6-Max vs Heads Up vs Full
Ring
There are three main types of
table formats in modern day poker, 6-Max, Heads
Up, and Full Ring. 6-Max tables are just as they
sound, tables built for up to 6 players at a
time. HU tables are Heads Up, meaning that only
2 players are allowed to play any given hand.
Full Ring tables accommodate either 9 or 10
players. There are many differences between
these three different types of set ups, some of
them are subtle and some are extremely apparent.
Different players will be best suited for
different games, while some will be able to play
well in all three. One of the easiest ways to
help your bottom line is to determine which type
of game works best with your playing style.
6-Max
6-Max games have been growing
in popularity ever since the advent of online
poker. They are the number one alternative for
Full Ring and HU players alike. 6-Max offers
some of the aggression that HU players love, but
also allows more passive players to generate
positive earnings. TAG players will find that
6-Max is their best fit. TAG players are tight
and aggressive, two traits that are a necessity
for any winning 6-Max player. It is important
that a 6-Max player be aggressive at the table,
but it is also important that they pick their
spots carefully. Weak, passive players will
ultimately end up being eaten alive as there is
not enough time to sit around and wait for a
hand.
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Heads Up
If you want to play Heads Up
you will need to be extremely aggressive. There
are virtually no hands that are an automatic
fold and the ability to steal blind after blind
will help you to realize most of your profits.
Just as in all forms of poker, winning the small
pots is crucial to long term success. A unique
aspect of HU play is the ridiculous variance. It
is not all that uncommon for a solid HU player
to go on 10 or 20 buy in downswings. This is one
of the reasons that some of the best players shy
away from the HU tables. While there is
certainly a ton of money to be made as a HU
player, there is just as much to be lost. Only
the most controlled and disciplined players will
be able to make steady profits playing HU.
Full Ring
Full Ring is the classic
poker setting. 9 or 10 players sit around a full
poker table and the action is somewhat slow. You
will have to wait for 8 or 9 other players to
act when playing Full Ring while you would only
have to face a few playing 6-Max or just one
when playing HU. Full Ring’s greatest benefit is
derived from this large amount of players. Since
there are so many players and the blinds get
around at a relatively slow pace, players can
simply wait for a hand. These players would be
the tightest of the tight players, only getting
involved when they have the most premium of
hands. The very tight players won’t earn huge
profits at a Full Ring game, but they will be
able to profit nonetheless. The ideal playing
style for Full Ring would be similar to that of
6-Max, tight and aggressive.
