AVP resident pro Benton Blakeman discusses the different strategies and optimal playing styles for full-ring and six-max poker cash games.

My last article touched on several hands that my student played online and spoke to different lines he could have taken to improve his overall results. Since those sessions, we have encountered a roadblock that I thought was worthy of discussing in this week’s strategy article — which game is best for him?

Both of the two most prominent forms of cash games online are variations of no-limit hold’em. Full-ring is the first, and it consists of nine-handed tables. The second, and possibly more popular, variation is where six players play at a table rather than the standard nine. This type of game is often referred to as "six-max."

These two games, which are identical from a rules standpoint, utilize very different skillsets. Some skillsets that are mostly unnecessary when playing full-ring are extremely valuable and necessary when playing six-max. So, which game is right for you? I can't assess each AVPer’s strengths and weaknesses, so it's a decision that you'll have to make on your own, but I can outline the skillsets needed for each. After an honest self-evaluation of your strengths and weaknesses, you should be able to conclude which variation best fits your style, thus finding the game in which your assets shine.

Full-Ring

The first variation I'd like to dive into is the most traditional form, full-ring. Full-ring is what you see in a casino day to day. When playing full-ring, there are four main positions. The first is the blinds, both the small and big. The small blind normally posts half or a third the amount of the big blind and acts first post-flop. The big blind posts an amount equal to the minimum bet at the table ($2 in a $1-$2 no-limit game) and acts second post-flop. The blinds place their bets before the cards are dealt, thus starting the betting action in a hand. Next is early position, which is comprised of the first three players to act after the big blind. The next two players are considered to be in middle position, and the final two players are categorized as being in late position.

Full-ring is generally played "tighter" than six-max by good players. Good players rarely play bad hands from early position. In contrast, a lot of bad players tend to limp in with speculative hands from early and middle position, which can lead to many profitable spots for the better players to raise these limpers. This is often referred to as isolating them, or an isolation play. The better player tends to raise, and the worse player calls the raise heads-up and out of position, and will often check-fold to the better player’s continuation-bet. A lot of profit can be found playing this way.

Full-ring is pretty straightforward. Better players raise their value hands from all positions and play a few more speculative hands from later positions, but normally play them aggressively by taking the initiative and raising preflop. It is a simple game on the surface, which tends to attract casual players.

The better players have learned that the ultimate key to full-ring is getting value from their better hands and saving money by not putting themselves in bad spots out of position. Simply put, the players who show the greatest profit don't make big hero calls, but rather make smarter value-bets and save money when they are behind. Preflop play isn't very tricky in full-ring. There is less light three-betting and more post-flop play.

Six-Max

In contrast, six-max no-limit is extremely aggressive, and preflop play is paramount. By design, six-max essentially eliminates early position and is broken down into three positions — the blinds, the first two spots to the left of the blinds, and the last two spots, which are considered late position. With the blinds coming around much more often, players tend to force the action in an effort to stay ahead of the blinds. There is much less limping and a lot more preflop raising.

With an increase in preflop raising, there is also in increase in preflop three- and four-betting. This is because players are naturally open-raising with much lighter hands than in full-ring, so better players three-bet lighter to combat this and win these pots, often uncontested.

With all of these factors in play, six-max no-limit tends to favor the more aggressive playing style, and it also favors the player who can hand-read very well. This is an essential component to being a successful six-max player.

Six-max tends to be a more pure form of poker with many more bluffs and complex post-flop decisions. Because of these factors, six-max generally attracts better poker players who are very proficient at thinking through hands. These players normally can demolish a weaker opponent during a session because the format of six-max forces weaker opponents to play more hands than in full-ring.

The drawback to six-max is that there are only six seats at a table, so naturally there will be fewer "fish" who fill these seats and more seasoned regulars waiting to scoop up the money. With a lack of sub-par players, the regulars are often left to battle each other while waiting on their prey. This can often lead to amazing hands with multiple leveling wars. A leveling war is simply two regulars in a game of "chess" wherein each is trying to predict the other’s move before they make it.

This doesn't mean that six-max games are unbeatable. They are definitely the easiest games in which to beat the fish, as good players will be in more hands with the fish at the table. But where there are fish, there are sharks, and there is no better place to find sharks congregating than in the six-max games, just anxiously awaiting their next prey to sit down.

If you take the time to really analyze your game and see where your strengths and weaknesses are, I have faith that you'll find the right game for you. As for my student, he has decided to play full-ring games for the time being. He is still uncomfortable with the three- and four-betting that is prevalent in six-max and prefers the more straightforward style that full-ring affords.

Whichever path you choose, there is value to be found and money to be made. Good luck at the tables!

This discussion continues in our AVP Forum. Please click HERE to join in and read more!