So I need some help, and I'm stuck on what I should do? I would call myself a $1/2 NL player only because my bankroll cannot support me playing in $2/5 or $5/10 on a regular basis. My bank roll is $10k and I don't normally play higher than $1/2 as I have stuck to the "rule of thumb" of needing 20+ buy-in of a level if you plan to play it regularly. However, if you play poker in South Florida then you know just how bad most players are at this level. The players are more gamblers than players, and I have a hard time capitalizing off the "gamble" of 6 other players at the table. Makes in hard to win, and right now I take home a win about 50% of the time at $1/2. When I play $2/5 or (very rarely, and after a good run) $5/10 my results are typically much better as I win about 70% of the time. However my sample size isn't large enough for me to determine (or my bankroll large enough) weather I should continue at higher levels of play. I know it sounds stupid, but If your at a table where you and 1 other are the only good players, and you have 5-6 players that are donkeys, it makes it hard to win when your opponents don't really understand poker fundamentals. Should I move up? Even though my bankroll cannot sustain an extensive losing streak?
The players at 1/2 have no idea what they are doing. They are easy to beat. But, you must learn some important lessons along the way. If you are unable to beat 1/2, I think you will have even more problems at higher stakes (given a bigger sample).
I would recommend reading "The course" by Ed Miller. Read "The Mental Game of Poker" by Jared Tendler also. Jonathan Little live
poker books.
Also, if all pots are going multiway, raise bigger pre. If it takes $20 to get it HU or 3w, then raise to $20. Raise $22, $25. Find the sweet spot. Always play full stack.
Don't pay people off when they raise and get aggro postflop, unless you can beat 2p+.
Very vague cookie cutter stuff here. Just some quick thoughts.
You kinda make it sound like a bad thing that you are sitting with people who have no poker fundamentals. This is great! These people are
literally giving money away, if you play your cards right.
I think probably the most important thing at 1/2 is making laydowns. We just can't pay these people off. Most are so passive, they like
hardly ever raise with less than 2p. They are incredibly easy to read.
I would also recommend looking through other threads in the cash game section. There are many resources around here, where people are talking about hands, analyzing them, etc.
Just keep studying. Post hands you play at live tables for review in hand analysis section. Take notes at the table with your smart phone if you have to, there are
Apps to take notes.
Here is how I take notes. I did this for nearly a year.
2/5 NLHE
8. HJ ($491) Kc-Qs. Folds to us. We have nitty image. We raise to $20. Only BTN calls. Flop Ks-Js-4d. We bet $30, calls. Turn 8h. We bet $75, calls. River 4s. We check (he just hit a flush), he bets $200, we snap fold. (-$125)
There is so much money to be made at 1/2 man. I have thousands of hours at 1/2 tables. EZ money dude. And the more we learn, the better we get.
Post some hands man. That would probably be first step. Read books. Repeat.