Small Stakes NL Question

[istewart]

Just want opinions on this. I know someone who I believe makes routinely unsound decisions and -EV plays, disregarding pot odds, etc, but still retains a firm grasp of the game. Do these types of players, although he is making by at the smallest of micro NL online, reach a level where these decisions and misplays are magnified to an extreme and create negative profits?

Thanks for any thoughts.

[warlockjd]

Unless you are Phil Ivey (and maybe even him,) you have areas of your game upon which you can improve.

Also, pot odds are not like limit. Things are so much more relative in NL. The brilliantly correct play at table X can be the most fishy play ever at table Y.

Like I've said before: The optimal decision in NL almost always comes down to how well you know your opponents.

nuff said

[TheWorstPlayer]

I agree, of course, but I think the short answer is "Yes." The longer answer is that someone who doesn't understand EV, pot odds, and implied odds will have a hard time making correct plays in the long run since they will likely miss the importance of things like stack size, etc.

[Saddlepoint]

It depends on what you mean by "reach a level."

If you just mean "reach a point," then the answer is no - if he never left micro-stakes I believe he could continue making a profit forever. If you mean "reach a level" as in "reach high enough stakes," then the answer is yes. Saint does a lot of coasting on his instincts that you can't get away with at $1/$2. But it's stupid to think that he's incapable of improving.

Warlock's answer is also very good. I think it's worth adding that what's determined here to be a "+EV" play isn't necessarily always applicable to microstakes poker. It's really almost like a different game. You could play every hand in .01/.02 NLH and turn a profit, I've done it.

[maldini]

can you elaborate on how microstakes is a different game? i ask b/c i've been getting my butt handed to me at $.05/$.10 stars. have lost approx $40 through about 400 hands. Thats huge percentagewise. I know I am decent and clearly better than most all these players but results is results. Granted this is not a lot of hands to look at and I have suffered some bad beats for big pots. I am also getting killed in 1 particular homegame in which most of the players are aweful. I just cannot adjust my style to these games.

Do I just need to be more patient? When I try this I feel like I play weak-tight.

For the record I do really well at $5 and $10 SNGs and homegames with good players (in the money 75% of the time.) I enjoy cash games more b/c you have more freedom but I'm doing something horribly wrong.

Any suggestions or comments? Thanks.

[amoeba]

400 hands is not a lot of hands, most of us blow through that in a few hours.

That said, you shouldn't be losing 400BBs in 400hands. thats basically -1 bb per hand, its like limping everyhand and folding the flop. Thats really really bad.

At these low limits, you win by being tight, getting good hands, and value betting. Remember, no bluffing calling stations. Also, since the stars stack is deeper, don't get too attached to single pair hands even if its TPTK.

read more. Post your hands.

[maldini]

Thanks Amoeba. I've posted 1 hand that annoys me and may represent a leak i have. I've been lurking for a month now and really enjoy your posts among others. Looking over PT it really seems like i've hit some terrible luck but may have been able to get away from a few hands if i respected the players more.

[amoeba]

yeah I played 400 hands today and I'm down 200BB for the session so bad luck is definitely possible.

Or maybe I played too aggressively today.