A short-handed game is one that has either three, four, or five players. If you're watching a short-handed game in progress for the first time, it will look like a wild and crazy mess, with the calling, betting and raising not making any apparent sense at all.
If you see the players in a short-handed game raising all the time with questionable cards, calling with even worse cards, betting with nothing, giving their opponents no respect, and being extremely proud of their ace-high or pair of 4s at the end of the hand, you know you're watching a game that is full of players who are experts at short-handed play.
The ability to play in a short-handed game and maintain a positive hourly rate, especially over a long period of time, is one of the most difficult achievements in hold 'em.
Short-handed play is a very advanced skill that requires an extensive knowledge of game theory, backed up with countless hours of real-life playing experience. Short-handed games are not made for beginners. If you're contemplating taking a seat in a short-handed game, the very most important thing you need to know is exactly what the skill levels are of the players already in the game.
I've already mentioned the saying: "Poker is not a game of cards played with people; rather, it is a game of people played with cards." It's very true. You're not playing against cards, you're playing against people. So take a minute to look at the people that you're considering playing against.
When you play in a poker game, you're really pitting your decision-making abilities against those of all of your opponents combined. When you play in a short-handed game, you'll be playing a lot more hands than you would in a full game. You might even be playing almost every hand. With all those opportunities to make a decision (and therefore possibly a bad decision), you might lose your bankroll in short order.
There's one time when you might find yourself in a good short-handed situation: if you've been playing in your usual game and the other players start to drop out, one by one, without more players taking their seats. Perhaps it's getting later at night, and there are no names on the list.
Often what will happen is that the game will become seven- or eight-handed, one of the players will say, "I don't want to play if it's only seven-handed," and he'll leave. His departure will trigger the same reflex in another player and the game will suddenly be five-handed. After a few hands, the game will often break up, because three other players will each say, "I don't want to play five-handed."
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