Buying in for less than 100bbs

Tiger Tung

Tiger Tung

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I am the one who play 5NLHM 6 MAX with
4 USD buy-in and i dont know what other think about me and i found an article that said the weaker player almost play lower than 100BB.
 
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ChuckNola

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I think you should buy in for the full 100BB but I don't really think buying in for 80BB is that bad. I just have a problem with the guys who buy in for the minimum 40BB
 
Satiivas

Satiivas

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I think the main issue is, that you are not allowing yourself to win the maximum amount of money by buying in for less than 100BB.

Imagine a situation, where you bought in for 50BB. You are on the button holding AA, you raise to 3BB, sb folds and bb is a bit donkier player, who shoves for 100BB. Now you call only to find yourself against 27o. No suckout occurs and you double up to 100BB. Great right?

Imagine the same scenario, but you bought in for 100BB. Double up=200BB

Imagine the same scenario, but you both are 150BB deep. Double up=300BB

This is of course a really stupid example, but it applies also for example set mining, calling with suited connectors etc- they are not as profitable if your stack is low, because the rare times you hit your hand and would get paid, you again limit your maximum win to 50BB, which is not great.

Of course you could say "but that way I also can't lose more money". True, but isn't the point to be a winning player and not to think about inevitable losing moments? If you are afraid to buy in for 100BB at 20NL, then just play 10NL. Besides, I rarely see anybody buying in for just one 50BB bullet. Almost always they reload another 50BB which makes me wonder why not 100BB from the start.

Also, last but not least, you'll find yourself in pretty awkward spots postflop if you are f.e playing big pots multiway and on the flop there is already 2/3 of your stack in the middle.

Cheers!
 
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MikeMike109

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Some people just play short stack strategy and that is they reason why they buy-in at minimum. Also when you are 2xbuy-in it is wise to re-join table
 
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Mazak

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It's addicted to your play style. If you like to be short-stack you can play for 40BB but if you're afraid of not playing many hands you should buy-in for min. 80BB ;)
 
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braveslice

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Many players insta mark you to be fish, not all, but even those who don’t mark you play differently against you than against unknown full stacks.

One would think this is a good thing, you get called lighter and so on, but don’t try to bluff too much =) One period I actually auto-buy for 1.9x (or something like that) in 2NL to get treated like a fish. However, NL200 grinder ComodoDragon explained that you don’t want to be treated as a fish because it makes games too hard. He didn’t explain why it is so, but I would guess it has something to do that you are guessing and never knowing how and what style villain is playing against you.

Just an practical example. I play against you, we have no hand history or small hand history. You open UTG, My calling range on the button is very wide including many speculative hands I would never dream on playing if you would be full stack. This is because I would assume my implied odds are on the roof.
 
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PKRNRS

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I am the one who play 5NLHM 6 MAX with
4 USD buy-in and i dont know what other think about me and i found an article that said the weaker player almost play lower than 100BB.

You need to have as many dollars that you can have to win some one else's money. You sit down with the maximum then you can win the most when you hit your hand.
 
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Kevin Watts

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In NL cash games, I always buy for the min. The small stack has the advantage in range size and image. Steady win rates for the past 20 years and never a bad losing session. In poker, you make money by doing the opposite and not following the herd.
 
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doom

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sometimes i buy in for min but then again i am not that good player wining only for 2-5bb and thats on nl4
 
PK_ing

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Some people will think youre a fish if you buy in for some random amount like 43 bigs or something. Thats why I buy in for 10-14 bigs under max when I play HU (jokes on me: I actually am a fish).
 
TheMagic

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In general, players with less 100BB, are considered weak. It is important, however, to take a bit of care because there is also a strategy called SSS (Short Stack Strategy) and another called MSS (Middle Stack Strategy), which are strategies to play with 20bb's and 40bb's respectively.
These strategies are very rare on pokerstars because they require you to leave the table and re-enter every time the player wins chips and get more than 20 or 40bb's, but PokerStars forces the player to return with the same stack he had when he left the table . In other rooms you can find these types of strategies more often.
 
Tiger Tung

Tiger Tung

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In general, players with less 100BB, are considered weak. It is important, however, to take a bit of care because there is also a strategy called SSS (Short Stack Strategy) and another called MSS (Middle Stack Strategy), which are strategies to play with 20bb's and 40bb's respectively.
These strategies are very rare on PokerStars because they require you to leave the table and re-enter every time the player wins chips and get more than 20 or 40bb's, but PokerStars forces the player to return with the same stack he had when he left the table . In other rooms you can find these types of strategies more often.



I dont get it sir . Can u explain it more or share me a link for me?
 
Tiger Tung

Tiger Tung

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I think the main issue is, that you are not allowing yourself to win the maximum amount of money by buying in for less than 100BB.

Imagine a situation, where you bought in for 50BB. You are on the button holding AA, you raise to 3BB, sb folds and bb is a bit donkier player, who shoves for 100BB. Now you call only to find yourself against 27o. No suckout occurs and you double up to 100BB. Great right?

Imagine the same scenario, but you bought in for 100BB. Double up=200BB

Imagine the same scenario, but you both are 150BB deep. Double up=300BB

This is of course a really stupid example, but it applies also for example set mining, calling with suited connectors etc- they are not as profitable if your stack is low, because the rare times you hit your hand and would get paid, you again limit your maximum win to 50BB, which is not great.

Of course you could say "but that way I also can't lose more money". True, but isn't the point to be a winning player and not to think about inevitable losing moments? If you are afraid to buy in for 100BB at 20NL, then just play 10NL. Besides, I rarely see anybody buying in for just one 50BB bullet. Almost always they reload another 50BB which makes me wonder why not 100BB from the start.

Also, last but not least, you'll find yourself in pretty awkward spots postflop if you are f.e playing big pots multiway and on the flop there is already 2/3 of your stack in the middle.

Cheers!



Thank you man so maximum buy-in is for many opportunity to play right?
 
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KALUGAJ

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In a cash game starts with a minimum buy-in, because the intro game is difficult and depending on the situation it increases
 
Xcoder

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I like to buyin for 100bb or more if it allows me to. I don't mind players who buyin for the minimum, its makes some decisions easier since its usually not a large portion of my chip stack.
 
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Sweetb3rrywine

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I think you should always buy in for the max, it's an advantage you can control. Short stacks get munched on by the big guys.
 
quick

quick

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I see min buy in stacks as weak players. Lots of hit n run players online do that. To me it reflects either a.) a fear of losing the money and/or b.) a lack of solid skill sets and wanting to have "easier" decisions when faced with raises. I see max buy in players as stronger players.

Personally, I prefer standard 100BB buy in. Online I'll top off if I drop below like 70BB, live i'll rarely if ever top off as the play live is often so loose you can see your stack swing up and down like nothing.

Also as @Sweetb3rrywine said, short stacks often get chewed up by big stacks. Esp live. Whenever a min buy or 50bb or under buy in sits down at my local casino, you can almost swim in the drools of excitement coming off the regs and grinders there. So easy to put them in for all their chips right off the bat :) But online they're kind of a nuisance I feel like, because they either just shove/win and leave, or get even lower and just call with ATC and catch.
 
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stokedog4

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I always by in for the max. It allows you to win more $$$.

I can see why new players buy in for less. But not wanting to lose is different than wanting to win.

If it's a strategy that someone uses just to make people think they are weak, by all means, go for it.

I also find it's easier to play vs short stacks in cash games, so much easier to put on a range and I believe they can be exploited to a greater degree.
 
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ccres

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I am the one who play 5NLHM 6 MAX with
4 USD buy-in and i dont know what other think about me and i found an article that said the weaker player almost play lower than 100BB.

All in all pretty neutral feelings towards people that buy in for the min. Usually it's more straightforward to play against them, especially with position...so that's a positive. That's balanced though by tilt-inducing hit and run especially after a suck-out...so that's a negative.

I see some people do it night after night so it might be working for them.
 
delta50

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i think yopu should buy in for the amount you feel comfortable doing,and those players who remark about other players starting buy in at the cash tables, should be focusing on their cards, and the play of there opponents,rather than starting stacks.
 
Satiivas

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Well, I have yet to see a strategical aspect of buying in for the minimum. So far the "strategy" for these players has been insta minraising 3rd pair on 3 flush board etc.
 
Pauliefromgoodfellas

Pauliefromgoodfellas

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I am the one who play 5NLHM 6 MAX with
4 USD buy-in and i dont know what other think about me and i found an article that said the weaker player almost play lower than 100BB.

Yes weaker players buy in for less than 100bb frequently. There are some good 20bb strategies, but 40-80 just constitutes failing to extract max value on good hands and potentially hampering your ability to bluff in good bluff able spots.
 
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