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

Matt_Burns88

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The bigger the stack, the wider the range of hands, the more you want to apply pressure.
If you are the big stack, you should be 100% ramping up the pressure...but, it's important to know why and when.

Why be aggressive?
  1. Leverage pressure on the shorties
    • Short stacks are more at risk from elimination
    • you can put pressure on them to fold marginal and even good hands rather than them risk busting
  2. ICM Advantage
    • Near the bubble or on the final table, your stack gives you extra power because because short stacks lose more by busting that they gain by winning
    • This can actually apply even more against medium stacks because they do NOT want to bust out before the money when there are very short stacks in play
    • This means they are more risk-averse - you can use that to steal blinds and antes more frequently
  3. Table Control
    • Big stacks often dictate the tempo. You can open wider ranges, especially from late position.
    • If people know you're bullying, they'll tighten up even more - which makes your aggression even more effective.
 
frost234

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That's right. If you're the chip leader at the table, try to put pressure on the middle stacks. Just don't overdo it.
 
dreamer13

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You can't afford to limp and then just give up on the flop if you miss the board. You have to try to be aggressive all the time, because that's how you win in poker. The main idea of short stack strategy that you need to understand is that you can't play trash hands.The next most important thing about short stack strategy is to bet small. I would advise you to never bet more than 50% of the pot, and most often 40-30% will be enough in most situations.Don't be afraid of busting out of the tournament and try to hold on until the bubble, as most players do. That way you'll never win big in the tournament!
 
iwont20

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Whenever I decided to take a pity on a shortstack sitting left to me and not raise junk hands, only raise mid and good hands, it always has backfired on me from these very stacks. They're fighting for their survival and once they've doubled up, they will be more often playing against the players who are two positions on their left and right. So no "courtesy". Put the pressure, but also don't get crazy, because for a big stack it's usually beneficial to have a shortie at the table, especially in the ITM stage, than doubling him up, even if it's an insignificant part of the chipleader's stack.
 
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martDdart

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Use all the tools you have to get ahead,use it or loose it.
 
NKGB13

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Poker is all about ranges, if your board hits more your range than the opponent's range, the optimal play will always be bet hard, even if you didn't hit well. However, the notes you have on your opponent counts a lot on how to act.
 
Like2Play2

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I am aware that what Matt_Burns88 said is definitely what happens on the bubble and final table.
I should be more aggressive. But I am mostly a passive player and slow playing my hands.
Is slow playing a big hand cheating?
 
mariale_1990

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I don't think I do it out of courtesy or because I'm playing badly, I just think they're strategies. You can't always apply pressure to a player who has a shorter stack than you. How many times do you end up giving away chips by applying pressure? That's playing badly, and very badly.
 
Vallet

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I am aware that what Matt_Burns88 said is definitely what happens on the bubble and final table.
I should be more aggressive. But I am mostly a passive player and slow playing my hands.
Is slow playing a big hand cheating?
You're not doing anything criminal. Many players play aggressively, accelerate the pace of the game, or just fool around. Slow play will help you bring your opponents to their senses. Pressure can be applied in different ways, even by slow play.
 
Poker_Mike

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I don't think I do it out of courtesy or because I'm playing badly, I just think they're strategies. You can't always apply pressure to a player who has a shorter stack than you. How many times do you end up giving away chips by applying pressure? That's playing badly, and very badly.
Why can't you "always" apply pressure to short stacks?

Players are human and they become annoyed and tilted when they are constantly confronted with having to make a decision to call, fold or shove.

Why am I giving any short stack a free opportunity to flop two pair?

Basically I am trying to encourage my short stack opponents to make mistakes - that can end their tournament.

Most hands are 2:1 odds (preflop).

So short stacks will win some hands against the big stack - because even 33% is big odds for them to win the hand.

But why give them free chances to out flop me?

Am I applying "pressure" after the flop just to see if they did out flop me?

IMO - I have to give the shortstacks a reason to fold preflop - not a reason to call....what am I "trapping" them with?
 
alucaa

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It's a bad game if you don't have an absolute game like Quadra or Flush because you let me see the turn or river for free and that makes it possible to connect more cards
 
Sparta77

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In many cases, I am polite to players with small chips, in the case when the paycheck comes.
 
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Meant22be

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In position if you don’t put pressure then, indeed it’s a bad game. Closer to ITM, you can put pressure like anything. ITM, short stacks will not play loose, so if they shove and you are out of position, call with premium only.
 
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Margo17

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When you don't put pressure on them, it's a comfortable situation for them, however, we must put pressure on them correctly, know the situations in which we must put pressure on them and know how to use the correct combos for this.
 
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