Part: Part Eleven - Short Tables

Hand values rise short-handed

Pre-flop
6-handed • Blinds 400 / 800Pot 1,200 (1.5 BB)COK♣8♦● 20,000 (25 BB)YOUfolded to youSB● 20,000 (25 BB)posts 400 (0.5 BB)BB● 20,000 (25 BB)posts 800 (1 BB)D

Six-handed now. It folds to you on the cutoff with K♣8♦.

Six-handed, folded to you on the cutoff with K♣8♦. Best?

WhyOpen-raise. With fewer players, the blinds come around faster and fewer opponents can hold a big hand, so hand values rise - K-8 offsuit becomes a profitable cutoff open that would be marginal at a full table.
What happensYou raise; the blinds fold.  Short-handed, this is a clear open.
Six-handed, K-8 offsuit is a routine open from the cutoff - with fewer players, ranges widen because hand values rise and the blinds cost you more often.

Hand values rise as the table shrinks - open a wider range short-handed than you would at a full table.