How do you define games that are microstakes?

[Murph1969]

microstakes? Would .25/.50 be considered micro? How ‘bout 1/2? Confused by the terminology.

 

[Nafor]

This is not a term set in stone. I have seen people talking about 5-10 dollar tournaments and still referring them as micros. But what the labels are is actually irrelevant. One just have to find a level where they are comfortable playing at.

Edit. People also mix micro- and small stakes interchangeably, so that does obscure things even further.

 

[GeckoAA]

I think its different on each poker site.

 

[fundiver199]

Microstakes is a terminology, which is only used for online poker. Most poker sites define it as cash games with up to 15$ buyin, although somewhat confusingly at pokerstars, when you set a filter, the 16NL tables show up as "micro". But on most other sites the highest cash games, which are considered "micro", are the 10NL tables. For live cash games the term "low stakes" would typically mean a 1/2 or 1/3 game (in dollars), since these are usually the lowest stakes offered by casinos.

I also agree with others, that these terms are not really important. If for instance someone is sharing a hand history, the information presented should be "I was playing a 2NL full ring cash game" or "I was playing a 3,3$ PKO MTT" rather than "I was playing a microstakes game". Some people share hands from 0,25$ MTTs, and I would not expect those to have the same kind of player pool as 4,4$ MTTs, even though both are considered "micro". Same goes for 2NL vs. 10NL cash.

 

[Phoenix Wright]

Although there may be loose guidelines, "micros" and similar terminology are obviously subjective. It also depends if live or online too because the skill level for online at the identical stakes to a live game are not equal (identical stakes, live games tend to be softer and online tougher)