In recent years, short handed 6-max poker tables have been increasing in popularity, especially with the introduction of online poker where players are looking for more action.
6-max tables are different in comparison to full ring tables in that they are capped at 6 players as opposed to nine or ten. Playing at 6-max poker tables or full ring tables are two completely different beasts and have to be approached differently. Before you decide on one or the other, it is important to know the differences in how each game plays and what to expect from each.
Short Handed Games
In short handed Texas Hold’em poker, there are fewer people sitting at the table, so the blinds come around much faster than at a full ring table. This is significant for many reasons. The first reason is that the cost of folding a hand preflop is higher. This makes stealing blinds a much more important aspect of your strategy at a 6-max table. You can expect to pay approximately 30% more in blinds per hour at 6-max than you would at a full ring table.
Because of this higher cost, the games attract player that love a lot of action. Players will generally be looser when it comes to hand selection and play a wider variety of hands. 6-max also attracts a lot of aggressive poker players, so you better be ready to battle it out with both smart and not so smart LAGs making a lot of moves.
However, just because you opponents are throwing chips around, doesn’t mean you can just sit back, wait for a big hand, and then expect to get paid off. You will need to apply some aggressive poker moves, so that your stack doesn’t get eaten up by the blinds and your opponent’s creative bluffs. The aggression at these tables will put you in a lot of difficult situations, so it’s important that you have solid fundamental with regards to post flop play. You’ll also need to counter your opponent’s aggression with aggression and fight for every last chip.
Another aspect of play that is altered significantly at a 6-max table when compared to a full ring table is the value of position. Because there are fewer seats at a 6-max table, the importance of position and the relative difference in strength between positions is lessened. For example, being on the button is not nearly as valuable in a 6-max game as it is in a full ring because there are only three people to your right between you and the blinds. Additionally, players are going to be raising with a wider range preflop from almost every position, because early position found in full ring games is basically eliminated.
Full Ring Games
Full Ring games allow you to be a lot more patient and wait for quality hands. Because you generally have 3 or 4 more hands per orbit, it takes a much longer time for the blinds to come around. You are able to play a much more ABC tight aggressive style. If you typically play a more passive game, full ring is also a better choice for you than short handed games.
If you are new to NL Texas Hold’em, full ring tables are a great place to develop your skills and learn how to play ABC poker. It’s important that you learn the fundamentals of the game before trying to adopt a more aggressive style, which makes full ring tables a great place to start.
You will also have more time to think about your hands, because with more players to act the action is a little slower. This also makes full ring tables a great place to start learning how to play on multiple tables at once. Once you have improved your game and post flop play, you should then give the 6-max tables a try and see which game you prefer.
Which one is right for me?
Determining whether you should play at a 6-max table or a full ring table depends a lot on your playing style and temperament as a player.
If you are a more aggressive player that is willing to take more risks, a 6-max table is probably the right choice. If you are a conservative player that doesn’t like to take many risks and usually play tight, a full ring game is probably a better fit.
You should experience lower variance at a full ring table because you can play a tighter hand selection and don’t have to worry as much about the blinds. With the increased action you get in 6-max games, it tends to attract more action-junkies and gamblers, which can be a good thing, but expect the variance to be higher. Try them both out and see which one better fits your game and gives you a better winrate in the long run.
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