Whether it is you playing as the short stack, or playing against the short stack at the table, timing, boldness and a little luck is required.

What is short stacked

To understand if you are short stacked, you need to interpret readily available information and know what to compare your chip stack to.

The initial point of comparison should be your stack to the current blind level, knowing also, what and when the next level increase will be. At no time should you make the tournament chip leader or table chip leader your point of reference; it is just your stack versus the game structure.

You should be aware of the average chip holding in the tournament, but again should not use that to decide if you are short stacked. If you have an average stack (or just below) you are not short stacked. It is often profitable to maintain an average chip position right through to a multi-table tournament final table. The tournament structure and average stack information is available at an online poker tournament registration page, and live tournament notice board.

In a multi table tournament: your position is unhealthy when you have around fifteen to twenty big blinds. At that point you should be prepared to lower your starting hand requirements hoping to earn chips. Only when having ten to fifteen big blinds are you short stacked and now need to adopt a short stack strategy. Be bold with your betting and positive of the outcome.

In a single table tournament: there are less chips in play so you may often still feel healthy with ten big blinds, but will be short at seven big blinds.

Playing as the short stack

Pick your moments and your opponents. The best chance to win most poker hands is to isolate your opposition. Look to get all your chips into the pot if you believe by doing so you will not be called or you have a very good chance of winning.

As an example, if short stacked playing no-limit Hold'em in a multi table tournament; a small pocket pair or a big ace may be the first semi decent hand you have picked up for a while. Pushing all-in from early order may be the right move to make in many situations, but you should not feel committed to make that play.

However, if everyone has folded to you in late position, you should push all-in in a heartbeat. Often this strategy will pick up the blinds without opposition, though if called you will mostly find yourself in a classic poker race (smaller pair versus two over cards).

Thank your lucky stars if the hand stands up; or leave head held high if it doesn't.

If from mid table you are dealt pocket cards that you may like to see a flop with, assess who is yet to act before entering the hand. If later players are aggressive, they are likely to raise your bet forcing you all-in; if players yet to act are passive, a reasonable bet from you may make them fold.

Often when the short stack bets one third of their remaining stack, it tells the table, "I am prepared to make this my last hand." It can be as valuable as an all-in bet. When the time comes for you, mix your play between the two.

The worst strategy you can adopt as the short stack is to limp into a number of hands trying to make something happen; mostly you will just bleed off your remaining chips.

Playing against the short stack

When you have a dominant stack in online or live poker, the short stack players are looking to double through on you; it is not your responsibility to take them on.

If you choose to call a short stack with cards likely to put you in a race, then do so provided you are not calling more than 10% of your stack. At that amount, a loss will not hurt you too much and will leave you with a significant lead over the short stack.

If you are controlling a hand, try to isolate a short stack and force them to fold by raising their bets in an uncompromising fashion. Make sure when you do this that you have a hand, as the bullied player may decide to make a stand.

If the short stack has a substantial amount of chips in the pot; before you enter the hand you should consider if they are likely to make a stand.

Timing is king

It is a delicate balance; if your short stack becomes too low then a double up may not see you back to a healthy position. You are also more likely to get multiple calls, as your all-in bet may be an insta-call for a number of the larger stacks. The more players in a pot, the less chance you may have of winning.

However if you are hasty, you may have pulled the pin too soon when pocket aces may have been your next hand.

As a caveat; if the paying places are in bands (e.g. places 300-251 pays $1 places 250-201 pays $2 etc and the 301st player has just left) you may consider making an early move to bring you closer to the next pay band.

Be aware of your table position, if you have just paid the blinds you may have 8 more free hands to pick up a monster.

Lastly, put yourself in the shoes of other players; are they likely to pull the pin before you do, meaning, you gain places without playing a hand.