I’ve been playing in some short handed games lately at Canterbury-mainly because i usually get there around last call and play late.  Some questions:

1.  What are some ways i can maximize my potential against fish?  I understand that pairs go way up in value with less and that draws are much worse.  I also know to play aggressively, but by how much?  With 4-5 players, should I raise preflop with A-big card?  Pocket pairs?  I’m just not sure how much I should lower my standards.  Axo playable?

2.  How do I defend against a good player?  I know I “should” switch tables but I want to get better at poker and that involves playing against good opponents.  I already consider myself a big enough player at the table, but I ran into a guy the other day who BLEW ME AWAY.




Answers:
First of all, define short-handed.Second of all, it seems to me that there are two different strategies against fish- one advocates sitting tight and playing tight, and the other is, well, a bit more vague.  It sort of seems to advocate jumping in there, but being an expert.  Go figure.  I’ve been up against this question for a few weeks.

As mentioned, there are two schools of thought.  (Pardon the pun). You can play like a rock.  Classically tight-aggressive, predictable and mathematical.  Someone who has read S&M cover to cover.  You can add considerable

flair to this basic strategy, but ultimately a rock will never be the best player in the cardroom.

The other style is what I would call ‘fastplay’.  I personally have switched from a computer-like rock to a fastplayer in the past six months, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.  What’s critically important for fastplay is that you learn tells and how to read people.  You must be highly, highly aggressive.  I could describe fastplay a number of ways, but essentially it’s like this:

From the moment your opponent picks up his cards to about the time the turn card hits, you are attempting to work out what cards he has, and more importantly, how he’s going to play those cards.  It’s a lot easier to do this when you’re the one doing the betting and he’s the one doing the calling.  Personally, I wear a cap and prescription sunglasses, and stare at their faces throughout the entire hand (thought they wouldn’t realise it).  So that what HE has is more important than what YOU have.  If you know he has a made hand AND will call to the river, you