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6-max and 9-max tournaments

6-max tournaments seat up to six players per table. 9-max (full ring) seats up to nine. Fewer players means you are in the blinds more often and must play more hands.

How it works

With six players, the blinds come around faster, so stealing and defending matter more. Ranges are wider in every position compared with 9-max.

Worked example

At a 9-max table you pay the blinds 2 hands out of 9. At 6-max it's 2 out of 6, so waiting for premium hands is costlier.

Strategy tips

  1. Widen opening ranges in 6-max, especially from the cutoff and button.
  2. Defend your big blind more often against late-position steals.
  3. In 9-max, early positions should be tight. There are more players to act behind you.
  4. Aggression wins more pots short-handed. Continuation-bet with a plan.
  5. Adjust when a table breaks and you move from 6-handed play to a fuller table.

Common mistakes

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FAQ

What is a 6-max and 9-max tournament?

6-max tournaments seat up to six players per table. 9-max (full ring) seats up to nine. Fewer players means you are in the blinds more often and must play more hands.

Is 6-max harder than 9-max?

It needs more hands and aggression. Many players find it more action-packed.

Related guides

Shootout and heads-up · Turbo and hyper-turbo

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