# Effective Stack > Source: [Effective Stack in the Smarter.Poker Glossary](https://smarter.poker/glossary/effective-stack) ## Definition The Effective Stack Is The Smaller Of The Stacks Between Two Players In A Hand, Because Nobody Can Win Or Lose More Than That Amount From The Other. If One Player Has 300 Chips And The Other 80, The Effective Stack Is 80. Strategy Depends On Effective Stacks, Not The Size Of Either Player's Own Stack. - **Category**: Basics - **Term Code**: `effective-stack` - **DefinedTermSet**: [Smarter.Poker Poker Glossary](https://smarter.poker/glossary) ## Related Poker Terms - [SPR (Stack To Pot Ratio)](https://smarter.poker/glossary/spr) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/spr.md)): SPR, The Stack To Pot Ratio, Is The Effective Stack Divided By The Pot At The Start Of A Street, Usually The Flop. A Low SPR, Below About Three, Means Top Pair Is Often Worth Getting All In. A High SPR, Above Ten, Rewards Hands That Can Make The Nuts And Punishes One Pair Hands That Overcommit. - [4-Bet](https://smarter.poker/glossary/4-bet) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/4-bet.md)): A 4-Bet Is A Re-Raise Over A 3-Bet Before The Flop. At Common Stack Depths A 4-Bet Commits A Large Share Of The Effective Stack, So Ranges Become Narrow And Polarized: Premium Pairs And Big Aces For Value, Plus A Few Suited Hands With Blockers As Bluffs. The Next Raise, A 5-Bet, Is Usually All In. - [ICM (Independent Chip Model)](https://smarter.poker/glossary/icm) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/icm.md)): ICM, The Independent Chip Model, Converts Tournament Chip Stacks Into Shares Of The Remaining Prize Pool. Because Chips Lost Hurt More Than Chips Won Help Once Payouts Are Close, ICM Tells Players To Tighten Their Calling Ranges Near The Bubble And At Final Tables. It Is The Standard Tool For Tournament Deals And Late Stage Push And Fold Decisions. - [Implied Odds](https://smarter.poker/glossary/implied-odds) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/implied-odds.md)): Implied Odds Are The Chips You Expect To Win On Later Streets When Your Draw Completes, Beyond What Is Already In The Pot. They Justify Calling With Hands Such As Small Pairs Or Suited Connectors When The Immediate Pot Odds Are Too Thin, Provided Stacks Are Deep And The Opponent Will Pay Off When You Hit. ## Related Strategy Lessons - [Opening Ranges With 20 Big Blinds](https://smarter.poker/learn/20bb-opening-ranges) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/20bb-opening-ranges.md)): With 20 Big Blinds The Smarter.Poker Reference Opens The Button With 21.4% Of Hands By Frequency, Against 25.2% At 100 Big Blinds, And The Chart Below Shows Every Hand. - [Stack To Pot Ratio (SPR) Explained](https://smarter.poker/learn/stack-to-pot-ratio) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/stack-to-pot-ratio.md)): Stack To Pot Ratio Is The Effective Stack Behind Divided By The Pot On The Flop, And It Tells You How Committed A Hand Is: At 100 Big Blinds A Single Raised Pot Starts The Flop Near An SPR Of 17.7, A Three Bet Pot Near 5.6 And A Four Bet Pot Near 1.9. - [Implied Odds: When A Draw Can Call](https://smarter.poker/learn/implied-odds) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/implied-odds.md)): Implied Odds Are The Chips You Expect To Win On Later Streets When Your Draw Hits: A Flush Draw On The Turn Facing A Half Pot Bet Needs About 56 More Chips From Later Betting, Per 100 In The Pot, To Make The Call Break Even. - [ICM Basics: Chips Are Not Money](https://smarter.poker/learn/icm-basics) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/icm-basics.md)): The Independent Chip Model Converts Tournament Chips Into Shares Of The Prize Pool, And It Shows That Chips Are Not Worth Their Face Value: With Half The Chips In Play And Three Players Left, A 50/30/20 Payout Gives The Chip Leader 38.39% Of The Prize Pool, Not 50%. - [Bubble Play In Poker Tournaments](https://smarter.poker/learn/bubble-play) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/bubble-play.md)): On The Bubble, Calling An All In Needs Much More Than 50% Equity Because Busting Costs Your Whole Prize Equity: In The Worked Example Below A Player With 3000 Chips Needs 72.9% Equity To Call The Chip Leader's Shove. - [Final Table ICM Strategy](https://smarter.poker/learn/final-table-icm) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/final-table-icm.md)): At A Final Table Every Pay Jump Turns Chips Into Money Unevenly: In The Six Handed Example Below The Chip Leader Holds 40% Of The Chips But 24.45% Of The Prize Money Left, And The Shortest Stack Holds 4% Of The Chips And 10.99% Of The Money. - [M Ratio And Short Stack Play](https://smarter.poker/learn/m-ratio-and-short-stacks) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/m-ratio-and-short-stacks.md)): M Measures How Many Orbits A Stack Can Survive Without Playing A Hand: A Stack Of 12,000 With Blinds Of 400 And 800 And An 800 Big Blind Ante Has An M Of 6, Which Is 15 Big Blinds And Short Enough To Play Push Or Fold. - [Bounty And PKO Tournament Strategy](https://smarter.poker/learn/bounty-tournaments) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/bounty-tournaments.md)): A Bounty Lowers The Equity You Need To Call An All In, Because Busting The Player Wins You The Bounty As Well As The Pot: Calling 20 Big Blinds Into 21.5 Needs 48.2% Equity Alone, And 38.8% If You Value The Bounty At 10 Big Blinds. - [How To Play In Straddle Games](https://smarter.poker/learn/straddle-games) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/straddle-games.md)): A Straddle Is A Voluntary Blind Raise Before The Cards Are Dealt, Usually Twice The Big Blind, And It Makes Every Stack Effectively Shallower: 100 Big Blinds Facing A 2 Big Blind Straddle Is Only 50 Straddles Deep. ## Practice On Smarter.Poker - [GTO Training](https://smarter.poker/hub/training): Scenario Based Poker Training, Free To Play. - [GTO Training Games Guide](https://smarter.poker/features/poker-training-games): Explore 107 Interactive Scenario Drills And EV Feedback. ## Compliance & Fair Play There Is No Real-Money Gambling On Smarter.Poker: Club Chips Are Play Credits With No Cash Value, And Diamonds Are A Promotional Rewards Currency.