A short stack is the player at the table with the least amount of chips. They are weak and vulnerable to attack.

Eliminating the short stack is especially important in poker tournaments. It can mean the difference between placing in-the-money or not. It can also be very easy. When there is a short stack player at your table, your goal is to never let them see the flop unless they are pot committed. Depending on how small their chip stack is, you can make them bet half of their chips (or more) just to see the flop, each and every time. They will automatically be pot-committed. If they fold, you will have taken more of their money and they will barely have enough for the blinds and the ante. You must be aggressive when dealing with them. There is no worse feeling in the world than letting the short stack see the flop for cheap (or free) with a marginal hand, hit something, and go all in and double or triple up to become a contender once again.

So, don’t be afraid to pull the trigger and eliminate them from the game. They are the easiest players to eliminate as it only requires a medium sized bet. You can even play some poker games and practice picking on the short stack. You will be amazed how effective it can be.