Message Board : 50BB V 100BB Stacks

Playing at the $100 buy in, online, I tend to vary my buy in from 50BB to the max. When playing with a 50BB stack there appears a large number of players who are willing to commit 50BB of their 100BB stacks with weaker 1 pair hands and draws, but are unwilling to commit the same amount of BB versus an equal stack size. In other words they may fold a given hand long before you reach the 50BB mark, when there is 100BB+ behind, yet commit when 50BB is the effective stack size.

 Obviously it is not always a case of bet/bet in these situations and there is room for a certain amount of creativity to achieve the all-in but the ease with which these hands can be played for more profit with the shorter stack leads me to this question:

Can a 50BB stack be as profitable as a 100BB stack given the right circumstances? Obviously larger hands cannot be paid off as handsomely and bluffing leverage is cut proportionately with your stack size but is this compensated for by the willingness of players to commit against your stronger one pair hands?

Karbyn

I was thinking whether 50BB stacks can be as  profitable as 100BB stacks given the right circumstances. Short stacking is usually a strategic move making decisions easier, useful for new players and when you may feel unsure of your ability at a given table. But, can shorter stacks (50BB+ specifically) be, not just profitbale, but as profitbale as the larger stacks if the circumstances are right?

Karbyn

 You said you find it easier to make 50BB with a 50BB stack than with a 100BB stack and that is also my experience. I play regularly with 100BB stacks, either from the buy in or after doubling up 50BB, and it always seems, challenging and enjoyable, but much harder work. Whether this is because I don’t play a larger stack as well as I could or because it is easier to make money with a smaller stack at the levels I play at I am not sure. Basically, there seems less scope to use the advantages that a larger stack gives the better player than there does to get all in against weaker hands with the smaller stack.