6 Max NL Poker Basics
6 Max Poker Games
Online Poker has been going strong for more than 5 years now. The MoneyMaker boom is still going strong, but the game of poker overall has changed a lot over these past years. Poker just like anything else goes thorough cycles. When the poker boom first started sit and go tournaments and multi-table tournaments were all the rage. then gradually players started to realize that even though the tournament guys get all the glory, the cash game players make more of the money.
As Players started drifting towards more cash games, the games got tougher and a new cycle started, the "6 max poker game" or the shorthanded games started becoming more popular. For an experienced disciplined poker player, shorthanded poker games are very profitable.
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The reason 6 max or shorthanded poker games have grown in popularity is like we mentioned above, they are simply a more profitable game. Players get to see more hands vs a full 9 or 10 player table, they get to make more decisions per hour than full table, and many players do not know how to adjust to playing a shorthanded game.
Short-handed Texas Hold'em Strategy Basics
Opening up your hand range
As we mentioned above, experienced players can make a killing play 6 max tables with players that do not know how to adjust to the shorthanded format. When you are playing 6 max poker games you can open (Raise) with much weaker hands than you normally would in a full ring game with 9 or 10 players.
Raising with weaker hands in 6 Max NL games is pretty standard and confuses the less experienced players. In 6 max hand value changes dramatically from a full ring game. In a full ring game AJs and 88+ are standard raising hands whereas suited connectors and weaker hands in general are perfect for shorthanded play.
The Importance of Position
Position is another aspect of 6max play that changes dramatically from full ring games. In full ring games you must be very selective about what hands you play, and from what position.
In a short-handed poker Texas Hold'em game position is much less important vs a full table game. Now, I'm not saying that position is meaningless, but it takes on a new aspect in the 6 max games because there are fewer players and you will often be playing pots heads up against 1 other player. Also, since there is only 6 players at the poker table, you will be in the blind much more often than full ring games.
Adjusting to 6 Max Poker aggression
The biggest adjustment for new players trying their hand at shorthanded games, is the increased aggression of these games. Remember, experienced players love these 6 max games and they are very comfortable betting, c-betting, raising, and 3 betting. they love putting pressure on players and know how to do it.
Of course every poker style has a counter attack that will stop it, so do not think that 6 max is all about crazy aggression, but it is about well timed aggression and strategy. The bottom line is that if you are a passive player and shy away from aggressive poker tables, these 6 max poker games may not be for you.
If you can handle this style of play, then you can take advantage of the unsuspecting players that think they know how to handle the shorthanded format.