So, Am I a fish??

[HRFats]

I've been bonus whoring since Jan 1st. Started with $10 on Party and turned it into $100 at the 25NL tables. Cleared the Criptos and had $348 bankroll - all from NL tables - either .25/.50 or .50/1.00. Deposited at Paradise using GRANNY, then made two deposits for the SuperBowl. Then I fell apart. Last night, I lost $150.00 on Paradise. Early on one table I saw a guy lose $50.00 by betting JJ all in. He lost to KK. I was heads up with this guy about 15 minutes later. I had Big Slick os. Flop comes K,6,2 rainbow. Villain checks, I raise $5.00, villain calls. Turn is K so I have three of a kind. Villain checks, I raise $10, villain calls. I'm figuring he's betting the other K or has Pocket Aces or Queens. River is 9. Villain checks, I raise all-in $35. Villain calls and flips pocket 6's for the boat. Down $50.

Later at same table I get pocket J's. I call the blind, everyone fold except BB who checks. Flop comes 10, J, 4 rainbow. I have a set of Jacks and decide not to screw around. All in - $50.00. BB calls. Turn is 9, River is K. And the villain turns over Q,3 os. Down another $50.

Several hours later I'm still down $98 of the $100. I get pocket aces and I've decided this is my last hand of the night. I call Blind , SB and BB both stay. Flop is 2s,6d,8d. SB and BB check, I bet $10.00. SB and BB call. Turn is Jh. SB bets $10, BB folds, I call. River is 3c. SB checks, I go all-in $52.00. SB stalls for almost the entire 30 seconds, then calls. He has set Jacks. Down $150 for the night and sweating profusely!!

So, am I a FISH or just had a few bad beats? I'm thinking of just cashing out and keeping the $198.00 and calling it quits. Any thoughts??

[IggyWH]

Nah, you're not a fish. NL swings are huge and you got to be prepared for them.

When I played NL, if I lost an all-in that was big, I called it a night. My problem then was I'd get aggressive trying to make it up quick and look for any situation to push all-in again. I couldn't handle the tilt from a suckout. Sadly, I dumped a lot of money when I first started playing before I recognized I was actually on tilt and needed to leave the tables.

Swings like that happen on NL though and if you want to stick to NL, you got to be prepared to accept that and deal accordingly.

[gazarsgo]

I lost a $350 pot at NL25 once because I had aces and I'm an idiot.

I have to say, after grinding at NL25 and .5/1 and 1/2 6max, I really prefer 1/2 6max. The suckouts happen more often, but for less money.

I attribute every one of my session losses to bad play, though, and not bad runs of cards. At the same time, I try not to beat myself up over the short term...this gets easier the farther into the hole you get starting out. /images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Keep on whoring the bonuses and playing within your limits! And for god's sake, if you aren't clearing a bonus, you better be playing with rakeback...

[Sponger15SB]

[ QUOTE ]
NL swings are huge and you got to be prepared for them.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is untrue.

But to the OP, it seems like you were playing outside of bankroll requirements.

[HRFats]

Thanks for the feedback. I probably should have left after losing the first $50 (that damn hindsight thing!) I did feel a need to make it up and thought I had both times right up until the players showed their hands. I think I'll take a few days off and try my luck against the Fri and Sat night drunks. If I lose another $100 I think I'll fold for a while...

[HRFats]

I may be playing outside the bankroll requirements but what can a guy do while trying to build a bankroll? I'm using Homer's How to Build a Bankroll suggestions. I seemed to be plugging along doing OK until Paradise.

[Al P]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
NL swings are huge and you got to be prepared for them.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is untrue.


[/ QUOTE ]

You can't say it's untrue. If one single person has ever had a huge swing at NL that makes it true.

[IggyWH]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
NL swings are huge and you got to be prepared for them.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is untrue.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why? Which part?

You can't say NL swings aren't huge and you cannot say one shouldn't be prepared for swings.

The OP can contest to NL swings as he's in a downwards one right now. You have to prepare for these swings is obvious by you talking about bankroll management.

[Sephus]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
NL swings are huge and you got to be prepared for them.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is untrue.


[/ QUOTE ]

You can't say it's untrue. If one single person has ever had a huge swing at NL that makes it true.

[/ QUOTE ]

i bow before your logical reasoning abilities.

[Synergistic Explosions]

[ QUOTE ]
I may be playing outside the bankroll requirements but what can a guy do while trying to build a bankroll? I'm using Homer's How to Build a Bankroll suggestions. I seemed to be plugging along doing OK until Paradise.

[/ QUOTE ]

You are definately on the right track, however your focus should not be on NL ring games to clear these bonuses.

Try again, but clear these signup bonuses on the lowest limit ring tables you can. Instead of trying to win lots of money through your play, instead try not to lose any money and be satisfied with finishing up the whole bonus amount.

It's amazing how fast these bonuses will build your bankroll just by playing even poker. You should be able to build your bankroll to 2k in a month or two this way, depending on the hours you can put in. Once you get 2k, then you can take advantage of all the sweet reloads that are offered on a regular basis.

Now if NL is in your blood, don't worry. You will be able to use your limit ring play to qualify for many many special point buy in free rolls that are offered at just about every site now. There you can satisfy your NL desires, without any risk.

Good luck and let us know how it goes for you. I'd hate to see a promising player give up so quickly. Everything you need to succeed is there afterall. Just put the focus on the bonus, eliminate most of the risk, and build your bankroll. It's very easy.

[smartalecc5]

That was inspiring!

[GoSox]

tough to tell from just this info if you're a fish, you did play the last two hands like one though. try posting some pokertracker stats if you have them, if not get pokertracker !

[umdpoker]

if you are willing to push yiour whole stack in with aa unimproved postflop, then you better raise it preflop. i believe that paradise stacks are deeper, so you need to adjust accordingly. if you like to play low stakes nl, i would try out party nl25. the stacks are small enough that you don't need to be an expert nl player to do well. also, when trying to clear bonuses on party, the nl25 games are awesome. you can just play super-tight, play your monsters strong and do very well. plus, most pots are raked because of the low threshold where raking starts in nl.

[mason55]

$350 is way way too small of a bankroll to play $50NL. $25NL would even be pushing it if the money means something to you and you can't redopsit. And you played the last 2 hands pretty badly. Post in SSNL and they'll help with the hands.

[alabubba]

[ QUOTE ]
Try again, but clear these signup bonuses on the lowest limit ring tables you can. Instead of trying to win lots of money through your play, instead try not to lose any money and be satisfied with finishing up the whole bonus amount.


[/ QUOTE ]

I think this is wisdom. My poker playing needs a lot of work, but this strategy exactly is putting $$ into my bankroll. I'm playing overall just a little better than break-even, but my $100 that I started with in late January is now at $600 and still climbing. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Lawrence Ng]

[ QUOTE ]
You can't say it's untrue. If one single person has ever had a huge swing at NL that makes it true.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually Sponger is right, the variance in NL is less than the variance in limit.

Lawrence

[IggyWH]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You can't say it's untrue. If one single person has ever had a huge swing at NL that makes it true.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually Sponger is right, the variance in NL is less than the variance in limit.

Lawrence

[/ QUOTE ]

Explain this then :

If I play on $1-2 limit, the max I can lose on that hand is $24 and personally, I think you have to be mildly retarded to cap each round and lose. On a $1-2 NL table, I can lose my max buyin of $50 on 1 hand. I can lose even more than that if I win more than my max buyin.

So tell me, how exactly are the swings in NL less than those in limit?

[detroitplayer]

I am always amazed by the people who say NL swings aren't as bad or worse than LHE swings. I think it's some sort of inherent need for LHE players to prove they're not p_ssies, and that LHE is just as dangerous, rather than it being a logical line of reasoning. In limit you can't lose everything you have on the table in one hand. (Unless you're only playing with 12 BBs)... and as you put it... "I think you have to be mildly retarded to cap each round and lose."

It's like saying that swings at 100-200 LHE aren't as bad as the swings at 1-2 LHE. The place you can lose the most money the fastest is the place where you're going to see the biggest swings.

Not comparatively to your BR, obviously.

[kim2005]

if u r good on nl, u can easily win 2-3 buy-in per day in a 5 hrs/day. And only lost 1-2 buy-in when u have a bad day, usually it happen 1 time in 5 days, o it can say the variance is smaller

[detroitplayer]

I'm assuming english isn't your first language, so we won't go there. But saying "if you're good" is a moot point. If you're good at limit you'll win too. Except in limit you will win slower (and lose slower), and in NL you can win faster (and lose faster).

[Freudian]

They are smaller because you don't put a lot of money into the pot without a very good chance of winning it. In limit you can play draws all the way to the river etc. If you don't hit them for a day you have a massive downswing.

[HRFats]

Thanks for all the feedback. I have what is probably a stupid question. I have never played limit and assume that my playing style will have to change. What changes can you recommend when switching from NL to LHE?

[GuruCane]

I hate these snotty types of posts, but I have to admit that I was thinking it and am laughing my ass off.

[ipp147]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for all the feedback. I have what is probably a stupid question. I have never played limit and assume that my playing style will have to change. What changes can you recommend when switching from NL to LHE?

[/ QUOTE ]

They are far too many to mention.

My suggestion, take your $198 and stick in anywhere that you can play micro limit and NL (like pokerstars).

If you want to play limit then,

Read Lee Jones Winning low limit hold em (or something like that) and play .25/.50. When you are comfortable and have some hands under your belt and are winning then get Small Stakes hold em by Ed Miller and move up slowly (when you have 300+ Big bets move up a level).

If NL then play $10 buy-in so you have 20 buy-ins. There aren't that many good books, read reuben and ciaffione's pot-limit/no-limit hold em.

Whichever you pick read and post as much as you can in the relevant forum here (small stakes no limit or micro limit). Both are excellent