Cash Game - tables with 6 or 9 players?

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When playing cash games, I feel difficulties at tables with 6 players.
Is it ideal to play at tables with 6 or 9 players?
I want to emphasize the aspect of hand ranges over the value to be earned at tables with 9 players, since it becomes much larger.
 
6-max is usually better. You play more hands, improve faster, and make more profit because there is more action and weaker players make more mistakes. That's i heard years ago from some the interview. And even i play MTT and if i want to play some cash i can play only on 6-max cash games for me it is better than 8 or 9 max.
 
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I play both types, but my preference is the 9-player version.
 
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I had difficulty in playing against 6 players when zoom nl5 9max was stopped from pokerstars , gradually I was forced to try 6 max , watch online tables love or later in game history , in games replays .I learned many things , I feel better now , but still not comfortable . I get bluffed many times . But nowadays I rarely play cash games , now I am rusty .
 
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I prefer 9 players because if I drove an hour or more to play live poker, I want to last long enough to get entertainment value…yes, I want to win some money, but if I doubled my stack in the first hand, I wouldn’t get up and go…I would continue playing…having 9 players allows you to play conservatively, picking your spots for aggression.
 
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I prefer being completely surrounded by structure — ranges of motion are more restricted, especially in starting positions, and it seems easier to understand what people actually have.
But in practice, I end up playing more 6-player tables for one simple reason: availability. There are more tables available and it's easier to find good games.
To me, 9-max seems more comfortable, but 6-max is simply more practical.
 
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7-max is ideal actually. 🙂 If your site allows it.
 
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veryluckyfish7k said:
6-max is usually better. You play more hands, improve faster, and make more profit because there is more action and weaker players make more mistakes. That's i heard years ago from some the interview. And even i play MTT and if i want to play some cash i can play only on 6-max cash games for me it is better than 8 or 9 max.
Click to expand...
The problem, in my humble opinion, is that the variation changes depending on the number of players per table.
I could be wrong 😅
 
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RonanPERNA said:
I play both types, but my preference is the 9-player version.
Click to expand...
I personally prefer nine-player games, especially when it comes to cash games.
 
They say the more players there are, the more chaos there is. But in reality, control is greater with 5-7 players, no more and no less.
 
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antonis32123 said:
I had difficulty in playing against 6 players when zoom nl5 9max was stopped from pokerstars , gradually I was forced to try 6 max , watch online tables love or later in game history , in games replays .I learned many things , I feel better now , but still not comfortable . I get bluffed many times . But nowadays I rarely play cash games , now I am rusty .
Click to expand...
I'm skeptical about Zoom games. I have a feeling there are bots 😅.
I don't play Zoom;
I frequently lose hands with absurdly favorable odds for me.

martinlgs said:
They say the more players there are, the more chaos there is. But in reality, control is greater with 5-7 players, no more and no less.
Click to expand...
Martinlgs,
Chaos often exists at cash game tables, but I notice even more chaos at smaller tables. Players read us more easily, allowing for more frequent bluffs.
This is my humble opinion.😅

SPANKYSN said:
I prefer 9 players because if I drove an hour or more to play live poker, I want to last long enough to get entertainment value…yes, I want to win some money, but if I doubled my stack in the first hand, I wouldn’t get up and go…I would continue playing…having 9 players allows you to play conservatively, picking your spots for aggression.
Click to expand...
He translated my thoughts…👏🏻

burro said:
I prefer being completely surrounded by structure — ranges of motion are more restricted, especially in starting positions, and it seems easier to understand what people actually have.
But in practice, I end up playing more 6-player tables for one simple reason: availability. There are more tables available and it's easier to find good games.
To me, 9-max seems more comfortable, but 6-max is simply more practical.
Click to expand...
you have a point…🤨
 
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9 is for the nits 6 max is where the real play rolls
 
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I prefer 6 max because it’s more dynamic and you get more opportunities to play and improve.
But 9 max is usually easier, since players are tighter and the game is more straightforward.
 
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I'm used to 9 or 8 players at a table. It's a familiar format for me. I mostly ignore 6-player tables.
 
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6-max isn’t “worse” or “better” — it simply requires a different approach. And if it feels difficult right now, that’s completely normal.
The main difference is ranges.
In 6-max, you have to play significantly wider:
more opens from early positions
more blind defense
more aggression overall
In 9-max, it’s the opposite:
tighter ranges
more solid, “classic” play
fewer marginal decisions
Why 6-max feels harder:
you face more borderline spots
more pressure and aggression
you need stronger postflop understanding
What’s “ideal”:
if you want stability and simpler ranges → 9-max
if you want faster improvement and deeper understanding → 6-max
If your goal is to improve your ranges:
6-max is more beneficial because it:
forces you to think wider
teaches you to play more hands in different situations
In short:
9-max is about fundamentals and discipline.
6-max is about growth and depth.
 
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9
It doesn't matter if it's a tournament or a real money game. The ideal number is the highest. It's used when you have strong hands, allowing you to maximize your profits. Obviously, it's riskier, but the potential earnings per hand are higher.
 
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I like playing at 6-player tables because I think you play more hands and the action doesn't stop all the time, plus you can apply the strategies you have.
 
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I prefer 9-seater cash game poker tables, but that type of table is becoming less and less popular. Many poker rooms offer 9-seater cash game tables with ante, and I don't like that.
 
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