Tips for Playing with a Big Stack

If you are playing a game of poker with a big stack, you'll have to play aggressively. Remember that a big stack position is a position of power, and that your aim is to force all of the smaller stacks out while you're still in the lead with your chips. To do this, you'll want to call their bets and prompt them to fold.

Handling the Small Stacks

Small stacks are generally considered to be chip stacks worth 10K or less. If you're playing a higher stakes tournament, they could be anything less than 20K; it just depends on the game. To eliminate these small stacks, you'll want to call and raise their bets, or re-raise on their bets (using the 3 bet strategy). This will force them to either go all in or fold their cards.

Know Your Odds

While you need to play aggressively to push the small stack players out early, you do still need to employ some calculated strategy before you do so. Determine your odds of beating a player's hand and taking their small stack before making a move. Generally, you have some wiggle room in this regard, but your odds should be at least 40% in your favor before you decide to call.

Go for the weakest players first. Often, these are the players with small stacks who also play tight. Moreover, remember to switch up your strategy from time to time. In other words, don't play aggressively throughout the entire game or else players will be able to anticipate your every move.