Small balling

[jimmer]

Discuss.

Could somebody explain to me how you play differently or what you 'do' differently when small balling compared to the norm (or technically correct move at least)? Presumably from using the same scenario you could get two separate outcomes???? - but I don't have a clue how or why?

[Ciso_B]

When I refer to "smallball" I'm implying that I'm playing pot control, not playing big pots, opting for conservative routes in hands etc. It's basically not seeking out coin flips, but rather chopping up little by little, giving the impression that maybe you're looser than you are when in reality only being involved in big pots with big hands.(Its important to note that this style is geared more for people who play relatively well post flop and not prone to overplaying marginal hands).

The out comes can be different cos if you play a more big bet style of poker, you're typically going to be involved in more allin pre flop scenarios and likely be out early or have gotten lucky and perhaps got a big stack.
Although not im not a huge fan of the big bet style , it does have its merit though. If you take 5 coin flips and win them all , now you have a chance of making serious money. This style of play is more volatile results wise imo. Traits of this style are opening for larger than 3.5x/4x , re shoving light often, calling shoves with hands that you really dont have to eg- small pairs, aj,kq etc.

[HalfSugar]

(Its important to note that this style is geared more for people who play relatively well post flop)

This part is huge. If you are not good post flop, this is not even nearly going to work.

[golddog]

(Its important to note that this style is geared more for people who play relatively well post flop)

This part is huge. If you are not good post flop, this is not even nearly going to work.

Well, not for you. It'll work great for your opponents.

[jimmer]

Ok, so if it's about pot control, should I be limping more preflop (hence keeping the pot small and seeing if i hit on the flop)?

and if so, this should naturally mean i play a slightly wider range of starting hands right?

[Ciso_B]

no you shouldn't be doing that much limping still imo, it doesn't cost much to be the agressor in a hand , so I lean toward always opening unlesss somone themselves have limped, then its okayish to limp behind with speculative hands.

1 of the key things about "smallballing" is picking up the pots that noyone shows interest in or orphan pots, limping in and playing hands weakly doesn't really accomplish this.

Yes, a wider range jimmer, but still stay agressive. If you try to play limp poker at any reasonably skilled table online, they'll beat up on you and it will be really frustrating.

I like to call it "being in the driver seat" of a hand, you want to be the one in the lead, you want to be the one dictating the action, don't be the one guessing, dont be the one being being trampled on. Make your opponents make decisions imo.

[jeffonline]

I have this idea about small balling, Only possible when deep and against deep stacks, mostly disregard AA KK QQ and AK play these as normal, the goal is to make a big hand as cheaply as possible, see a lot of cheap flops with hands that can make something better than TPGK or Two pair, mostly call best after other limpers instead of raising pre flop, do not raise an amount that will limit the field, we are looking for several + in a hand, call small bets 3xbb only after others have called or are most likely to call (eg fold if drawing and an aggressive player is yet to act and likely RR), we are looking for odds to continue, if you bet, bet only half pots in the early rounds instead of 2/3, 3/4 or full pots, all pairs 22-JJ treat like drawing hands looking for trips, suited connectors splits and AXs all can be played from middle and late positions. As previously stated this style is for players who believe they have a post flop advantage.

I think cisco makes some important observations.

[goodfoot]

I'm in a free poker league and I recently started playing more small ball because I realized I was getting the same amount of callers whether I minraised or 4bet my hand. Sometimes when I showdown with a great starting hand after minraising, I can possibly steal the blinds with just a minraise.

[AHBrownell]

I tend to play lots of small ball when I can get in cheap and I have position.

If you have a table that likes to make HUGE preflop raises, or raises limpers often, then you especially need to pay heed to both of those points.

If I can get away with it, I'll play just about every hand under these circumstances - and if its checked to me on the flop, I'm betting if I hit anything resembling a piece of it, or I think based on the board texture I can pick it up.

I think what a few people mentioned here is spot on - the point is control / chance to hit the lottery. Basically you want to win lots of small pots because people are playing cautiously, and then occasionally you will hit BIG, and when that happens with a hand like 46os, and some guy with a pair of TT on a 357 board goes crazy, you can win a LOT of chips.

I'm a big believer that playing poker IS playing small ball. If you are simply shipping it in with AK against 55, you are very, very, very rarely going to make it very deep. Phil Gordon made a comment once that I think is so good to keep in mind as to why BIG BET poker is inferior to small ball --- "Any time you are all-in, you might be all-out." If you rarely show your cards, then you don't have to have the best hand to win chips.