Small Ball Poker
In this article:
- What is small ball poker?
- How to play small ball poker.
- Why should you use small ball poker?
- How to play small ball poker.
- Why should you use small ball poker?
What is small ball poker?
Small ball poker is a relatively advanced style of play that involves playing more hands and raising more pre-flop, but making smaller bets and smaller raises. The purpose of small ball is to project an image of yourself as a loose aggressive style player so that other players will call you down with marginal hands when you do have a good hand. In the long run, it becomes profitable because you get more callers when you make a hand and win bigger pots.
How to play small ball poker?
Playing small ball poker sounds pretty easy, but to play it effectively can be quite difficult. You really shouldn't attempt this style of play unless you have been playing poker for a long time and have a good sense for what kinds of starting hands have potential and also have a strong post flop game. If you're not confident in both of these aspects of your game then you shouldn't attempt to play small ball poker. If you do feel confident in your abilities and you want to try playing small ball, then you should start considering who you're playing against. Remember that the purpose of playing small ball is to project an image of yourself as a loose aggressive player, so if you're playing with the same friends every week, they're probably not going to be fooled by it.
To play small ball correctly you also have to make lots of small bets and raises, so you need to be in a game in which the size of the blinds is relatively small in relation to the size of your chip stack because to play correctly, you'll need to lose a lot of blinds and small bets. Consider the losses an investment towards future pots that you'll be taking down, but it's going to cost you some chips to get to that point. You also have to consider the kind of players you'll be playing against. If everyone at the table is playing very loosely and calling often, then you're most likely better suited to just play a tight aggressive style, since the other players are calling anyway.
So, if you find yourself at the right table, with the right stakes, and you want to play small ball, you have to consider two main things to do it effectively. First, you have to consider position. You should be betting and raising from stronger positions with a low amount of players in the hand. The closer you are to the button, the better it will be for you. Secondly, you have to consider hand selection. Since you'll be making more bets and more raises, you can play a wider range of hands. But, that doesn't mean you can play any old hand your dealt. You should only be playing hands that have some sort of potential after the flop. That includes connectors and suited cards that will have some potential post flop. When you are in a later position with a hand that has some potential, you'll want to consistently make small raises and small bets. As the other players start to catch on to your style, they'll start calling you down more often. By playing hands with potential, you'll have more chances to hit good hands and when you do, your opponents will be calling you down with marginal hands and paying you off.
To play small ball correctly you also have to make lots of small bets and raises, so you need to be in a game in which the size of the blinds is relatively small in relation to the size of your chip stack because to play correctly, you'll need to lose a lot of blinds and small bets. Consider the losses an investment towards future pots that you'll be taking down, but it's going to cost you some chips to get to that point. You also have to consider the kind of players you'll be playing against. If everyone at the table is playing very loosely and calling often, then you're most likely better suited to just play a tight aggressive style, since the other players are calling anyway.
So, if you find yourself at the right table, with the right stakes, and you want to play small ball, you have to consider two main things to do it effectively. First, you have to consider position. You should be betting and raising from stronger positions with a low amount of players in the hand. The closer you are to the button, the better it will be for you. Secondly, you have to consider hand selection. Since you'll be making more bets and more raises, you can play a wider range of hands. But, that doesn't mean you can play any old hand your dealt. You should only be playing hands that have some sort of potential after the flop. That includes connectors and suited cards that will have some potential post flop. When you are in a later position with a hand that has some potential, you'll want to consistently make small raises and small bets. As the other players start to catch on to your style, they'll start calling you down more often. By playing hands with potential, you'll have more chances to hit good hands and when you do, your opponents will be calling you down with marginal hands and paying you off.
Why should you play small ball poker?
In the right kind of games, you should be playing small ball poker to limit your risk and maximize the size of the pots you win. By keeping your bets small, you can afford to play more hands and in turn give yourself more chances to hit strong hands. At the same time, by playing many hands, you'll be creating an image of a loose aggressive player and getting more callers when you do hit hands.
