Updated: May 30, 2023 6:29 am
The aim of this article is to make life easy for you if you are confused while playing with deep stacks (150bb+). This lesson will teach you how to:
Reduce preflop bet size
3-bet and 4-bet on the right hands when you’re deeply stacked
Change your post-flop strategy
Let’s get started!
Deep Stack definition
Deep stacks are typically large stacks in cash games, over 100 bbs, or high stacks in tournaments, compared to antes and the blinds. This is why tournaments are often called so.
Preflop Bet Sizing
You should keep your sizing the same if you want to play 100 bbs deep when you open-raise preflop. Increase your big blinds to 2.5 if you normally increase it to 2.5 and if you typically raise your blinds to 4, raise your blinds to 4 etc.
As a position player, you should also place the same amount of money on 3 bets. In position, you always get to act last, so you have the advantage. In a situation with a high stack-to-pot ratio, you can deny your opponents the chance to see the flop, so you do not change your sizing in this situation. Your opponent will have a very difficult time navigating this situation post-flop.
When you’re not in position, you should use smaller bet sizes. In the case where your opponent has a 200 bb stack and opens to 2.5 bbs, making the blinds 8 bbs rather than 9 bbs is a good move.
When four-betting, the principles remain the same. Keeping your size the same when playing in position and slightly decreasing it out of position is a good idea.
3 Betting Ranges
You do not have to adjust your range when 3-betting in position. Your opponent must adjust his range to 3-bet in position. But you have to make a few adjustments to your betting range when you 3-bet out of position:
Consider that you use a larger bet size, I would recommend polarizing your range more and avoiding getting into extraordinarily large pots with medium-strength hands. A better board coverage for your range can also be achieved by 3-betting with the right connectors. The advantage of this is huge onboard runouts which are of a great disadvantage to a typical 3-bet range. On a 6 5 2 T 3 board, it’s a bad idea to have to call 200 bbs with an overpair on the river. By using 3betting with preferred connectors, this problem can be avoided. It is still extremely valuable to have suited axe hands in flush vs flush situations since they are capable of winning extremely large pots. That’s why you should feel comfortable continuing to 3bet with them.
Based on the solver from Poker Snowie you can continue to use a 3-betting range for 100 bbs and 300 bbs deep. PS preflop solutions do not depend on stack depth. From the perspective of a human player, it will be easier to not make mistakes by tightening up.
Furthermore, you will find several platform – including BonusCodePoker– where you are exposed to fair betting conditions.
4 Betting ranges
The 4-betting ranges don’t require you to raise your light for value. While both are true, the reasons for each are different. You should call a 3-bet more often when you are in the position since it places your opponent in this tough position after the flop. As a result, a flat call is useful when holding premium hands.
The goal is to reduce the disadvantages and save your range when faced with an out of position 3-bet. Thus, the best way to play premium hands is to flat-call. AA and KK can also be flatted if your opponent is aggressive and how deep they are in the pot. After getting deeper in the game and going after aggressive players who are likely to pile chips post-flop, it is less likely that you will 4-bet AA and KK.
Postflop Strategy
It’s best to make the most post-flop adjustments when you’re out of position and the preflop raiser. Because the biggest stack-to-pot ratio change occurs here, this is the most important deep stack adjustment. Considering the pot depth, you may need to take a more defensive approach.
In other words, you will need to make more checks, more phone calls, place fewer bets and raise fewer checks. It will be particularly valuable for aggressive opponents who constantly try to reach perceived capped ranges. You shouldn’t have to change your strategy in other post-flop situations, like 3-bet or 4-bet pots that come up when you’re the preflop raiser.
Conclusion
Depending on how you set yourself up from preflop, playing deep stacked can be a breeze, but it is daunting. You can navigate with confidence if you make the adjustments we discussed here, as well as put your opponents in a difficult position.
