Which game offers the BEST profit margins?

[SpeakEasy]

For the range of limits we're discussing here, the answer is no-limit hold 'em cash games, and its not even close.

After extensive testing, for the benefit of our dear readers, the 6-max tables are, by far, more profitable than the full table games.

My answer is based both on the amount of money to be won, and the time invested.

[hachkc]

Playing limit with low limits is profitable for a good player from the perspective of BB/Hr but you're not going to retire on it; you need to play higher limits starting at 2/4 and up. NL/PL offer a better opportunity to make some meaningful money (relatively speaking of course). I have no plans on retiring to play poker full time but if I can make $300-$500/month extra doing it, cool.

[w16227]

Play the game you are most comfortable with - WITHIN YOUR BANKROLL.

If you like limit - make sure to have 200-300 BB in your roll to survive the swings. SnG - 20 buyins. NL?- I do not remembet the "rule of thumb" off the top of my head, but I believe it is like 20 buyins.

You start playing $10 SnG with only 100 in your roll - and you could go broke real quick.

For a given limit (talking limit here - NL is a different beast) Stud8 and O8 have the most profit potential from a BB/hr standpoint. Why - the edge a that a reasonably skilled player has over a fishy field is much greater than in holdem. Get Ray Zee's book (covers both) and you can beat the low limit games for at least 3BB/hr if not more.

Beware the urge to move up too quickly - or play too recklessly. $25/500 hands is roughly $2.5.hr (assuming 50 hands per hour). This is 2.5BB/hr.

This is an entirely reasonable expectation for this game. Tweaking your strategy can increase this - but it is still decent for a long term expectation. It may not seem that way - as it was only $25 for the time invested, but the game limits define the profit potential.

Playing shorthanded games also increases your profit potential - but your swings increase as well.

[yeltzen]

Originally Posted by hachkc

Playing limit with low limits is profitable for a good player from the perspective of BB/Hr but you're not going to retire on it; you need to play higher limits starting at 2/4 and up. NL/PL offer a better opportunity to make some meaningful money (relatively speaking of course). I have no plans on retiring to play poker full time but if I can make $300-$500/month extra doing it, cool.

If you multi-table at 3/6 40 hours a week you can make $40K+ per year.

[boondocker96]

Originally Posted by Eldog

but you get knuckleheads at every level.

Truer words have not been spoken.

[yeltzen]

Originally Posted by vrecksler

I did not mind the limit cash tables too much because the monster hands pay off nicely but what I absolutley hate is that I cannot protect my hand on the flop in limit. Top pair means nothing on the flop if you have paired a card smaller than a J because people with overcards will stick around. And so many people play suited connectors like they are a big pair; re-raising and capping pre-flop and then building a huge pot even if they miss the flop.

I hate it when people play stupid! I want them to play well.
In limit games it's true that you often can't protect your hand on the flop. Usually the correct play is to check or call the flop (if someone else bets) and look at the turn. If it is a bad card, you're done... if it's a good card, you bet or raise the turn. You keep the pot smaller on the flop so your bet on the turn makes it bad for someone on a draw to call.

People usually start playing NL Hold'em cause that's what's cool right now... then when they play a limit game they approach it the same way they approach an NL game. Like if you can't bet the pot or overbet the pot you can't protect your hand and can't win.

[SpaceMonkey]

Originally Posted by SpeakEasy

For the range of limits we're discussing here, the answer is no-limit hold 'em cash games, and its not even close.

After extensive testing, for the benefit of our dear readers, the 6-max tables are, by far, more profitable than the full table games.

My answer is based both on the amount of money to be won, and the time invested.

After playing the 6-Max 1/2 NL tables exclusively all weekend (1200+ hands), I fully concur that if you know what you're doing, SpeakEasy is 100% correct.

Granted this is a very small sample size, but I have played more than just that, and these are very very profitable games if you can stand big variance.

I love the graphic too.

[hachkc]

Originally Posted by yeltzen

If you multi-table at 3/6 40 hours a week you can make $40K+ per year.

Even more reason to not quite my day job.

[yeltzen]

Originally Posted by hachkc

Even more reason to not quite my day job.

That was like Santa on a clear Christmas night... you could see it coming a mile away.

[hachkc]

If I hadn't said it, would you still respect me.