need lots of advice on how to bet in this crazy game they call NL....

[elmitchbo]

hey guys. first post in the NL section, although the newbie is wearing off of me in the limit forums. i need some help with this NL thing. i just started reading the posts i could find in this section on betting style/strategy in NL. here's what i found so far:
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Number=1686760&page=&view=&s b=5&o=
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Number=1656116&page=1&view=c ollapsed&sb=5&o=14
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Number=1523648&page=&view=&s b=5&o=

i think that stuff may have actually been a little over my head, although i was on top of most of the discussions. i'm a reasonably well trained limit monkey. i've read the books, forums, etc., and i have some success playing limit online. here's the problem... all the home games i play in are NL. i feel like i should kill those guys, but i just don't for whatever reason. most of these games are very low limit affairs (~$5-$10 buyins) with a wide array of people. there are a few guys that kinda know what they're doing(i generously place myself in that category,) guys that really don't have much of a clue, and wives that need a cheat sheet to know a flush beats a straight.

i really understand starting hands and raising strategy in limit, as well as post-flop betting. i'm having a hard time translating that to a NL style. for example, i don't know how much more than the min-raise i should put in. i've seen 3x the BB mentioned alot, but i'm even a little confused about that. does that mean in a $1/$2 game you would bet $6, or does it mean raise $6 to a total of $8? after that question you should know i'm a little lost. can some one give me a very basic idea of how to bet monster hands, good hands, moderate(calling) hands.

i'd like to start playing NL online and play some higher stakes home cash games, but i don't think i have the chops quite yet. NL is the cadillac, and i feel a little like ford taurus at this point.

[bholdr]

[ QUOTE ]
can some one give me a very basic idea of how to bet monster hands, good hands, moderate(calling) hands.

[/ QUOTE ]
...don't forget bluffs.

if you are just starting out, here is a good exercise that will start you on the right path:

pretend you are not allowed to call, and may only bet the size of the pot. at small NL, fancy betting is just no good. bet the pot. that's your mantra... bet the pot... bet the pot...

after you play a few thousand hands, think about maybe betting less or more sometimes. ameoba's 2/3 pot idea is good. mattflynn's minraising simply doesn't apply at your limit. never min bet.

[fimbulwinter]

I'muna patent this:

the limit player's 5 minutes to NL breakevenness:

-raise 4xBB preflop, don't open-limp with anything but small pairs. fold the trash, limp behind with the draws and raise the goods.
-Be agressive on the flop, bet and raise with 10 or more outs, fold other draws unless you are getting near pot odds to go on them.
-when raising,raise tiny bets to 1.5x the pot. raise pot sized bets to 3x what they bet at you. if you'll have less than 50% of the resultant pot size left over (this assumes his call money in there too), push instead of making a standard raise.
-play monsters and pairs up front, play anything from the back so long as you have 70BB or more to win.
-bet the pot on early streets (flop or turn if flop was chcked around) and factions of the pot on later streets (50-80%).

above all, read the boards. read the hands with lots of replies, and read the replies from guys who have lots of posts until you get a better feel for posters.

fim

ps- this whole post was typed with dictation software. i apologize for the purplemonkeydishwashers.