Best way to build a bankroll?

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ilostmysoul

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Hey everyone. Been a little busy to devote lots of time to poker because I have too much to study, but I'm planning on getting back around next week.

So, here's the thing, I've been playing mostly freerolls for a long while now, but I'm just sick. I'd rather lose all my bankroll than sit in one of those tables again. I try to play logically and seriously, but that's a recipe for disaster. Sooner or later, even after being deep-stacked, you need luck, and I've come to realize (easily after 50-100 hours on freerolls since late November) that you can't play them to win money. Besides, prize pools are kinda low for those players that make the most out of what they have instead of going all-in with gutshots. I spent 4 hours playing on a freeroll, busted QQ vs KK on 18th place (out of 2000 people)... And won nothing. Prizes started at 9th, who got $.4 for 5 hours playing.
100K depositer freerolls a bit better than that, but then again, if you don't get lucky, you're doomed, especially with the Ante structure in these.

Spin & Gos in Star were once my favorite kind of game, because they granted me $18 once in less than 5 minutes... But it's a style used only to rake pokerstars and doom players. Luck is the only thing in these, skill and knowledge accounts for very little.

Low-entry Sit & Gos or Tournaments are a little better than freerolls, but still kinda the same, with people shoving with medium pairs, gutshots, etc. What I'm trying to say is that you can't aim for pot control on these tournaments, and neither can you play logically and reasonably because opponent's plays don't make sense and don't follow any pattern.

Cash games are different. Cash games are something I love, and usually make a pretty good profit at NL2. The problem? I can't survive variance with $10 in my bankroll. If I get a bad beat or a cooler, I can't think "long term" because I just lost 1/4 of my bankroll, not to mention that starting out with so little has me checking my bankroll constantly to see whether I'm profiting or not, which harms my game.

So, I feel kinda stuck. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated :)
 
naruto_miu

naruto_miu

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Why not wait It out, hold on to that roll of yours and get entry into the CC free-rolls.

Less player/decent prize-pool/better players.

Also while doing this play in the Poker-Stars league and try to aim for that $1500 cash prize or aim to get entry into the PM league and aim for that $5k prize. While doing these above steps, slowly build your roll+combined with the CC games, on top of that the 100k free-rolls, in addition to this the PM league or the regular league, should lead you to having a decent B.R built with-in 3 months.

I myself, did this and It took no less than 2-3months to build a roll from $0-$900 (than I lost It all in those damn $2.50 180 mans), now I need to re-do the same thing.

Hope this helps you out somewhat
 
Huwww

Huwww

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I started playing 2nl with $20 and managed to build my way up over $200 from there. If you're not willing to deposit then I guess with a BR that small you either need to get a bit lucky when playing and take risks or as above mentioned play the CC freerolls whenever you can. I personally have made a fair amount and I've only been in the freeroll club just over a month and have missed a fair few too!
 
n3rv

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I think it is possible to build a decent bankroll from freerolls as long as the freerolls are restricted in some way and have a decent prize pool. I dedicated a month to it once and won $250+ when my goal was only $100. It is tourney poker so as long as you keep grinding and playing with an edge over most of the field you do eventually cash big, but it will probably be when you least expect it due to variance.

I also think $10 is fine to play $2NL with as long as you have the patience. I have ran plenty accounts up with less on multiple occasions playing $2NL. You can buy in shorter stacked and nit it up a bit if you want to stop the swings.

For example, if you buy-in 10 times for $1 on full ring tables and only wait for spots to bet for value and get it in good, it is much harder to lose your bankroll. Also, to be blatantly honest, if you lose 10 times in a row at any game it is probably time to re-evaluate how you are playing regardless of variance.

At the end of the day it is poker. If you want to build it risk free stick to freerolls. If you want to build it conservatively play $0.02-$0.10 SNGs. If you want to run it up play $2NL.
 
naruto_miu

naruto_miu

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I think it is possible to build a decent bankroll from freerolls as long as the freerolls are restricted in some way and have a decent prize pool. I dedicated a month to it once and won $250+ when my goal was only $100. It is tourney poker so as long as you keep grinding and playing with an edge over most of the field you do eventually cash big, but it will probably be when you least expect it due to variance.

I also think $10 is fine to play $2NL with as long as you have the patience. I have ran plenty accounts up with less on multiple occasions playing $2NL. You can buy in shorter stacked and nit it up a bit if you want to stop the swings.

For example, if you buy-in 10 times for $1 on full ring tables and only wait for spots to bet for value and get it in good, it is much harder to lose your bankroll. Also, to be blatantly honest, if you lose 10 times in a row at any game it is probably time to re-evaluate how you are playing regardless of variance.

At the end of the day it is poker. If you want to build it risk free stick to freerolls. If you want to build it conservatively play $0.02-$0.10 SNGs. If you want to run it up play $2NL.


I went on a -$900 losing streak and only got It 80/20 spots yet, just kept losing and losing, continuously...So that doesn't mean I had to change up my style of play, just meant, I couldn't hit for the life of me. If you search up my name, you'll see the thread.
 
dj11

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Either get outrageously lucky, or hang it up and find a different hobby,

Since I did it, I can say this;

It is possible to build from small BR to big time in less than a year. Before BCP moved away from MERGE, without depositing a nickle, I won CC FR's, and then many other tourneys, before the luck really kicked in. I won $2500 in a HORSE tourney, then a long month later won $12K in a $100K game.

Happily for me, they moved from MERGE, whose payouts were slow to non-existant at the time, and I got that money in my pocket.

From the time that I first DL'd the BCP software, till I won the biggie, was less than one year, and really, I never deposited there.
 
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ilostmysoul

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Freerolls aren't restricted anymore tho, passwords leak :/ except ticket-only ones.

Anyways thanks for the great answers :)
Might it back to NL2 after wasting my tickets.

Why not wait It out, hold on to that roll of yours and get entry into the CC free-rolls.

Less player/decent prize-pool/better players.

Also while doing this play in the Poker-Stars league and try to aim for that $1500 cash prize or aim to get entry into the PM league and aim for that $5k prize. While doing these above steps, slowly build your roll+combined with the CC games, on top of that the 100k free-rolls, in addition to this the PM league or the regular league, should lead you to having a decent B.R built with-in 3 months.

I myself, did this and It took no less than 2-3months to build a roll from $0-$900 (than I lost It all in those damn $2.50 180 mans), now I need to re-do the same thing.

Hope this helps you out somewhat

This got my attention because I was also thinking about those same Sit & Gos (starting on the cheaper ones and climbing up). What made you lose that much? Do you blame it on your style of play, or mostly on bad beats and coolers?
 
naruto_miu

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Freerolls aren't restricted anymore tho, passwords leak :/ except ticket-only ones.

Anyways thanks for the great answers :)
Might it back to NL2 after wasting my tickets.



This got my attention because I was also thinking about those same Sit & Gos (starting on the cheaper ones and climbing up). What made you lose that much? Do you blame it on your style of play, or mostly on bad beats and coolers?


Look over this thread, and than see for yourself If It's my playing style or not (You're in for a good laugh, and lots of OMG's)


https://www.cardschat.com/forum/poker-goals-challenges-wins-46/rough-isnt-even-word-231333/
 
PapaC

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Don't know if you play at Full Flush or not, but I've heard some good things about the site. I play there too, and started with $50 deposit. Now I have cashed twice and still have 3 times that still on there. One good thing I found about the site. There are a lot of limping, so you can see more flops with hands you may not call with if there was a raise. When I first started playing, I started at the lowest level and worked my way up. Kind of werid when you go up a level. Anyway GL to you.
 
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neodrao

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Patience is one thing that is key to building a bankroll. On various sites I had some fortune is making gains, but then there are those days that just bite you in the butt and take it all away. carbon has done that to me today so far. Down to my last $1.10 which I have put in on there nightly 600 guarantee tourney. hopefully I can play good and get rewarded but hey I haven't had to deposit any money on this site yet all the cash I have has been gained through freerolls. I wish Carbon would do freerolls more frequently though.
 
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ilostmysoul

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Look over this thread, and than see for yourself If It's my playing style or not (You're in for a good laugh, and lots of OMG's)


https://www.cardschat.com/forum/poker-goals-challenges-wins-46/rough-isnt-even-word-231333/

Aww that was painful to watch :eek: It is bond to get better soon, good luck!!

Don't know if you play at Full Flush or not, but I've heard some good things about the site. I play there too, and started with $50 deposit. Now I have cashed twice and still have 3 times that still on there. One good thing I found about the site. There are a lot of limping, so you can see more flops with hands you may not call with if there was a raise. When I first started playing, I started at the lowest level and worked my way up. Kind of werid when you go up a level. Anyway GL to you.

I've always played at Stars. I don't even know what open limping is :D there's always a raise, even if it's only 2xBB, very rarely do you get to see a flop for the BB.
Right now I'm not thinking about moving, but whenever I get the chance I'll check that out :eek: good luck to you too!!

Patience is one thing that is key to building a bankroll. On various sites I had some fortune is making gains, but then there are those days that just bite you in the butt and take it all away. carbon has done that to me today so far. Down to my last $1.10 which I have put in on there nightly 600 guarantee tourney. hopefully I can play good and get rewarded but hey I haven't had to deposit any money on this site yet all the cash I have has been gained through freerolls. I wish Carbon would do freerolls more frequently though.

Nicely done, good luck to you, hope you cash big :D
 
pashkawell

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The best way to build a bankroll - playing on a bankroll - management. Always work on his game.
 
Bankroll Building - Bankroll Management
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