Need Some Advice From Profitable Players

n3rv

n3rv

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Hi guys,

My background story/ego-trip is below. If you couldn't be bothered reading I basically want to know if you had £100 ($160) and had to start all over again how would you invest it?

I have played poker for a few months now. I have made my bankrolls by grinding at freerolls and lost them by tilting and changing stakes too quickly.

Last month I made sure I kept £100 of my bankroll that I won (I won £159 in total which is 100x $2.60 in buy-ins). I don't deposit in case I take reloading for granted.

I have tried various forms of poker, from $0.01/0.02 cash games to $50 double-up SNGs (I honestly find the latter more comfortable), and obviously I have won a few freeroll / other tourneys along the way. I am naturally a pretty aggressive player, my HUD says overly aggressive which I am working on.

The problem is I don't know what game to stick to and try to tightly beat regularly to make a consistent profit (obviously I would need to start at micro-stakes given my bankroll limitations).

The issue is my experience and stats are a bit all over the place. I have played about 50,000 hands at a range of levels and games. I feel more comfortable at higher stakes than at micro even though I am insufficiently bankrolled. I even make more profit from winning freeroll tourneys [£5.30/day] than grinding at regular $0.02/0.05 speed poker tables.

I don't really know what to focus on. I feel like I could be a good player if I put the dedication in but I am going backwards at the moment. Playing multiple types of games doesn't help as I over-estimate my opponents a lot of the time. I know it is stupid but I honestly prefer playing people with a mathematical knowledge of the game more than donks because I know what their motivations are and how to exploit them better.

Anyway, rant over, I am willing to start all over again with this £100. I just don't know what would be the best way to invest it. Thanks in advance for any help.
 
Last edited:
micromachine

micromachine

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No harm mixing in different games imo if it stops you from getting bored of the grind but it's probably better to choose one type as your main game and concentrate on trying to crush that. Choose the one you enjoy the most. My main game is 6max cash but I enjoy the occasional MTT or SNG as well.

If I had £100 I would play regular cash games (not speed, zoom, rush etc) on a soft site with good BRM. Not sure why you don't like playing against donks, it's so fun owning them and taking their money :)
 
Arjonius

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I'll echo micromachine's first paragraph. Play mostly what you enjoy most, with the option of mixing in different games if and when you're in the mood for them.

$160 is a recreational role, so I wouldn't put much emphasis on maximizing my profitability. How likely is it that playing more of a game you enjoy less will lead to a meaningfully higher hourly win rate as measured in $, not %?
 
Akorps

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The main thing is to study bankroll management.
 
H

HooDooKoo

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Hi guys,

My background story/ego-trip is below. If you couldn't be bothered reading I basically want to know if you had £100 ($160) and had to start all over again how would you invest it?

I have played poker for a few months now. I have made my bankrolls by grinding at freerolls and lost them by tilting and changing stakes too quickly.

Last month I made sure I kept £100 of my bankroll that I won (I won £159 in total which is 100x $2.60 in buy-ins). I don't deposit in case I take reloading for granted.

I have tried various forms of poker, from $0.01/0.02 cash games to $50 double-up SNGs (I honestly find the latter more comfortable), and obviously I have won a few freeroll / other tourneys along the way. I am naturally a pretty aggressive player, my HUD says overly aggressive which I am working on.

The problem is I don't know what game to stick to and try to tightly beat regularly to make a consistent profit (obviously I would need to start at micro-stakes given my bankroll limitations).

The issue is my experience and stats are a bit all over the place. I have played about 50,000 hands at a range of levels and games. I feel more comfortable at higher stakes than at micro even though I am insufficiently bankrolled. I even make more profit from winning freeroll tourneys [£5.30/day] than grinding at regular $0.02/0.05 speed poker tables.

I don't really know what to focus on. I feel like I could be a good player if I put the dedication in but I am going backwards at the moment. Playing multiple types of games doesn't help as I over-estimate my opponents a lot of the time. I know it is stupid but I honestly prefer playing people with a mathematical knowledge of the game more than donks because I know what their motivations are and how to exploit them better.

Anyway, rant over, I am willing to start all over again with this £100. I just don't know what would be the best way to invest it. Thanks in advance for any help.

1. If you can handle the mind-numbing boredom of playing double-or-nothing tournaments, they can be an excellent way to build your bankroll because they are lower variance than most other poker games (when played correctly). I would recommend giving that a try and seeing how it goes. Your naturally aggressive style may be an asset in DONs, but it may be a liability instead. It depends on how good you are at picking your spots.

2. Are you sure that you prefer higher stakes because you feel the players are better? A lot of people say this, but I've found that most of them actually prefer higher stakes because of the --- wait for it --- higher stakes. That is, many people get bored and make bad decisions when playing for amounts of money that they deem insignificant (and, hence, they don't really care if they lose). If you think you play better with the potential to win $10 in one hand (at 10NL, for instance) than you would with the potential to win $2 in one hand (at 2NL), then bankroll yourself for 10NL and play that. Just keep in mind that the quality of play at 10NL is going to be better than at 2NL, so just being focused isn't going to be enough to make you a winner.

Disclaimer: I can completely understand why many of you would disagree with the advice in #2 above, as most experienced players recommend that you start with 2NL and work your way up (due to the increasing skill level of your opponents). I don't necessarily disagree with that view. Having said that, it is possible to be playing at stake level so low that one is constantly fighting one's self --- and that isn't good for one's play, either. So I'm espousing playing at a stake level that is high enough that it hold's the hero's interest while low enough that they aren't in over their head because I believe that balance leads to optimal play. Please notice that I'm espousing proper bankroll management at any stakes.

Good luck.

-HooDooKoo
 
sunburnt2k11

sunburnt2k11

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i am not the best but i do have a nice bankroll... like jesus ferg says... it's about bankroll control... don't play over your bankroll limit unless you're under the possible 100 times buyin/blinds. then just have patience and you will move up.
 
B

Badloser4

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first you need to study bankroll management.
 
C

cotta777

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I recommend playing mtts at the begginning of your sessions if thats what your good at well your focus is fresh and your likely to be in the zone more.

game selection is very important this includes times of day if your on a site like pokerstars as afternoons generally will be alot more of a grind if you play cash/sit n gos.
alot of Othersites are awful all day every day so its just a case of playing with good bankroll management playing solid and taking all your spots correctly (playing with no fear)
Especially on these weaker sites its important to push alot of strong hands since the calling range will generally be wider, alot of weak aces, kings/queens, small pairs will be calling you, raising you.
It will pay off massively especially having a large stack in a weak mtt its extremely hard not to run deep from there on in.
It does require the bankroll to do so, which you have, but if you stick to sit n gos and small buy in mtts, $3/$4 and under your bound to get a big cash before long, whilest in the process min cashing and grinding up sit n gos
 
n3rv

n3rv

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Cheers for the replies guys. I will take them all on board.

If I had £100 I would play regular cash games (not speed, zoom, rush etc) on a soft site with good BRM.

Which sites are softest in your opinion? I am UK-based at the moment so can pretty much play anywhere.

It does require the bankroll to do so, which you have, but if you stick to sit n gos and small buy in mtts, $3/$4 and under your bound to get a big cash before long, whilest in the process min cashing and grinding up sit n gos

This may be the way to go. Are there any particular MTTs around those levels that you found to be more profitable?
 
MasterOfDisaster

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You also could check like 5 different sites out with 20 pounds each,check out the promo pages, play some new depositor freerolls, might be beginner tables or something like that and as valuable other easy promotions with small requirements, also during christmas there could be some extra christmas promo's.

Find it out this way yourself.
 
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