[99%evil]

I've been playing mostly shorthanded SNG's at P*, but occassionally would play .02/.05 NLHE, play a bit of .10/.20 7stud as well. Just started (for the hell of it) playing .10/.25 NLHE, (6 handed table). Played 5 sessions...and have played better, or should I say gotten the right reads on people at this level...had a difficult time at the lower limits getting people to lay down draws or anything for that matter. I've only played the .25/.50 tables (about a year ago) and wiped out my roll playing there. I think my play has also changed in the past year so this might be what it is attributed to. Anyone have any thoughts on the different levels of play?

[whataboutj]

I was playing the $.10/$.25 on FTP (when I played cash games) until recently when I started playing on p* (again when I play cash games and not SnG's). I think at the real micro limit (under $.10) it is almost impossible not to have mutliple people in a hand. It seems like it is a chace fest all the time. I had to tighten up to a point where I wasn't playing hands I would normally play because I was leery of getting sucked out all the time by a donkalicious type play because of the low amounts.

I found it to be better at $.10/.25 At least at that level people would lay down a garbage hand and not try to draw to a winner. The only thing to be careful of is a higher stakes player splashing around at the low levels while waiting or warming up for a higher stakes tourney.
J

[Big Mike]

Just focus on getting your money in good. Who cares if they won't lay down draws, as long as they are doing so incorrectly? Basically stop making big semibluffs. Be careful bluffing in general. You will experience more variance perhaps, but you will still be a winner at the lower levels

[99%evil]

Originally Posted by whataboutj

I was playing the $.10/$.25 on FTP (when I played cash games) until recently when I started playing on p* (again when I play cash games and not SnG's). I think at the real micro limit (under $.10) it is almost impossible not to have mutliple people in a hand. It seems like it is a chace fest all the time. I had to tighten up to a point where I wasn't playing hands I would normally play because I was leery of getting sucked out all the time by a donkalicious type play because of the low amounts.

I found it to be better at $.10/.25 At least at that level people would lay down a garbage hand and not try to draw to a winner. The only thing to be careful of is a higher stakes player splashing around at the low levels while waiting or warming up for a higher stakes tourney.
J

I guess I was playing the microlevels so long, I got used to no one respecting any kind of Preflop raise, and I too found myself leary of any kind of "play" at a pot. Just curious...solid play seems to be netting a positive result, it is only a few hundred hands so there is no real data to make any kind of point yet. I just immediately noticed a different type of play, refreshing to say the least.

[whataboutj]

There is definitely a better level of play IMO at the $.10/$.25 and up. I'm sure because the pots can get relatively big for the blinds (I have seen $30-40 pots before). At the sub $.10 level I never saw a pot over $5. Solid play will definitely serve well. I also assume that a lot of new real money players are playing at the sub $.10 tables and are used to the all in/chase fests that happen at the play money games.
That being said - I am still to Chicken Sh!t to go to the $1/$2 table even though I occasionally play in a $1/$3 game locally. I just think the amount of good player at those levels will kill me online.
On FTP the cool thing was when I started seening people I played with before so I had a great read/info on them. Made my life a lot easier (I know I'm stating the obviosu but it was a first for me at the time). I haven't played enough cash games on p* yet to have that happen.

Originally Posted by 99%evil

I guess I was playing the microlevels so long, I got used to no one respecting any kind of Preflop raise, and I too found myself leary of any kind of "play" at a pot. Just curious...solid play seems to be netting a positive result, it is only a few hundred hands so there is no real data to make any kind of point yet. I just immediately noticed a different type of play, refreshing to say the least.

[dad604]

I read this so much. Why would anyone want other players to respect raises and lay down their draws? I certainly want to raise (high enough to make draws -EV) and have draws call me. The trick is to get out when their draws hit and don't paid them off. Most of the time when I raise, I feel I have the best hand, therefore I want to be called. The only time I don't want to be call is when I am bluffing. If you are raising and want others to fold then you might be raising with substandard cards.

[99%evil]

Originally Posted by dad604

I read this so much. Why would anyone want other players to respect raises and lay down their draws? I certainly want to raise (high enough to make draws -EV) and have draws call me. The trick is to get out when their draws hit and don't paid them off. Most of the time when I raise, I feel I have the best hand, therefore I want to be called. The only time I don't want to be call is when I am bluffing. If you are raising and want others to fold then you might be raising with substandard cards.

That's not quite what I meant. I meant that at lower limits people are more willing to go all-in with nothing and it no longer becomes poker, it's a crap shoot. I just played a .10/.25 where there was one maniac that would put all his chips in after you raised him hand after hand...it became easy to play him, just sit back and wait. I took everything from him. At a lower level table, there won't be just one of them, you would have 2or 3 of them.. Like a wild west gun fight. Becomes less thinking and more getting lucky, all preflop play.

[whataboutj]

Originally Posted by 99%evil

That's not quite what I meant. I meant that at lower limits people are more willing to go all-in with nothing and it no longer becomes poker, it's a crap shoot. I just played a .10/.25 where there was one maniac that would put all his chips in after you raised him hand after hand...it became easy to play him, just sit back and wait. I took everything from him. At a lower level table, there won't be just one of them, you would have 2or 3 of them.. Like a wild west gun fight. Becomes less thinking and more getting lucky, all preflop play.

Not to mention the amount of suck outs seems to be higher with online poker (I know it's not rigged but I have seen a lot more of them online than in live games) so getting into crap shoots with maniacs becomes even worse. It seems especially bad when you are late in a SnG. Seems like the chip leaders are always hitting their hands at those times no matter what (Just my opinion)
J

[littlebu]

I openly welcome 2-3 of those guys at my table. A dream table would be 5 of them(at a 6 max table) or 8 others(at a 9 max table). Is there more variance, sure, is it easier, absolutely.

Originally Posted by 99%evil

That's not quite what I meant. I meant that at lower limits people are more willing to go all-in with nothing and it no longer becomes poker, it's a crap shoot. I just played a .10/.25 where there was one maniac that would put all his chips in after you raised him hand after hand...it became easy to play him, just sit back and wait. I took everything from him. At a lower level table, there won't be just one of them, you would have 2or 3 of them.. Like a wild west gun fight. Becomes less thinking and more getting lucky, all preflop play.

[Wooderson]

What I have found to be true on P* is that most of the really bad players went there when Party, et. al. closed, and most of the better players went to the P* high levels or to Full TIlt.

The play on P* under .10/.25 (6max) is typically 4-5 ATMs and 1-2 solid players. At .10/.25 it tends to be more 50/50. You will still routinely have people call you to the river and even on it with a pair of tens, king high to your two pair or better.