Best game to improve holdem?

[Hermlord]

Lately, I feel like I've hit a wall with my poker ability. I play almost exclusively low-limit holdem, and I play almost exclusively ABC poker (which is what it takes to beat low-limit). But when the time comes to move up, I feel I'll be lacking the creativity required. Also, I feel like sorta like a monkey that's been trained in LL holdem, whereas I like the idea of the old-school all-around poker player, that can beat any game at least reasonably well.

My question is, what other poker game will help me most with holdem in particular, and poker theory in general? I suspect limit/PL/NL is just as important to the answer as the game type. Thanks for any help.

[TripleH68]

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Lately, I feel like I've hit a wall with my poker ability. I play almost exclusively low-limit holdem, and I play almost exclusively ABC poker (which is what it takes to beat low-limit). But when the time comes to move up, I feel I'll be lacking the creativity required. Also, I feel like sorta like a monkey that's been trained in LL holdem, whereas I like the idea of the old-school all-around poker player, that can beat any game at least reasonably well.

My question is, what other poker game will help me most with holdem in particular, and poker theory in general? I suspect limit/PL/NL is just as important to the answer as the game type. Thanks for any help.

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FWIW I have been dropping down a limit and playing shorthanded.

[Hermlord]

Shorthanded is great advice, I guess I didn't make clear that I am looking for something besides holdem partly just to be doing something different. There are plenty of good ways to improve your game within holdem; shorthanded is one of them.

[jeffraider]

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FWIW I have been dropping down a limit and playing shorthanded.

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Seconded. 6-max games require lots of creativity and aggression and will help you grow your game quite a bit.

[Mike]

Ditto, even a little short hand experience makes you a huge favorite over the rest.

[Cornell Fiji]

Pot Limit anything will open your eyes to the difference between playing poker and playing limit hold'em. I am defining poker as the ability to win money through your betting pattern and ability to figure out what others have and to control the game. In this game of poker the cards don't matter.

I took up PL Omaha when I got bored of hold'em. It made me a much better hold'em player (and is a great game to know when the list at the Borgata for NL is 120 deep and the omaha list is 2 deep with 7 players at the table being holdem players who have no idea why their hand didn't make a flush.)

If I were you I would play a little PL Holdem and then some PLO (make sure you read some basic articles and search 2+2 before playing omaha or you will be quite the fish.)
I think that playing short handed limit hold'em might actually get you into some really bad habits when you return to a full ring game and I would caution against it.

Anyway, I'm back to Negranu's SS2 article on triple draw lowball.

-Steve

[Scuba Chuck]

You should quantify what part of your game you'd like to develop.

Post flop play, preflop, etc. Or perhaps, how to recognize "bubble" situations where players tighten up, where you should loosen up.

finally, I always assume people who play Hold'em only play limit. How do you feel about No limit?

If you're bored, that's a whole other issue as well.