Bringing a lot to the table

[MycroftX]

I was curious about bringing a lot of your bankroll to the table. What do you guys of think bringing 300BB or 400BB to a table, where mostly people have 20-50BB.

I usually bring around 150BB or so, and play .25/.50, or .50/1.

I wanted to hear to what you guys think, if I brought say 300, or 400BB, how would that affect where people might call me, or raise me...
I figure I want maniacs to keep calling me with poopoo hands...but by bringing so much could it cost me over time?
Conversely, could I be re-raised more often by people figuring another quarter isn't much to a guy with 200 bucks at a .25/.50 table?
and lastly is it even a legitamate worry?

Also, can anyone see the avatar I tried to put up?? People keep telling me it's a blank box..

Hope this isn't a silly question

thnx, mycroftx

[JoshuaD]

I always bring 50BB's. 25 seems too low (25 BB swings aren't rare), and 100 seems too high (why bother bringing that much?). 50 has been serving me nicely.

Oh, and I can see your avatar.

[flair1239]

I really do not think it matters. I myself just bring in the normal 25BB. That way if I am playing bad, I have to think twice about whther I reaaly want to reload.

If it had any effect I think it would be one of intimidation, which you would not want at this level anyway.

[prayformojo]

Think about your opponents. Anyone who actually thinks much about such things as the amount of a person's buy-in or stack is generally going to be knowledgeable enough to recognize that the amount of your buy-in is meaningless.

[topspin]

I think you're overthinking this. It's obvious anyone that sits down with 200BB didn't win it at that table, so I doubt anyone will read anything into it. Personally I prefer to sit down with the default amount since it makes me more invisible among the rest of the fish. I often see people sit with more, maybe 30-40BB, on the theory that you'll easily see swings of -10BB or more in a session and it saves having to click "reload", which seems sensible too.

I will say that every once in a while I'll see someone sit down with 300-600BB at a nano .25/.50 table. I consider this on par with the hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses at a 2/4 live game /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[aron]

It might give you a certain table image.
A couple of months ago I always paid a lot more respect to a player with a lot more than the regular 25BB thinking that he had to be a good player.
That was if he was already sitting at the table before I came, not if I saw him entering with that amount.

Now I realize that it mostly happens to loose agressive players with a high variance, and it doesn't really bother me.

So yeah, it might affect how others play, probably you could make them fold to a bluff a whole lot more, but only if they aren't that skilled.

-aron

[GrunchCan]

Seems silly to me.

The only reason you might do this, as opposed to just bringing 25 - 50 BB, is to make your opponents think you are a good player.

But when you sit down with 150 or more bets, I would guess that one of two things will happen:

1) Your opponents won't even notice
2) Your opponents will notice, and think you are just showing off, but won't be impressed

Neither of these can be +EV, so why bother? If you want people to be afraid of your game, then play good poker.

[ilovemyZ]

FWIW, back when I was a fishy (before I started reading these forums and books), I thought the people who brought huge amounts to the table were trying to push people around. Therefore, I respected their bets and raises less.

Just my 2 cents.

[BadBatsuMaru]

There are a couple different ways I look at this.

If you bring a lot of money to the table, people will are going to notice. I mean, I notice when other people bring a lot to the table. I see ppl sit down with $100 at a $0.5/$1 table and I'll usually say, "So, expecting to lose a lot?"

If you're sitting there with a 200+ BB stack, it probably will help you push people around a bit. You might be able to bluff people more easily, but you still get called down enough at a micro table that it's probably not a good idea.

My personal thinking is that you should always just buy in with the default amount. When you buy in with something different, it draws attention to you. When people start paying attention to you, they start to notice, "Hey, this party pooper is only playing good cards," and they will be less inclined to show down and pay you off.

[MycroftX]

Thanks everyone, this is great feedback.

My original way of thinking was, When I was very new, and used to play on Pacific poker, I was intimidated by big stacks at the table. I thought since now I usually watch a table for a bit before sitting down, and I always look for loose/fishy tables, it might be effective.

I didn't think it would make any big fat difference, just an extra blind steal here and there. But any little extra adds up I guess, even just an extra couple of BB's by the end of a session.
I was hoping for some feedback on if doing this might negatively affect me as well.
Again these are great, thnx