pros, how low did they start?

[therockofgibraltar]

I have read from many places that pros (Sklansky, Malmuth, Ciaffone, Chan, Keller just to name a few) have no experience in these really low limit games ($2/4 and lower). Why is it so? Was it impossible to play that low before the internet?
From what level did they start?
In matter of fact I remember Chan and Keller mentioning that they started "really low", $3/6! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

I have thought that today you should start really low because the players are better that before (even if you have the money to play in bigger games). Is this so?

Are you really PLAYING poker in $1/2 or just goofing around?

BTW, I'm playing in $1/2 and winning and having a good time, so I'm not saying that there is anything wrong about playing in these tables /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[manpower]

First of all, there's a lot of pros here that started low. Think DavidRoss.

But on to your post, part of it is probably that not many casinos offer bottom limit games. Also, smart intellegent people like these pros that you speak of may be inclined to look at the bottom limit game, scoff, and say 'screw that, i'm playing 5/10'

[Reef]

[ QUOTE ]

Are you really PLAYING poker in $1/2 or just goofing around?


[/ QUOTE ]

If everyone in a 10 man table sees the flop at any table- it is not real poker. I am confident that 1/2 is not REAL poker.

[eric5148]

Many pros started at 5/10 or higher. But not all of them were winning players when they started.

[6471849653]

One should play the highest limit one thinks one can beat, and any time one has the base bankroll one needs just some to the top of that to try to move up again. The pros have a lot of talent so it did not take very long for them to move up. It's understandable that they did not get enough hours in at low limits for it to count as knowing low limits well. Offline games are not comparable to online games.

[lacky]

Gotta disagree. Adjusting to the current game conditions, WHATEVER they are, to win the max amount possible is real poker.

[Sponger15SB]

[ QUOTE ]

If everyone in a 10 man table sees the flop at any table- it is not real poker. I am confident that 1/2 is not REAL poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

If I'm not mistaken that is also real poker, unless they don't use cards and chips or something.

But yeah, pretty sure when you sit down at a table with 9 other people and you are each delt 2 cards and then there are 5 community cards that is real hold em.

You named wouldn't happen to be Jim McManus would it?

[spamuell]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Are you really PLAYING poker in $1/2 or just goofing around?


[/ QUOTE ]

If everyone in a 10 man table sees the flop at any table- it is not real poker. I am confident that 1/2 is not REAL poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am confident that you are an idiot.

[pokerkai]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Are you really PLAYING poker in $1/2 or just goofing around?


[/ QUOTE ]

If everyone in a 10 man table sees the flop at any table- it is not real poker. I am confident that 1/2 is not REAL poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am confident that you are an idiot.

[/ QUOTE ]

I concur

[Lawrence Ng]

[ QUOTE ]
If everyone in a 10 man table sees the flop at any table- it is not real poker. I am confident that 1/2 is not REAL poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

Then I guess the 20/40 games I play aren't real poker. Thanks for clearing that up for me. I had no idea before.

[doggin]

On one of those short and sweet interviews that WPT has
between hands, Howard Lederer stated that is took him
two years to become a winning player at 1/2 limit HE.
From that point on, well you know..............

[MrFroggyX]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Are you really PLAYING poker in $1/2 or just goofing around?


[/ QUOTE ]

If everyone in a 10 man table sees the flop at any table- it is not real poker. I am confident that 1/2 is not REAL poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am confident that you are an idiot.

[/ QUOTE ]

I concur

[/ QUOTE ]

Me to

[Sarge85]

I'm guessing your not beating the $1/$2 game....

Sarge/images/graemlins/diamond.gif

[Tommy Angelo]

The first time I played for money was oh my god 32 years ago. I was 14. We played for pennies and nickles, which wasn't peanuts.

[therockofgibraltar]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm guessing your not beating the $1/$2 game....

Sarge/images/graemlins/diamond.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I am /images/graemlins/smile.gif
and currently thinking is it a time to move to $2/4, lol

[Sponger15SB]

He was not talking to you

[therockofgibraltar]

oh, sorry

[colgin]

[ QUOTE ]
If everyone in a 10 man table sees the flop at any table- it is not real poker. I am confident that 1/2 is not REAL poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, it sure feels REAL while I am stacking all those chips.

[Trix]

hax

[evain]

If you are playing for money IT IS REAL POKER.

[dirty moose]

http://www.cardplayer.com/poker_magazine/archives/showarticle.php?a_id=14357

http://www.cardplayer.com/poker_magazine/archives/showarticle.php?a_id=14359

2 good read should help you out

[flawless_victory]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If everyone in a 10 man table sees the flop at any table- it is not real poker. I am confident that 1/2 is not REAL poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

Then I guess the 20/40 games I play aren't real poker. Thanks for clearing that up for me. I had no idea before.

[/ QUOTE ]
HOLLER!

[VentureAce]

I started at $0.50/1 NL, I play $5-10 NL or $25-50 now. I am pro. I am an international playboy also. I will eventually win the WSOP main event. Check out my website.

[Ed Miller]

You should understand that B&M casinos don't often bother trying to spread games lower than $2-$4 (and really it was $3-$6 before poker took off recently). There is too much overhead. So the only place available to play lower than $2-$4 is online. Anyone who "came up" before online play won't have played that low... but most I know who are coming up now do spend time at the microlimits.

Also, when I was starting to play, I already had a good job, and $0.50-$1 didn't "feel" like gambling to me. I had to play at least $2-$4 to keep my head in the game. /images/graemlins/smile.gif So I did, even though it made my education a little more expensive. I spent most of my "coming up" time at a $4-$8 game at a Seattle-area card room.

[Duke]

Earlier today I played 40-80 stud with sam grizzle, some other guy who's been playing forever and seems like a nice guy with a generally solid game, and a couple other guys who weren't that good. That was real poker.

Then I played 30-60 Hold'em with some kid from Alaska who apprently plays 30 on stars, and was on vacation. He ended up in the 60 game when it started but I had to go. It was the normal mix of monday regulars - some winners and some losers. That was real poker.

Right now I'm playing a bunch of 2-4 games on party skins and losing peanuts compared to what I won earlier. It's definitely real poker.

~D

[therockofgibraltar]

[ QUOTE ]
Earlier today I played 40-80 stud with sam grizzle, some other guy who's been playing forever and seems like a nice guy with a generally solid game, and a couple other guys who weren't that good. That was real poker.

Then I played 30-60 Hold'em with some kid from Alaska who apprently plays 30 on stars, and was on vacation. He ended up in the 60 game when it started but I had to go. It was the normal mix of monday regulars - some winners and some losers. That was real poker.

Right now I'm playing a bunch of 2-4 games on party skins and losing peanuts compared to what I won earlier. It's definitely real poker.

~D

[/ QUOTE ]


Sam Grizzle? I could be totally off (don't know the players too well) but was this the guy who tried to irritate Phil Hellmuth all the time in WSOP 2003?
I watched that DVD sometime ago and there was this guy who tried to put Phil on tilt all the time! It was very funny /images/graemlins/smile.gif

If it was Grizzle, is he like that all the time or just when he is playing with Hellmuth? /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Swampy]

[ QUOTE ]
I have thought that today you should start really low because the players are better than before (even if you have the money to play in bigger games). Is this so?

Are you really PLAYING poker in $1/2 or just goofing around?


[/ QUOTE ]

Players are NOT better than before -- they're much worse, on average. That's why you find ATMs (with feet) at every table, at nearly every level. Most places, $1-$2 is as real as $200-$400; only the color of the chips is different.