Short Stacked in a Cash Game

• 09.06.2025 5:55 pm
• headhunter
• 2 Comments

You have been sitting in a cash game for hours, but for some reason you stack keeps getting smaller rather than bigger. There are two options here: get up and go home or tough it out and try to get your money back.

If you go for option two, you have to know how to play short stacked on a cash game.

A common mistake for cash-game players is playing your short stack the way you would in a tournament. In tournaments, if you have less than 10 to 15 big blinds, you are looking for the best spot to move in and hoping to double up. This will either prolong your tournament life or send you packing.

Like tournaments, the first thing to consider is blinds and the level you are playing. If you are a playing a low-limit or no-limit game, you can last longer with a short stack. If you are playing high limit stakes, you want to put your money in when you are getting the right odds, but don't be afraid to fold.

The good thing about cash games is you can always walk away before all your chips are off the table. You also have the option of reloading, going into your pocket and getting more money. Just beware that playing short stacked has a low win rate.

The first thing you have to do is get your mindset into playing tight mode. The fewer chips you have in a cash game, the tighter your game should be. This means you won't be seeing many flops, but that could be what got you in trouble in the first place. Patience is key here. In early positions, you have to be extra tight. You can only play premium holdings from this spot. Middle positions, you're allowed to play a little looser, but only slightly and late positions only slightly looser than that. You can't play silly draws or "favorite rag hands" right now. You don't have a lot of chips, so you don't want to put you money in the pot on needless draws and waste a better opportunity later on.

The good thing about playing tight is you have chances to steal the blinds, thus making your stay at the table last a little longer. When you come in for a raise in late position, other players will notice you have not played many hands. You can raise with marginal hands from the cut off, button and small blind as long as there are no limpers in the pot up this point. However, being short stacked, other people are able to pick off your blinds easier.

This can be a very frustrating experience. Playing short stacked isn't easy because it requires a lot of patience. There are chances to get your money back and get back in the game. Just don't throw away money needlessly.