cash games - topping up

m_dolens

i've been playing a lot of low level cash games online lately and i've noticed a common trend among players to never top up their stacks. that is, they'll lose a big hand and have a significantly short stack (1/4 of the max buy-in or even less) and they'll just continue to play with it.

is there any benefit to playing cash games with a very short stack? i personally don't understand why anyone would not top up at a certain point (unless they just don't have any money left that is).

JohnnieH

They don't realize that they can top up, or are just unwilling to lose more than 1 buy-in.

Milo

Just a thought, but if they're multi-tabling, the short stack tables become easier to play. Just a case of push/fold, right? No first hand exp. but it just popped into my tiny little brain.

cadillac

These players are weak and you should make a note of it.

You see it all the time where a guy is splasing around in 35% of the pots and then loses most of his stack but still splashes around in 35% of pots. It is easy to exploit and you should always be looking for spot to exploit it. He no longer has implied odd to play marginal hands because of his stack size but is still entering pots the 78s.

Here is a common example that I have played 100's of times:

Guy has 25BB and opens from the button to 4XBB. You call in the BB with AJ, AQ, or AK. Flop comes Axx (with 8.5BB in the pot). I often lead here for 3 or 4 BB and get shoved on tons.

Villian looks at his stack and he doesn't have enough to play poker here, he isn't going to fold his top pair in this spot so just shoves it in the middle and you take his chips.

JimmyHo

I always top up online if I go below 80-90% of my starting stack and always start at the max. buy-in. If the player doesn't top up, they are either a beginner or short of funds. Easy.

AcidJoe

What I'm finding more common is the players who will buy in at 25NL for $5 or $50 NL for $10-15. (at least on poker room). These guys come in and splash around lots will push lots too and if they double up they split. If they lose they leave too. I love these guys because of how easy they are to exploit as long as you hit them first before someone else does.

JohnnieH

AcidJoe;136136 wroteWhat I'm finding more common is the players who will buy in at 25NL for $5 or $50 NL for $10-15. (at least on poker room). These guys come in and splash around lots will push lots too and if they double up they split.

I've noticed this on Supreme.

Milo

Thanks for the info. guys. As someone just starting out on-line, it's good to know what to avoid. Even if it is just to use it as camouflage.

Milo

that should be "info." Must remember to "preview" my posts more, or people will mistake me for cole.

westside8

Milo;136164 wrotethat should be "info." Must remember to "preview" my posts more, or people will mistake me for cole.

You can always edit your posts...

Milo

Wipes stupidly foolish grin off face.

Kristy

absolutes are completely 100% stupid ;)

I can envision situations where it is ok to allow your stack to dwindle slightly or where it is ok to buy in for less than the max.

efliper

i play alot of cash tables and very rearly do i reup my chips. i guess this makes me seem week but seems to work lol .
i do multi table and if i drop a big hand owell ... the main reason i dont rebuy chip it to keep track of my spending. have no problem loseing it all but at least i rember what i have in play and hwta i started with and what the end result is
but it is seem that if manny ppl take this as a sighn of weekness then it very well could be a good stragty 4 me to exploite

(sorry my engllish not strong)

Meistro

Yes there are benefits to buying in "short". For example, what if you are at a table with 6 fish and 3 tough opponents. The 3 tough opponents are (not all that surprisingly) 300x deep because they have been stacking fools all day. The six fish are all at 60 x BB. You should buy in for 60 BBs.

Small edges in gambling mean a lot, you should work hard to gain every possible small or huge edge.

GTA Poker

yeah, but what are the benefits of bumping lame 2 year old threads?

kctse

There is a benefit in playing short stack. You can make more risk and shove when you got good hands. This makes deep stack players would only play strong made premium hands agasint the short stacks. Therefore, if you are agressive, this is the advantage. You can steal a lot of small pots and take it down preflop and slowly build your stack.

However, this is only if you choose to play short stack form the start. Also, you need to keep replenish your short stack amount everytime you go below it to give yourself as much value in playing your hands.

________________________________
KCTSE@http://bit.ly/cZwiwm

Richard~

15 reply's 1k+ views, what happened there <.<

HammerDad

kctse;229857 wroteThere is a benefit in playing short stack. You can make more risk and shove when you got good hands. This makes deep stack players would only play strong made premium hands agasint the short stacks. Therefore, if you are agressive, this is the advantage. You can steal a lot of small pots and take it down preflop and slowly build your stack.

However, this is only if you choose to play short stack form the start. Also, you need to keep replenish your short stack amount everytime you go below it to give yourself as much value in playing your hands.

I find most short stacks I play are playing more marginal hands and getting themselves into problems with 1 pair.

In addition they are generally more fit or fold. So they are easy to read and play against.

Jacen299

GTA Poker;226652 wroteyeah, but what are the benefits of bumping lame 2 year old threads?

how about twice?
not sure why I stumbled onto this thread...