe 5 pct of the time am I in a position to bully, I mean pressure the small stacks.

 

[dorsk]

Strategically I find it better to apply pressure on the middle stacks. They are more likely to fold when you have a big stack. Be very ape 🦍

 

[fundiver199]

Its because there are lots of bad players. Also alot of short stacks are bad and call too loose so perhaps the big stacks should tighten up anyway.

Exactly. The whole point of "applying pressure" is to find spots, where the Villain has to call off very tight due to ICM. But if they are bad and will call you out of spite, then the concept does not work, and you should adjust by tightening up.