Introduction

• Not every short stack is a good poker player.
• Table selection
• Avoid tilt calls

The number of players sitting down in ring games with small stacks and leaving as soon as they double up has been increasing for some time. We're talking about the so-called short stacks.

This article will teach you about the nature of short stacks, how they think and how you can make a profit playing against them.

What a short stack is and how to recognize one

The name is pretty clear in and of itself. A short stack is obviously a player with a small stack in front of him. Once you've spotted one at the table, you can place him in one of two categories.

• The Fish

  This type of player rarely has any more money other than the little bit he has at the table. He wants to bet it all on a single hand to double his bankroll or go broke. You can make a lot of profit playing against him; he is too loose and makes too many all-in bluffs.

• The "professional" short stack

  This type of player is a tough nut to crack. He purposefully plays with a short stack, and does so to his advantage. He usually multi-tables and makes tight steals and resteals.