[seymour]

From nanolimit to microlimit, I guess

I've been pretty much just playing on PokerChamps, because of the "free" money I've gotten through their affiliate program (if you want to sign up and use me, just ask - I won't spam it on the forum here).

I started out trying 2¢/4¢ NL HE, mainly because that's what we play regularly here - NL (tournaments). I didn't do too well. NL ring games, , especially at such low limits, is quite different from tournament games. Which I knew, it's just hard to adjust your play accordingly. Anyway, I switched to playing mostly limit games, but still at 2¢/4¢. Been fairly solid in my play over the last couple of months, usually up 30 cents with a dollar buyin (awesome winnings, I know...). This morning I figured I'd see what the play was like at 25¢/50¢ limits, since my huge bankroll there (which had absolutely no funding by my own money) was up to $24-ish. Same solid play by me (as far as I was concerned), just that the pots were larger. Ended up gaining about $6 on my initial $10. You can't judge something j ust by one short session, but it's encouraging at least. I'm going to stick with that limit for a while to see how it goes. Even if I lose it all, which I don't plan on doing, I'd end up losing $0 of my own money.

Should help with the bonus points I'm getting myself, too. Which translate into more money added to my account at the end of the week.

Mostly, I'm just working myself up to getting more comfortable playing at certain limits. When you're used to $5 tournament buyins with friends, and 5¢/10¢ NL games afterward, it's hard to think about playing for higher stakes. Even if the bankroll could support it.

Pretty contentless post, just figured I'd share some of my thoughts. While I sit here in the library at school, waiting for my next class, wishing I had brought a few chips to fiddle around with.

With any luck, I'll have Egyptians and Copags waiting for me when I get home

[DubleDex]

This is what I know about poker: You do best when you're not concerned about losing the money you're playing with. And while you may want bigger money, no matter HOW MUCH you play for, there is someone at the table that doesn't care about the amount of money they're losing or making.

As long as you stay within a budget you're comfortable with, you'll do fine at any limit. Around here, I play in live limit $3/$6 games. I usually buy in with $100 and see what happens. I've had good nights and bad nights. But the principals of solid play are the same at any level.

A lot of people think that the more money you play for, the more "professional" or "serious" the competition will be. That's nonsense. Like I said, there's always someone at the table who's willing to call a capped bet pre-flop with 5/2off or some equally crappy hand.

So, just keep building your money supply - and when you think you have enough, join a higher limit game and make more money! If you have a string of bad luck, and lose some money, head back to a lower limit and start again!

Sounds like you're doing pretty good so far, so I'd say you're on the right track!

[Colquhoun]

Many people complain that the smaller the stakes, the more chasing and catching is going on, busting you with miracle river cards. While there is more chasing going on in the micro limits, exploit this. At each level that you move up, the chasing will be less, but barely noticable. Solid tight aggresssive play, exploiting your opponents mistakes, and maximizing opportunities are profittable at any level.

[seymour]

Originally Posted by Colquhoun

Many people complain that the smaller the stakes, the more chasing and catching is going on, busting you with miracle river cards. While there is more chasing going on in the micro limits, exploit this. At each level that you move up, the chasing will be less, but barely noticable. Solid tight aggresssive play, exploiting your opponents mistakes, and maximizing opportunities are profittable at any level.

I only sort of complain about it - it's people like that which are going to end up giving you the money in the long run, if you play sensibly But it's still annoying when it happens to you. Even at such a tiny limit like 2¢/4¢, I try to keep my play solid, and not chase much. Sometimes I would have had the winning hand at the end, but folding it still made more sense at the point when I did.

It's not so much about the money for me (at this level, anyway), just the experience and discipline.

[yeltzen]

It is weird to think about playing higher limits, especially when you've never thought about investing that kind of money. I started playing seriously at the beginning of July, I put $300 aside to play $0.50/1 Hold'em. I started off with a Party bonus for $60 and in 2 weeks (thanks to some other bonuses), I was up to $600. I had played $1/2 Hold'em before so it was nothing new, but then I earned enough to play $2/4 Hold'em a month or so later. I had never played $2/4 Hold'em before (except for an hour or so in a casino), so it was definitely weird.

I never thought I would have $1,200 invested in online poker (of course most of the money wasn't even mine), and it's weird when you get there. You start thinking about more important things to do with the money, etc. Eventually I found out that, even though I'd have some nights where I'd win $100, the $50+ losses I sometimes had put me on major tilt. I mean, $50... that's a pretty big chunk of change to a 23 year old and I was tossing it in the pot in one hand like it was nothing. When I looked at it that was, it was a totally different perspective.

So, I decided to split all my money up. $300 for $0.50/1 Hold'em bonus cluearing, $300 for $1/2 Stud, and $300 for NL Hold'em cash games and tournaments. I like this much better. If I lose I'm losing $20 at a time, not $50. $20 isn't a big deal to me, so I don't flip out if I lose it. All in all, though, I'm still winning in the long run, but the losing sessions don't put me on tilt.

I need to shut up now.

[w16227]

Play at the level you are comfortable at - with money that you are comfortable using. It really is that simple.

If you are not in fear of losing the cash - then play .25/.50.

For rules of thumb - you should have 200-300 times the big bet for limit play in your bankroll. This helps ride out the inevetable swings that you will face.

This would be a minimum of $100 for .25/.50 play. Nothe that this is below you ~ $25 roll that you have now.

If you are comfortable there- you can still play the .25/50 limits, just make sure that you understand that bad streaks hapen and you could easily lose your roll. The limits are so small, however, that this is not hat I would call risky (like playing 10/20 with only like a $1500 bankroll).

Plus, you are using the "free" money right now.

[seymour]

Originally Posted by w16227

Play at the level you are comfortable at - with money that you are comfortable using. It really is that simple.

If you are not in fear of losing the cash - then play .25/.50.

For rules of thumb - you should have 200-300 times the big bet for limit play in your bankroll. This helps ride out the inevetable swings that you will face.

This would be a minimum of $100 for .25/.50 play. Note that this is below you ~ $25 roll that you have now.

If you are comfortable there- you can still play the .25/50 limits, just make sure that you understand that bad streaks hapen and you could easily lose your roll. The limits are so small, however, that this is not hat I would call risky (like playing 10/20 with only like a $1500 bankroll).

Plus, you are using the "free" money right now.

I did read about that rule of thumb for the size of your bankroll vs the big bets, still wanted to give it a try But being "free" money, and not much of it, it's not as big a concern. Still, I'll probably just go with more of 5¢/10¢ or something for a while first. I think at the time (early morning, I think it was), there were mostly NL games at that limit, with most of the limit games at 2¢/4¢ and 25¢/50¢.

It wouldn't even take much of a bad swing for that $25 ($30+ now) to disappear at that limit. It's not much good to play at a level you're not comfortable with - it's going to affect how you play, for sure.

[jojobinks]

there's plenty of .05/.1 games at PS. i played them for a coupla months while i was learning limit. they're good, and soft.

[seymour]

Yeah, I'll probably give PS (and/or some other sites) a try one of these days. I just have to stop slacking and set up a Netteller account!

[Colquhoun]

I agree with Yeltzen about comfort level...it's very important. I play two or three sit-and-go's per night and it is always a $5 or $10, and it is profittable. I have tried a few $20 and have done ok, but I get too upset when I dont make the money. That's just me.