Gigabet Strategy

The Gigabet strategy was named after the online poker player that created it, who goes by the screen name Gigabet. It is an advanced concept and blends in multiple theories relating to ICM models, chip stacks and inflection points. In short, a player’s strategy depends on the size of his chip stack relating to the blinds.

For example, if a player has about 17 big blinds, he is going to be in a 3 betting strategy. That is, his optimal play at 100-200 blinds is to wait for some to raise to 600 and then go all in for 3600. This is the optimal play because his stack size is the perfect size in terms of fold equity and the amount he stands to win. He has a chance to increase his chip stack by 16% and there is a great chance he will not even have to show his hand down.

At the same time, if that chip stack falls to something like 10 big blinds, his strategy changes. This is because if someone raises to 600 and he goes all in for 2000, he has almost no fold equity. The point is, between 17 big blinds and 10 big blinds, the chip stack went through an inflection point, or strategy change based on stack size.

The Gigabet strategy is quite unique in its philosophy. Looking back at the above scenario, it was said that at 17 big blinds, the player’s optimal strategy was to 3 bet all in. In theory, 3 betting would still be his optimal strategy if his chip stack were 18 big blinds and even 15 big blinds. In fact, 3 betting would be the best strategy anywhere between 12-18 big blinds. The Gigabet strategy therefore says that if a player is at the top of that range, somewhere around 17 or 18 big blinds, the chip difference between 18 big blinds and 12 big blinds has no real value and can be risked loosely to pick up more chips.

For example, at 100-200 blinds, a 3600 chip stack and a 2400 chip stack has the same the same optimal strategy. Gigabet says that if a player has 3600 chips, he has 1200 chips to gamble with, since his strategy will still be the same even if he loses all of the 1200 chips. He should therefore risk those 1200 chips even when he knows he isn’t putting his money in ahead in order to increase his stack and move up to a higher inflection point where 3 betting no longer is the optimal play and instead open raising is best.