As “small-ball poker” has taken over, pioneered by a few elite players and later reinforced by poker-solver solutions, the trickle-down effect has in fact hurt many recreational players, encouraging even more passivity in spots where they were already playing too tight.
Take open-shoving ranges for example. Most players understand they can profitably shove hands like 66 and KTs with 15bbs from UTG +1 (though for many even that seems too loose). But how about from the button with 20 big blinds? Are you jamming your low pairs, low suited aces, and hands like A7o, A8o and QTs at or near full frequency like the solver does?
And what about at 25BB from the small blind, are you open-shoving your weak offsuit aces and hands like K5o and Q6o at low frequency for balance? Because if not, according to the solver, you’re not jamming enough.
The Problem With Small Ball Poker
Small-ball strategy tells you that you should play a lot of small pots, keep variance low, and avoid high-risk spots unless necessary, which is wonderful advice for professional players who are well studied on a wide variety of postflop scenarios (ace-high boards, low connected board, paired boards, single high-card boards etc. etc. etc.). However, for the average recreational player, this approach is unlikely to outperform just taking their equity when they can get it.
Because the truth is that even though small-ball poker might feel safer, it’s actually just delaying the pain. Limping with A2s, for example, feels like a good approach—until you miss the flop and get forced to fold all your equity by an opponent with gutshot and no-showdown value. Min-raising pocket threes feels like the right play until you miss the flop, see your c-bet get floated, and find yourself guessing for the rest of the hand.
So What’s The Solution?
Obviously it makes sense to reduce your variance at the poker table, but it’s equally important to be honest in your self-assessment. Do you feel comfortable enough with your poker game to face complicated spots against more experienced players, or does it make more sense to put them on their heels, maximize your fold equity, and avoid sacrificing your own equity unnecessarily?
Remember, we’re not talking about high-varianced punts, these shoves are calculated plays that are solver-approved within a small-ball approach. And if it feels scary, good! That means you’re stepping out of passive, small-ball thinking and applying the kind of pressure that breeds deep tournament runs.
So regardless if you’ve already started wading into the small-ball waters, or would like to, make sure you’re first applying it in situations that are right for you, namely when deep-stacked, in position, with a hand that plays well across multiple streets. Otherwise, shove your chips into the middle and take your equity when you can—your bankroll will thank you.
