Playing tight in split pot games

One of the most basic fundamentals of playing split pot games is to go for scoop pots. And one of the ways that you can ensure that this will happen is playing premium hands that have nut draws. If you play too many hands you will often be going for the second or third nuts in one direction and in full ring games you will be punished.

In fact, split pot games have the unique variable that the bad players get worse and worse the more long-handed the game is and get accidentally better the shorter the game becomes. You see, as the game gets shorter it becomes more correct to call down in pots that will be split. And we all now that bad players are usually poor because they call down too much and are incapable of folding. 



Especially in low ante games playing tighter is going to be a huge advantage in split pot games. The opposite is true with higher antes but in my experience because there is so much action in split pot games anyway you will rarely find a game that is structured this way. Unlike no limit holdem where playing inordinately tight can sometimes stunt your growth, playing super tight in split pot games can only keep you out of trouble.

One of the things that will also improve the skill of your game is watching the players who play too many hands get into sticky spots. If you are playing as tight as I am advocating you certainly will have the time. Especially multiway, notice how many bets are lost by these loose guys going for lows such as A3 and A4 or seeing the river with non-nut flush draws. It may be a little boring but especially for people transitioning from no limit holdem take solace in the fact that you can easily have a leg up on more experienced competition by just playing tighter than them in a full ring setting.