Done with Tournaments. Need advice.

Well I am gonna try cash games again. Tournament games take way too long to complete.

-Have a $18 bankroll. (need some bankroll tips)

-What strategy to start out? ABC? If so then I need to know how.

Just let me know what you got for a beginner.

-Jake

I keep switching between the both which probarly isn't a good idea however both have pros and cons. I like the VIP programme so i think that swings me more to cash games recently.. I guess there's not much to suggest you just need to start at the lowest limits grinding out. You will get quite a few buy-ins for that and fingers crossed wont go broke.

Play the lowest levels, 0.02/.02 known as 2nl.

Lots of things are the same crossing over from tournaments, have a look around the forum, there are lots of good posts for beginners. Try the golden archive. Post hands in hand analysis with spots you are struggling with and you can get specific advice.

Good luck.

I´ve heard that Chris Ferguson has an article or book (i don´t remember) very good at how to start from a small bankroll. Maybe you should check that out.

GL

look up ozexorcist's building from a baby bankroll thread...that should get you started

I would not rule the CC freerolls. They are somewhat small and do not last that long and can add to your bankroll. Try the cash game again and as mentioned, with the 2nl size for awhile.

Well I am trying out this strategy:

1. Premium hands AA, KK, QQ, AK, AQ, JJ, 10-10, 99 (some of these will be position based)

2. Play in position

3. Steal from button

4. Avoid limping

5. Avoid marginal hands

6. Don't defend blinds (unless I have a premium)

Anyone got anything else to add or something I should change just let me know.

I agree with the premnium hands however I disagree with position on the pairs at low limit cash games. People quite often limp with a lot worse hands (even raise). I have found that limping even marginal hands can produce the nuts as playing prenimums can often get over turned anyway more often than not because of the amount of callers. I find if you hit something half decent on the flop, most will try bluff with Ace,rag or so. I tried the strategy your on about and over time i found you lose money based on the fact if you're playing to tight at micros and you suddenly raise, even the most dumb players will notice something different and assume you have something so will probably fold. I find you have to play more hands at micro limits.

Add smaller pairs and suited connectors to your hand selection. These will give you a great hand if you hit the flop, but are easy to get away from if you miss. Widening your range a little this way also makes it less easy for observant opponents to accurately estimate your hand.

Here's my two cents

1. Play 6-max
2. Play in position
3. Never, ever open limp
4. Abuse the button
5. Play big hands fast, by big hands I mean AA or KK, or even QQ preflop, when someone raises in front of, always 3 bet. And at the flop big hands are top two pairs (be more cautious on a wet board though), sets, straights, flushes. Bet out straight away to build a big pot. Yesterday I was playing in NL10 6-max and flopped the nut straight (456 with two spades). Three of us were all-in. Guess what the other two had, A6 and 64, and both of them had no spades.

So what if I get a suited connector or a small pair and someone 3 bets, but everyone else folds. Should I just call to see if I hit a set or have the pot odds?

Also should I be multitabling these?

Depends - if there's really 3-bet happy villains that keep doing it to you, I think you can call with like 98s+ and 88+ and play post-flop, play aggressively back at them if you flop anything at all. Let's say some guy was 3-betting like 12% of the time and you open 9h8h from OTB to 3X and he 3-bets to 11X, you can call if the stacks are at least 100BB deep. If the flop were to come something like 8J6r w/ 1h, you have 2nd pair and can definitely float. You almost always have 5 solid outs (8s and 9s), backdoor flush and straight draws count as like 1 out each. If you turn another h or one of your 5 solid outs or some kind of straight draw, then you can do a lot of things. Villains will often be giving up on the turn though, so you'll often just be able to take it away then. I think you can usually just fold to tight 3-bettors though. Point is, if you're going to flat 3-bets it's best to have a hand that can flop all sorts of draws, and you need to also be prepared to float/raise with less than a really strong draw if you're playing back at overly aggro villains.

just watch tables beore u sit down. look to see how the play is n if u like the style sit down and attack it if not find other tables that fit ur stayle of play

ET, you're advice is usually spot on but do you really want a low BR person to add SC's to their starting hands? I would argue the hands you mentioned would be directly linked to how well the player feels they play postflop. I would say that expanding your selection to these hands depends on your confidence in post flop play.

Just grind... Always remember its not going to happen over night or even over a month.

-Good luck

Thanks for the advice guys, let me know if there is anything else I should know. So far I am down to $17, so lost a dollar, but I think I will be okay. I have only been buying in for a dollar so I can be productive in my bankroll management skills.

I guess I was thinking that I would certainly add those hands (and others too) and would play more loose. You are right, though, playing in that style has the potential to get a beginner into difficult spots. It`s about being able to recognise when your hand is apt to be second best and should be laid down, which is an area where experience counts.

Another point regarding opening up your hand selection and playing a little looser... Even if you're not playing immensely post-flop and maybe you're losing money with these hands, the best way to learn is to play more hands and to keep analysing your play if it's not working, trying to work out where it's going wrong. I'd say if you want to loosen up but you're not comfortable with your post-flop play, just dive in at the deep end and go for it, but be sure to play less tables and mark and post all the hands that you're not sure about.

In my opinion the $18 bankroll is way too small, you have to play some more freerolls and later switch to $0.10 or $0.25 sng´s (stars or fulltilt). I agree with you that the mtt´s are too big and last too long. I have the same problems like you, what to play in the future ? Maybe satellites, because i love to fold into the money :-) Or multitable sit-and-go´s - they have no big time commitment ? But i love these damn tourneys...

I suggest that before you think about multi-tabling, you be sure or at least highly confident that you're a solid winner playing just one. It can be kind of boring, especially if you play a tight style. However, it gives you the best chance to start training yourself in things like style and betting pattern recognition that will serve you well as you move up, and which you'll absolutely need to win once you have moved up a few levels.

Meh 2NL is so unbelieveably soft that I think $18 is fine. Doubt it hurts that much losing $18 if you go broke either. Don't see a problem with it. If you were proposing playing 10NL with a BR of $100 or 50NL with a BR of $650 or something, I'd disagree. But in this case I think a <10BI roll is fine, 2NL is the very start of the ladder, the fall doesn't hurt very much, if at all.