Intermediate MTT Strategies for Six-Plus Hold’em Owen Gaines Owen Gaines is a professional poker player and author who has played an estimated ten million hands and written four poker strategy books. December 12, 2025 Players who understand adjusted hand strength and stay aggressive when needed will make deep runsSix-Plus (or Short Deck) Hold’em tournaments demand a mindset shift from traditional no-limit formats. With smaller decks and altered hand rankings, equities run closer together. In multi-table tournaments, understanding this compressed variance is key to long-term survival. Preflop ranges should widen, but not blindly. Premium pairs lose some relative strength, while suited connectors and broadways gain value due to increased straight and flush frequency. Position still matters, yet aggression becomes more profitable earlier than in standard Hold’em.Postflop play rewards initiative. Since top pair is less dominant, continuation betting should be more selective and often smaller. Players who can apply pressure on later streets, especially on paired or dynamic boards, tend to accumulate chips faster.Stack depth awareness is crucial in Six-Plus MTTs. Shallow stacks force more high-variance spots, making push-fold decisions arrive earlier in the tournament. Adjusting before reaching that zone allows players to preserve fold equity and avoid desperation shoves.Bluffing works differently in this format. Because strong hands appear more often, pure bluffs lose effectiveness, while semi-bluffs increase in value. Drawing hands with blockers should be played assertively, particularly against capped ranges near the bubble.ICM pressure shows up sooner than expected. With frequent big pots and fast chip swings, survival-focused play becomes important as payouts approach. Tightening slightly while exploiting opponents who overvalue medium holdings can create clear advantages.Final table strategy requires discipline. Chip leaders can apply relentless pressure, but recklessness is punished quickly. Short stacks should look for spots with live cards rather than waiting for perfect holdings that may never come.