Since short handed holdem is all about playing against very few opponents, the skills required to do well in this version of the game is completely different. Also the strategy used differs from the ring games. While playing short handed holdem, it is important that you find the weak players first.

This is important because if you find a weak player your job becomes much easier and you can target the weak player. It’s easier to deceiver them and all you have to do is to call the flop bet and then if they check the turn card to you, you know that they don’t have anything. Remember that the chances of getting a good card in short handed holdem is very low. Use this to your advantage.

And on the other hand, if you have a player who would always bet if you check, you wouldn’t need to call him down with much to win. Also, if you find that a player does not bluff then you can use it against him. These are the kink of players you would love to have at the table. It’s easy to beat a player who never bluffs.

It’s simply because a player who never bluffs will not bet or raise into you unless they hit up on a strong card and in such situations you could easily fold knowing that its not a bluff. In holdem your ability to gather information of your opponents matter a lot. More the information you get, better are your chances of using it against them and thereby winning.

Knowing what your opponents have definitely gives you a an extra edge over all others. Also, its very important make sure that limited information is passed out to your opponents so that they don’t get to use anything against you.

Your goal should be to get all the information possible of your opponents and figure out their style of play and then exploit it against them. It wouldn’t be easy for you to get the information from all the players as they all will play their hands differently so as to be unpredictable.

However, with some experience it’s not very difficult to figure out the style of play. In an ideal world you would want to sit with a player who wouldn’t be tricky at all. This is like asking for too much as everybody at the table is out there to win money rather than give away.

Bluffing definitely helps during the short handed game however it has to be executed well. While bluffing, target players who are playing tight as the chances of success is high compared to loose players. Be sure to use the check raise bluff and check raise semi bluff on the turn. It helps you in becoming a pro at short handed holdem.

Bluffing is not the only way to win the game and to execute it well you need to be confident. This requires a lot of practice and experience. Don’t try to pull off a bluff against more experienced players as they would definitely see through your bluff. Always respect your opponents and never underestimate their skill. This should help you in improving your game.