Ring games best for bankroll building?

I

Iselo

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I've been trying to build a bankroll from freerolls for a few months now. I have placed in the top 10 a few times and got myself a $5-10 bankroll a few different times. I've tried to build my tiny freeroll winings by playing $0.5-1 SNG:s and tournaments and always managed to go bust after a while. The other day when my BR was down to $1 I tried a 0.01/0.02 cash table for the first time and I realized I could just sit there and simply wait for the really good cards. It wasn't all that exciting but there was no need for risky special moves like blind steals, or bluff shoving as the blinds don't ever go up. After a couple of hours my bankroll was up to $3. So no now I'm thinking what the h-ll have I been doing playing all those SNG:s (and sometimes tournaments for hours) with that tiny bankroll?? Sure, sometimes I cash pretty good in the sngs/tourneys but the variance always catches up with me at some point.

I thought SNGs and tournaments were my thing and that's the strategy I've read up on and trying to learn. But how would I know, I haven't even tried cash games. Just took a few peoples advice and focused on SNG/tournament strategy. What do you guys think, should I consider switching to ring games at least now that I'm building my BR?
 
D

detourglr

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Iselo said:
I've been trying to build a bankroll from freerolls for a few months now. I have placed in the top 10 a few times and got myself a $5-10 bankroll a few different times. I've tried to build my tiny freeroll winings by playing $0.5-1 SNG:s and tournaments and always managed to go bust after a while. The other day when my BR was down to $1 I tried a 0.01/0.02 cash table for the first time and I realized I could just sit there and simply wait for the really good cards. It wasn't all that exciting but there was no need for risky special moves like blind steals, or bluff shoving as the blinds don't ever go up. After a couple of hours my bankroll was up to $3. So no now I'm thinking what the h-ll have I been doing playing all those SNG:s (and sometimes tournaments for hours) with that tiny bankroll?? Sure, sometimes I cash pretty good in the sngs/tourneys but the variance always catches up with me at some point.

I thought SNGs and tournaments were my thing and that's the strategy I've read up on and trying to learn. But how would I know, I haven't even tried cash games. Just took a few peoples advice and focused on SNG/tournament strategy. What do you guys think, should I consider switching to ring games at least now that I'm building my BR?
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Depends what status you are in yoru poker skills.. For newer players I think Tournaments are the way to go.. Great way to learn the game and have a fixed amoutn to lose.
As you get better the CAsh games are the way to make money. However if you arent skilled enough you can lose money more quickly.
Myself I would start at the lowest levels possible. You mention you did good when you lowered to the .01/.02NL... Howver to me by what you wrote you havent played there very long. I think you have to play more to see how good you are doing at that level.
Also I would suggest keeping a journal of the session you play. there are many programs or desgin your own excel spreadsheet. Myself I desgined a access database and I can generate any report that I want to see.
Also nothing wrong with playing at the lowest level if that is where you can make the money at.
Good luck at the tables
 
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Iselo

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detourglr said:
Depends what status you are in yoru poker skills.. For newer players I think Tournaments are the way to go.. Great way to learn the game and have a fixed amoutn to lose.
As you get better the CAsh games are the way to make money. However if you arent skilled enough you can lose money more quickly.
Myself I would start at the lowest levels possible. You mention you did good when you lowered to the .01/.02NL... Howver to me by what you wrote you havent played there very long. I think you have to play more to see how good you are doing at that level.
Also I would suggest keeping a journal of the session you play. there are many programs or desgin your own excel spreadsheet. Myself I desgined a access database and I can generate any report that I want to see.
Also nothing wrong with playing at the lowest level if that is where you can make the money at.
Good luck at the tables
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Thanks, what are some good programs for that (preferrably free to download)?
 
micromachine

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You did fine at 2nl with your $1 this time but you could have sooooo easily gone bust! You had half a buy-in! Normal recommendation to avoid going bust is to have at least 20 buy-ins for a level, so $40 to play 2nl.

If you can't afford to deposit or simply don't want to then fine, but with only a few buy-ins it is pretty likely that you go bust playing cash games.
 
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detourglr

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Iselo said:
Thanks, what are some good programs for that (preferrably free to download)?
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there are all kind sof software for that. and depends if you are only playing online or if your will be playing brick and mortar....
Myself I use an App on my iphone to to my sessions in... it is called Poker Journal.. from there once a week I enter it in a Microsoft Access Database.
I would only use the Poker journal only on my phone but in my access database I have every session and every tournament since the day I started 10 years ago.
I would just use a search for poker journal. and maybe start writing right now just so you can play with the different programs out there.
 
Extreme Fishing

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What site are you playing on? Can you play double ups?
 
kidkvno1

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I think it has more to do that you are scared about not cashing and the blinds going up in an SNG that's holding you back.
Well building up a BR you should take a shot at play money SNG's on Stars, buy-ins 300 and up will have the same play as a 1.20 real money SNG.
And topping of play cash is free.
 
Arjonius

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The first thought that comes to mind is to focus on your game rather than your BR. To win at the entry level, no matter whether you play MTTs, STTs or cash, you only have to be half-decent - not good, just half-decent. Given that you've lost multiple starter BRs, it's likely you have major holes and leaks. Plug enough of them, and your BR will grow.

The other way, focusing on your BR - and implicitly assuming you just need to switch game types in order to become a winner because you are already good enough - isn't supported by your record.
 
jazzaxe

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Playing at the micros by waiting for good hands is a good strategy. You will be surprised on how many calls you will get when you have a nut or near nut hand and you put it all in.
 
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Iselo

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Extreme Fishing said:
What site are you playing on? Can you play double ups?
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I alternate between about 6 different sites and they all have double ups and I have played quite a few. When patient I usually cash in most of them but eventually I get bored plus I don't feel they improve my game the way that SNGs and tourneys do. But I will admit that they've been good for bankroll building as long as I manage to stay patient. Multi tabling usually helps with that but I still find them quite booring and sometimes I end up playing turbos or even superturbos which usually doesnt go as well.
 
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Iselo

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Arjonius said:
The first thought that comes to mind is to focus on your game rather than your BR. To win at the entry level, no matter whether you play MTTs, STTs or cash, you only have to be half-decent - not good, just half-decent. Given that you've lost multiple starter BRs, it's likely you have major holes and leaks. Plug enough of them, and your BR will grow.

The other way, focusing on your BR - and implicitly assuming you just need to switch game types in order to become a winner because you are already good enough - isn't supported by your record.
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You have a good point there. Damn... But thanks. I'll just have to read up on strategy some more and try to apply it long enough to tell if whether or not I'm doing better.
 
Poker Orifice

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Iselo said:
. So no now I'm thinking what the h-ll have I been doing playing all those SNG:s (and sometimes tournaments for hours) with that tiny bankroll??
you were gaining some experience.. on the cheap. Think of it as being part of an education.

I thought SNGs and tournaments were my thing and that's the strategy I've read up on and trying to learn. But how would I know, I haven't even tried cash games. Just took a few peoples advice and focused on SNG/tournament strategy. What do you guys think, should I consider switching to ring games at least now that I'm building my BR?
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It's good to focus on one format. With a really small roll, better to play 2nl for awhile.
 
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When I am trying to build a bankroll from freeroll winnings I play two tables of plo at .02 .04. I buy in for $1.20 at each table and use a hit and run strategy. When I get above $1.50 I leave the table and add a new one. I find this to be the most effective way for me to build a bankroll when I have under $10.
 
Arjonius

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Year after year, I see similar questions - entry-level players thinking that playing one type of game rather than another is the way either to become a winning player or to increase their win rate.

The best way to do either or both of these is straightforward. Be or become better than most of your opponents.

And play what you enjoy. Don't sweat the small stuff. For example, if you're winning say 50 cents an hour at your current choice of game, how much does it matter that you could theoretically win 55 or 60 by changing? I mean in the big picture where, presumably, your goal is to rise through the ranks to where you make a lot more, not a few cents more. The more you work on your game, the faster you'll get there, and you'll never miss the additional pennies per hour you might have made by changing games.
 
kmixer

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Best bankroll builder is what you win at. I used to think it was SnG for me and lately my success in ring is growing. You much play a ton of hands before you know for sure.
 
PLAYINBIG

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I like double ups with 6 players
 
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detourglr said:
there are all kind sof software for that. and depends if you are only playing online or if your will be playing brick and mortar....
Myself I use an app on my iphone to to my sessions in... it is called Poker Journal.. from there once a week I enter it in a Microsoft Access Database.
I would only use the Poker journal only on my phone but in my access database I have every session and every tournament since the day I started 10 years ago.
I would just use a search for poker journal. and maybe start writing right now just so you can play with the different programs out there.
Click to expand...
What kind of things have you learned by keeping a journal? Did you discover some patterns you were repeating. or verified a successfulful strategy or something?
 
Lafayette2

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If you play on Carbon or Merge they have a poker odds calculator that has a hand replayer included. The also have a hud which might be of some use to you. I have used it on other sites before Carbon took over the program.
 
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Zin

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credsfan03 said:
When I am trying to build a bankroll from freeroll winnings I play two tables of plo at .02 .04. I buy in for $1.20 at each table and use a hit and run strategy. When I get above $1.50 I leave the table and add a new one. I find this to be the most effective way for me to build a bankroll when I have under $10.
Click to expand...

What is the purpose of leaving one table to go to another table makes no sense imho. You are just costing yourself some missed hands per hr while changing tables.
 
aa88wildbill

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I'm a strong believer in ring games for building a bankroll. You don't have to invest as much time as you do in a tournament. Usually you end up winning more money in a ring game in a short amount of time, than you do a tournament.
 
jazzaxe

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One thing you might think about is which type of game inspires the most confidence. That should be your major goal. If you can finish in the money on SNG's consistently that is a good way to bankroll build. I used to play one guaranteed tourney a week and used NLHE cash games to keep my bankroll level. I would take half my profits from the cash games to use as buyins for the multiplayer tourney.
 
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