Micro stakes: what limit should I play?

P0CK37 4C35

P0CK37 4C35

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So my bankroll is like ~$33. I've been playing 2NL, following good bankroll management.

Now, when I reach $35, that would give me 20 buyins for the minimum of 5NL ($1.75).

Would I be better off short stacking the 5NL or continue with a larger stack at 2NL?

Edit: I've played ~20k hands at 2NL, taking a couple months.
 
thepokerkid123

thepokerkid123

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$2nl

Buying in short doesn't mean you can have a shorter bankroll.

When you buy in short the only way to make money is to take a ton of really marginal coin flips against ranges, playing very much shove or fold post-flop. It's high variance and at best can achieve a tiny winrate.

Consider 20 maximum buy ins the minimum, it's very easy to go broke if you take any bigger risk with your bankroll and very difficult to go broke if you stick to good BRM.
 
forsakenone

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i suggest you keep playing 2nl, and try more tables in case you ware only playing 1. no need for reads, just abc the crap out of them, bet when you have, dont bluff, and when you enter with a raise do more than the standard 3bb, try 5 at least, i do somewhere from 14c to 24c, learn it by watching the big grinders at 2 nl, and its been working just fine.

when you go to 5nl, i say you should enter with at least 3 dollars, so you have some fold equity, with 1.75$ most of the people will call you with any pair.
 
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P0CK37 4C35

P0CK37 4C35

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...and when you enter with a raise do more than the standard 3bb, try 5 at least, i do somewhere from 14c to 24c...
Are you're saying if it's preflop I open raise to 14-24c?

One thing that has been annoying me is I bet like 3BB, and nearly every time everybody folds. Either that or I'm in like late position and nobody even calls the blinds. Then with like only 2 or 3 people behind me I tend to just min raise so I at least get something. Is this bad?
 
ukaliks

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Unless ur playin short stack strategy then buy in for 100BB's at all times. The idiots who will stack off 100BB's with crap is too juicy to pass up.
Keep on playin NL2 untill u reach $75. When u've made it to $75 i'd say ur ready to go play NL5 with 100BB buy-in's. The level of play at NL5 is pretty easy if u dont get out of line and try fancy poker. U should b able to make a decent bankroll playin ABC poker at NL2 + NL5.
Just remeber to drop back down to NL2 if NL5 isnt working out or if varience is being a bitch. No shame in droppin back down and gridning that BR back up.
 
forsakenone

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yes, i raise somewhere from 14c to 24c, but, i play on pokerstars, i see that you play on fulltilt, i tried 2nl at full tilt and it just does not work like on pokerstars, on pokerstars it seems that a lot of people play deeper stacks. on fulltilt there are a lot of people playing really short stacked, like 75c deep.

seems to me that on pokerstars there are way more fish at 2nl than at fulltilt.

anyways make sure you chose table wisely, try to take a table that has at least 40% players/flop and at least 40c average pot. the more %plr/flp and the bigger average pot, the better. so dont join any table. if there arent any with open spot, join wating lists and have patience.

also, at these stakes i dont recomend limping in too much, like suited connectors. maybe limp in with small poket pairs to try to catch a set.
 
U

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If all you get when you raise is the blinds that is ok. If you steal the blinds a little more often than you pay them you'll be crazy profitable over a large sample of hands. It's really the suckouts that kill you more than the lack of action. If your impatient to make money play more hands not higher stakes. If your good enough to play there tour bankroll will grow to where you can afford it. Or deposit a little more and move up I'd you really want to.
 
P0CK37 4C35

P0CK37 4C35

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Thanks for the advice guys, looks like I'll definitely be staying at 2NL for a little while.

try to take a table that has at least 40% players/flop and at least 40c average pot
This was just what I needed, thanks! I started joining tables w/ 40/40 rather than random tables, and it's been working perfect for me. Even though I have to join waiting lists, it seems to be worth it.
 
forsakenone

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i am happy to know you are doing better, when i started playing i wasnt on any forums and made the same mistake.
 
forsakenone

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hey, just checked you on pokertableratings, and it says you are waaaaayy too aggressive on the turn and river. so you might want to take that in consideration. i believe you are paying people off too much. look:

TURN AGGRESSION:
You are 89% more aggressive than optimal. Be a lot less aggressive!

RIVER AGGRESSION:
You are 94% more aggressive than optimal. Be a lot less aggressive!

thats huge.
 
joeaugie

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Stay at 2NL til you hit about $150. It might sound nitty, but it's smart and there is a lot less easy tilt money at 5NL also.
 
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