Taking a Stab at the Pot in short-handed Poker

Short Tables
February 25 2009

Short-handed poker is an aggressive atmosphere where chances to steal a pot are few and far between. That’s why it’s so important to try and pick up those free pots whenever you can. If you start to pay attention to where taking a stab at a pot works, and when it doesn’t, you can refine your attempts to higher percentage situations.

One of these situations is when every player in the hand limped in. If an ace hits the flop, it’s a good situation to put in a bet. Any hand with an ace in it would likely have raised pre-flop, so the ace on the flop is a scare card for everyone. Betting at that flop will force anyone without an ace, or good drawing hand, to fold.

Another good time to take a stab at the pot in a short-handed game is when you raised pre-flop. If you raised with A-Q and the flop is J-6-3, betting out will put the pressure on the other players. Only players that may have hit a jack will call, and if someone does, you’ll know that you’re behind. You’ll still have outs to a higher hand on the turn and river, and there’s a good chance you’ll pick up the pot uncontested.

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