Short Stack Poker Definition

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In Holdem, when you have a very short stack of 10bb or less, your preflop strategy is basically limited to shoving or calling a shove. An optimal strategy will depend on your opponent’s flaws, as exploiting their flaws will be the most profitable approach.
However, it is essential to comprehend what a balanced preflop gto strategy is so that you can spot their leaks and avoid making errors yourself. The Texas Holdem poker hands charts that we will present below will help you master preflop gto strategy when playing with a short stack.

Gto based Preflop Shove Strategy – Early Position

This is the time of a tournament when the blinds are big and you have less than 15 big blinds in your stack. If you are short stacked in a poker tournament all hope is not lost because chances are that if you win a hand or two you could be right back in the fight to win the tournament. So what is a short stack in poker? A short stack means having a smaller number of chips in comparison to the average stack size at the poker table. For cash games, a short stack typically has less than 40 big blinds and for tournaments less than 20 or 30 big blinds, depending on the speed of the event and how fast the blinds go up.

From an early position, even with a short stack, you must play your strongest hands. This means playing mostly premium starting hands and suited Broadway cards.

Below is a Texas Holdem gto based chart for shoving under the gun in a 9 handed-table with a 10bb, 8bb, and 6bbstack.

Gto based Preflop Shove Strategy – Middle Position

From a middle position, you still play strong hands. Now you can add some more suited starting hands, notably suited aces, some more additional unsuited Broadway cards, like KJo and small pairs.

  1. You have a short stack when your stack is 30 big blinds or less. Many believe the definition of a short stack is to have the smallest or one of the smallest stacks at the table. While that may be a relative definition, this series will be on the absolute measurement of a short stack instead of the relative measurement against the other stacks.
  2. Since Short Stack Strategy is a very aggressive type of poker strategy, a rule of thumb is that you will never be calling. It’s either raise (including shoving all-in) or fold. Things to Keep in Mind. It only works with No Limit Hold’em; Only sit down at full ring games with 7 or more players; Always buy-in for the minimum table amount.
  3. Short Stacking in Cash Games. Most cash game players tend to be drawn to 100BB full-stacked play, but this is not the only option if you want to be profitable cash game player. At the ZOOM tables the minimum buy in is 50BB. At regular cash tables we have the option of buying in for 40BB, and if you desire even shorter play, PokerStars offers CAP tables available with a maximum effective stack of 20BB.
Short stack poker definition games

Below is a Texas Holdem gto based chart for shoving from middle position 2 in a 9 handed-table with a 10bb, 8bb, and 6bbstack.

Gto based Preflop Shove Strategy – Late Position

From late position, as the players left to act are reduced, your push range starts to become much wider.

Below is a Texas Holdem gto based chart for shoving from the cutoff with a 10bb, 8bb, and 6bbstack.

From the button, your range can be even looser. Below is a Texas Holdem gto based chart for shoving from the cutoff with a 10bb, 8bb, and 6bbstack.

Gto based Preflop Shove Strategy – Small Blind

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From the small blind, you can become super aggressive. Now you only have to worry about the big blind having a strong hand!

Below is a Texas Holdem gto based chart for shoving from the small blind with a 10bb, 8bb, and 6bbstack.

Gto based Calling a Shove Strategy – Early Position

When you are facing a shove, as the gap concept suggests you need a stronger hand than what you would shove with in the same position if you were first in.

Below is a Texas Holdem gto based chart for calling from utg +1 an utg shove with a 10bb, 8bb, and 6bbstack.

Gto based Calling a Shove Strategy – Middle Position

Below is a Texas Holdem gto based chart for calling from middle position a shove from middle position with a 10bb, 8bb, and 6bbstack.

Gto based Calling a Shove Strategy – Late Position

Below is a Texas Holdem gto based chart for calling from the button a shove from middle position with a 10bb, 8bb, and 6bbstack.

Below is a Texas Holdem gto based chart for calling from the button a shove from the cutoff with a 10bb, 8bb, and 6bbstack.

Gto based Calling a Shove Strategy – The Blinds

Short Stack Poker Definition Dictionary

Below is a Texas Holdem gto based chart for calling from the small blind a shove from under the gun with a 10bb, 8bb, and 6bbstack.

Below is a Texas Holdem gto based chart for calling from the small blind a shove from middle position with a 10bb, 8bb, and 6bbstack.

Below is a Texas Holdem gto based chart for calling from the big blind a shove from the cutoff with a 10bb, 8bb, and 6bbstack.

Below is a Texas Holdem gto based chart for calling from the big blind a shove from the button with a 10bb, 8bb, and 6bbstack.

Below is a Texas Holdem gto based chart for calling from the big blind a shove from the small blind with a 10bb, 8bb, and 6bbstack.

If a poker player is called a donkey, he's a bad player who makes blatantly bad poker plays. This term is used for a weak or inexperienced player, especially one who plays his hand against the odds and doesn't fold poor hands. Donkey is also shortened to donk.

Short Stack Poker Strategy

An experienced player might announce that he's playing badly or planning to, as in 'I'm going to donk it up tonight' or 'I donked.' A poker tournament that has a high percentage of donkey players is called a 'donkament.'

Before the term donkey came into common usage, these poor players were known asfish, pigeons, or underdogs. Another slang term used by some is 'ATM,' as in a cash-dispensing machine. An experienced player can be frustrated when playing against donkeys, or he can enjoy the benefits of playing well against them.

Definition

The donkey has long been a symbol of stubbornness and ignorance or limited intelligence. In the world of poker, these traits can easily play out at the poker table. Typical plays that can attract the label as donkey moves are calling every hand, continuing to call while holding poor cards, and going all-in on a poor hand. Stubbornness would be seen in continuing to bet on a hand despite a poor flop and with other players showing strength by raising the bet.

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The term is often applied to a player that beats another player who has a strong hand. An example would be a player holding A-A who is beaten by a player holding 7-2, who continues to bet and makes two pairs, a set or a flush, especially when he makes the winning hand on the river after one or more raises. Sometimes a player will be incorrectly called a donkey by the players he beats, even when he's playing wisely and losing was simply due to skill or luck.

Weak players who are playing tightly are rarely called donkeys, as they are likely to fold hands they should have continued to play. They don't show the stubbornness and brashness that are the hallmarks of a donkey. However, they might be likely to call other players donkeys.

Signs of a Donkey

Short stack poker definition games

Short Stack Poker Definition Games

  • Overplaying hands that have low odds of winning. A donkey might play a 7-2 rather than folding as any experienced player would wisely do.
  • Talking too much at the table, discussing their previous hands with the other players, or giving away information about their style of play.
  • Showing their cards after a successful bluff and crowing about their success.
  • Calling most hands, no matter what cards they are dealt and which position they are in at the table.
  • Going all-in frequently, either as a bluff or when they have only a moderately good hand.
  • Making raises when they are not in the best position to benefit from doing so.
  • Overusing bluffs.
  • Goes on tilt after a beat.

Short Stack Poker Tournament Strategy

Experienced players can love or hate donkeys. When a donkey has a run of good luck, he will be a source of exasperation. It's up to the experienced player not to go on tilt.