Deep Stack
A deep stack is a large number of chips compared with the stakes or the starting stack.
The simple explanation
A player is deep stacked when their stack is big relative to the blinds. It is often counted as 150 to 200 big blinds or more. If you are deep stacked, remember that a big stack means big mistakes cost more.
A closer look
Deep stacks change strategy. There is more room for bluffing, implied odds matter more, and big hands can win or lose huge pots. Players adjust their preflop sizing and hand choices when deep: drawing hands and suited connectors gain value, and top pair loses value. Deep stacks are common in cash games where players buy in for 100 big blinds or more and win chips, and in the early levels of tournaments.
A practical example
A player has 300 big blinds in a cash game, which is a deep stack.
Full explanation
A deep stack is a large number of chips compared with the stakes or the starting stack.
A deep stack is a big stack compared with the blinds. It is generally at least 150 to 200 big blinds, although the exact number differs by source.
Deep stack poker allows more complex play. Players have room to make multiple bets and raises after the flop, and to bluff on later streets.
Implied odds also become more important. Hands that can win a big pot when they hit, like sets and suited connectors, increase in value.
The opposite is a short stack, which is a stack of a few big blinds and has few options except to fold or go all in.
Alternative spelling: deepstack, deep-stack
A 300-big-blind starting stack
No-limit Hold’em · Blinds 1/2 chips · No rake
Each player started with 600 chips at a big blind of 2: 300 big blinds. This is a deep stack. The displayed remaining chips plus the posted blind equal the starting stack; the stack is measured relative to the big blind.
Read the example transcript
Player A has the button (BTN) and posts the 1-chip small blind (SB). Player B posts the 2-chip big blind (BB).
- Preflop · Pot: 3 chips
Each player started with 600 chips at a big blind of 2: 300 big blinds. This is a deep stack. The displayed remaining chips plus the posted blind equal the starting stack; the stack is measured relative to the big blind.
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of clubs (Ac)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 599 · In this round 1
- Player B BB QQueen of hearts (Qh)QQueen of diamonds (Qd) · Stack 598 · In this round 2
Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.