What is a Short Stack in Poker?
1 minute
Last Updated: January 9, 2024
A short stack in poker is a situation in which you’re playing with fewer chips compared to your opponents or have a low amount of chips compared to the cost of the blinds. There’s no precise rule that defines when a player is short-stacked, but having anything less than 15 to 20 times the big blind can generally constitute as a short stack.
Short Stack Poker Example:
You’re playing a poker tournament and have 800 chips left, with the blinds being 100/200. Your opponents have at least 4,000 chips. As the number of chips you have is low compared to the blinds and what the other players at the table have, you’re playing with a short stack.
