So I've kinda made it my standing goal (as of this blog starting) to play about 3500 hands each week at minimum. Mostly it's going to be at the 6max tables because as most of you know, there's a much wider selection of short handed games at the upper limit, so if that's where I want to be with the best chances of success, I better learn how to play it decently.

Throughout my poker career up until last fall, I played almost exclusively full ring (10 handed) games. I kept reading 2+2 posts talking about everyone missing the boat that isn't playing 6max. I dabbled a bit last Oct/Nov/Dec playing some 100NL 6max just to get used to it. It wasn't until recently where I've been feeling a bit more comfortable. I think I'm starting to get the feel down a bit... My winrate through the first 8500 hands at $200NL 6max isn't steller, but I'm in the green at least. The thing I've noticed most about 6max no limit is the swings can be brutal.

Since my last post I've made about 3-4 buyins back, but in a given session (usually play between 500-1000 hands per session, 2-4 tables) I've experienced many multi-buyin up and down swings.

For instance, tonight I played 1185 hands total in two different sessions. I was moving between TAG and LAG (tight/loose aggressive) style. After the first ~300 hands I was +$500 or so, then the next ~500 hands I was at -$300 from where I started... that's an $800 swing, or 4 buyins. Yikes. Thankfully I'm way overbankrolled for this game. I ended up the night about +$200 after all that madness.

So why is the game so much more swingy? The level of aggression is much higher than a 10 person table. Poker, at it's roots, is a battle for the antes (blinds) and on most hands someone is coming in for a raise to try to take them.

I've been trying to create +EV situations for myself by pushing hard with big draws (straight + flush draws, pair + flush draws, etc) and I've had some good short term results. Here's a hand from this weekend where I was lagging it up.

Hero is in the BB with 9 8. Effective stacks, $200.

Villain loosey goosey and aggro (57/33) and is on the button. UTG limps, Villain makes a small raise to $6 (basically any two cards, this guy raises more hands than I play total...), SB folds, I make the $4 call in the BB, so does UTG.

Flop ($19) J T 3

Excellent! This is one of the most fun flops possible. I've got an open end straight flush draw. Huge, huge draw. Usually Villain has trash in this spot, but even if he manages to have AA or similar, I'm a favorite to win (55%). Add to that the fold equity of making a big move, and I'm making a nicely +EV play.

I go ahead and leave for about a pot bet, $18, hoping to get raised so I can push. Villain does not oblige and simply calls.

At this point, I figure Villain has a weakish hand, maybe J with a weak kicker, maybe something like KT, could be as little as A high. Villain would also play a big hand like a set slowly, but his range is super broad in this spot.

Turn ($55) 2

I missed all my draws, dang. Even if villain's got a hand like AJ, I'm still not in terrible shape as I've still got about 35% pot equity. I decide to check, and either take a free card he'll give me, or try to read his bet.

Villain bets $22... a weakish bet. I decide this is a bet that doesn't really want to be called but he doesn't want to give a free card either. I think this bet says weak J or medium-strong 10. I decide it's time to push in and try to take the pot right here. As mentioned, if he calls I'm still 35% to win, but mostly with this action, Villain has a hand that cannot stand the heat.

Hero pushes all in for $187. ($155 to call).

In my next entry, I'll show the math of this play, for both trying to get it in on the flop and getting it in on the turn. I'll attempt to show you how often Villain needs to fold in this situation to make it neutral EV. In order to prepare for this, I'm going to go back and re-read Fimbulwinter's posts on calculating EV on 2+2.com. Here's part 1 and here's part 2.

I spent some time with a pen and paper working some of this out, but I'd like to polish it a bit as to not embarass myself in front of all 3 people who read this blog :-)