Tips from the pros - Poker Professional Ian Frazer

The Short Handed Televised Game

THE GAME
This format of playing originally became popular because it was a very good way to show poker on TV. The fact of there only being 6 players and a dealer made it very camera friendly and ensured a faster game with lots more action. Poker has really come to the front in the TV world over the past 2 years, with more showings of the WSOP & EPT events, but this short handed game seems to be the firm favorite with players and sponsors alike. I personally think that the main attraction drawing all players (top professionals, amateur and internet) into this game is the sheer excitement of the fast action and the uncertainty of the top players winning, and a plus, this could be over within 4 hours the same time it takes to play a round of golf. Then you have the added bonus of being on TV, imagine qualifying on line for $10 then playing against and beating someone you have been admiring for years as a top player and to boot you have it all on DVD….Fantastic!

STRATEGIES
There are a few different styles that players adapt when playing this type of tournament and they all would be extremely different from playing multi-table 10 seater tourneys with say 150 – 350 runners which is generally the size of most on the circuit. These types of tourneys would need 3 or 4 different types of strategy and then applied at 3 or 4 different stages during the tourney, where as the 6 handed game can be played with 1 strategy throughout and with success.

Most of the internet qualifiers and some pro’s I have seen come with the intention of playing the game like a 10 seater and being very solid……this does not work! (unless of course you get fantastic card rushes at the right times but then your granny could win it) The most popular strategy I have seen played is to play only very premium starting hands from the off, hoping for 2 to go out leaving 4 players and then allow for a little rocking & rolling and to take a few more chances…......This does work!

The play I prefer is to try and get 30k on top of your stack from the gate, I have found that generally players will not get involved early on so this is an advantage not to be missed. This will also give you a bit more freedom should you want to mix it up with what I call 2nd rate hands later on, but they are normally the hands that reap the most reward. I am also a firm believer that if you feel you are better than evens in a hand to double up with early on then take the chance especially if it’s against a player you may regard as a danger. The reason for this is because if you get to the shake up you are going to have to get your chips in with the worst a few times so why not take less chance but earlier on in the game. Don’t be afraid to go out 1st or 2nd and remember you are after all the chips at the table! ........This works too but with more fun!

SUCCESS
I have been told that I am the most successful player in televised short handed games ever in the UK, I did win 7 tables on the trot then got beat heads up on the 8th so I suppose yes not bad this in all netted me a cool $630,000.00 very nice considering I was just starting out. I have had success since then but not of the same magnitude, I won the Ladbrokes Poker Million V qualifier short handed event with over 100 runners netting me $24,000.00 cash and a seat into the televised main event with $1.4 million to the winner. I played good stuff in the heat but got beat heads up after having 6/4 chip lead. After this I won through another short handed event of 66 runners and qualified to play in a live $50,000.00 9 handed tourney in London which I won too. I have played in a couple since but have been knocked out early in both, I think the other players know my game too much now so will have to turn into a rock and try that route for a while (only kidding its too boring for me).

TABLE TIPS
Only 6 players at the table and they are not going to change unlike a multi table tourney so it’s not hard to watch 5 others players going through the motions, even there body posture gives information. You hear the top professionals talk all the time about tells and if you can pick up on this skill it is such a massive advantage...... it could be the difference of calling or passing for all your chips.

So many times I watch games where players do not look at each other either in a hand or not or during a hand with another player, its essential you try to gain an edge. Look at the game from a logical position, (obviously if you have a raving lunatic at the table this will not apply to him or her) so if someone has you strangled ask yourself would they bet all their chips? likewise if they hit top pair with a decent kicker or trips they will not be going all in, this will only happen on a bluff, semi bluff or from fear of being outdrawn, the most common reason will be on a semi bluff with flush or up and down straight draws. So remember what would you do if you had one chance only to get as many chips as possible.

By Ian Frazer