Small Stakes Shorthanded NL Poker Forums

Hi guys

Sorry if I am bringing again the topic. I searched in the forums but most of them are 3 years old topics.

So would you like guys to discuss an optimal strategy vs this guys that they piss me a lot


1) Ranges to 3bet / get it in from the blinds vs co & btn opens.
2) the same but from ep, mp vs co & btn.
3) the same but when they open from sb and we are in bb.
4) 3bet / fold range ( polarized ? )
5) 3bet / 4bet sizing IP & OOP
6) What range they 3bet / fold and what range they 3bet/shove ( call a shove)

Usually they play something like :

25-29(VPIP) / 23-25(PFR)
total steal 48-55, sb steal 65-70% , btn steal 55-60%
3bet ~10% but from the blinds and vs btn is something like 15-25%
fold to 3bet ~70%
4bet ~10%

Postflop I think they are bad enough and they play honestly pretty much. But if anyone think the opposite or thinks we have to discuss about it is more than welcome.

Thanks guys.

How many bb's do they sit with on the site you play on?

Pokerstars , 100nl, 40bb

Well "Analytical No-Limit Holdem" by Thomas Bakker has a few chapters dedicated to developing strategies vs shortstackers, including charts etc.

Thanks!

i would definitely not buy an 18 month old poker book to get help with this.

a lot of these guys are terrible postflop.

when stealing what open raise size do you use?

steal 2.5x or even less (even 2x) when you are in lp and there is 1 or more of them
open slightly tighter/not too much trash
ship some stuff over their 3bs depending how often they do it
flat very wide ip, they are REALLY bad postflop and make triple barrles that are illogical.
generally you want hands that flop strong equity (since they cbet so often you can get in equity on the flop with fold equity) or decent top pairs, so like 87s j9s ato kjo type hands are good vs. most. that being said they are mostly different so play accordingly to each one

One thing that I have found is that because fold equity is central to their strategy postflop you will often get them to shove their money in if you check to them. So if you have a decent top pair+ hand and you bet it they'll just fold whereas if you check they'll jam A-high or whatever. And furthermore, once you find a strategy that works they will fall for it again and again and again because for the most part their play is 100% mechanical.

i haven't played significant volume vs them at nl100 but based off my play at nl200 here's my answers.

1) Ranges to 3bet / get it in from the blinds vs co & btn opens.

there are two ways to apporach this - one is having the largest 3b/value stackoff range you can have so you can have the largest 3b bluffing range. the other is to have a tighter 3b/stack off range while flat calling a lot of hands that you can 3b/value stack off with (i.e. KJs) - this would allow you to play more postflop pots with higher SPRs vs their wide stealing ranges. my startegy is to do the latter - as the ev of 3b/gettin in KJs is really thin, where as its never not a profitable call.


from the BB as a default strategy i'd use something like 99+, AJ+
the small blind is a bit tricky. it depends on the BB and their open raise size. how you play vs a min raise is different than a 2.5x. i can't give a concrete answer for the SB.

2) the same but from ep, mp vs co & btn.
these guys vary a lot in their EP tendencies when i played vs them. some open real wide others open real tight. can't give a concrete answer here either.

3) the same but when they open from sb and we are in bb.
again there is variety here. i find most to open >80%. it depends on how they react to my 3bing - and how they are reacting to how i play vs them postflop.

4) 3bet / fold range ( polarized ? )
yep definitely 3b polarized IP. blockers are very important. OOP it depends on their tendencies.

5) 3bet / 4bet sizing IP & OOP
IP i go 2.5x-6x, OOP 2.5x-6.5 to 7x. i never really 4b vs these guys IP as a general gameplay, i like to see flops vs them. if i see them 3bing a lot, but flatting hands like midpairs and stronger broadways that need to be in their 3b/stack off range to prevent me from being able to exploit them preflop - i'll make exploitative shoves over their 3bs with hands i can't call.

OOP i just shove, when stacks get a bit deeper you can start 4b/folding. just go real small.

6) What range they 3bet / fold and what range they 3bet/shove ( call a shove)
it varies so much! the tighest i've seen vs steals is 15% - the loosest is 25%. if they are good i can give you a pretty good break down of what their 3b range should be when at 22%+, but most of them aren't good.

Thanks for the detailed response and the time you spend to answer!