Am I doing myself a disservice by avoiding Party $1-$2?

[Spaderess]

Please don't put this into the stupid-questions-that-deserves-stupid-answers category

I have a question that is sort of related to a few that has recently been asked concerning the differences between $0.5-$1, $1-$2 & $2-$4 and it is primarily aimed towards those that have been playing att all those levels on different sites.

For the last 6 months I have been playing almost exclusively $1-$2, mostly at a few of the smaller sites and I have been doing quite well. I feel that it is soon time to make another step upwards. Almost exclusivley means on every site except Party.

When I first came to Party I started playing at the $1-$2 level, but since I wanted to try multitabeling (to get through the signup bonuses faster) I steped down to $0.5-$1. What happened then was that I fell in love with the fishtank known as Party $0.5-$1.

Right now I only play Party when there is bonuses to clear. But will probably play a lot more if I step up one level.

So am I doing myself a disservice by not playing Party $1-$2? Is there a lesson to be learned that I'm not getting at other sites?

./Spaderess

[itsmesteve]

i just started playing stars, so I can't say i have any real knowledge of other sites, but why "dodge" party 1/2?

[VBM]

[ QUOTE ]
So am I doing myself a disservice by not playing Party $1-$2? Is there a lesson to be learned that I'm not getting at other sites?

[/ QUOTE ]

I've only played the party skins, so you may be getting plenty of good experience at $1/2 on the other sites. The diff in Party .5/1 and 1/2 is just that its a bit tighter and there is a more distributed mix of villains; TAP's, some TAG's, LAP's, etc.

if you already have experience vs that range of opponents & have the bankroll, by all means, skip 1/2 & go to 2/4.

hth,
--oj.

[k000k]

[ QUOTE ]
i just started playing stars, so I can't say i have any real knowledge of other sites, but why "dodge" party 1/2?

[/ QUOTE ]

Cuz party 1/2 is a rockfest. That's where bonus clears the fastest, so a lot of good players hang out there. The pots are smaller in terms of BB, and it's tighter. I have far better results at $2/4. I stayed at 1/2 long enough to make the amount of $$ going in and out not seem like too much, and I got the hell out.. I play $2/4 for serious play and clear bonuses at .5/1. At Party, 1/2 is a harder game than 2/4. Same at cryptos, but not to such an extent.

[tiltaholic]

why do you think 1/2 on party is different than 1/2 elsewhere?

[shadow29]

[ QUOTE ]
Cuz party 1/2 is a rockfest.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not true.

OP: I think that anyone who is serious about poker needs to spend time in both the Party full 1/2 and the 1/2 sh. How much time is up to you and whether you feel that you've learned enough there. But spend time there, your game will benefit.

[Maurader1]

I've seen a lot of posts advocating short hand. Will this improve my game when I make it to mid-high stakes? I've never every played SH, but would it be useful for 2/4 and 3/6 full? I assume you have to steal/defend blinds more, and generally play even more aggressive? If we need 300BB for full ring, how much of a bankroll do we need for SH?

[shadow29]

Playing 1/2 sh will certainly improve your game no matter how high you go.

It puts you in a lot of heads up or short handed pots with marginal hands, which is extremely important for figuring out where you are in blind stealing type situations. Moreover, seat selection, isolation, and protection become even more important.

300 BB should be plenty for 1/2 sh. It's really a super soft game once you learn how to play. If you want no risk, of course take 500 BB, but 300 BB should be quite sufficient.

[k000k]

[ QUOTE ]
Not true.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll agree with you, 1/2 is good for something. However, it's more for learning how to squeeze blood from a turnip than anything else. For learning how to swim FAST when they throw you in the deep end. And good for developing a sense of variation when bets are doubled. Losing $10 at a time instead of $5, winning $15 or $25 instead of $10-$15. For learning how to get kicked in the ass over and over and like it and not tilt. Actually, I'm still kinda bitter about that..

Maybe I just have an extremely long extended losing streak.. Something like 20k hands and still in the red.. $1/2 on crypto made up for it so I'm *barely* an overall $1/2 winner. BR chart goes up and down like a damn rollercoaster. I swear I think I'd do better in a 5/10 game or something.. $2/4, I'm as comfortable as can be.. Win rate well in the black, BR chart looks more like .5/1's, steady increase, standard spikes and dips..

Does anyone think that party $2/4 is harder than $1/2?

[tiltaholic]

[quote
Does anyone think that party $2/4 is harder than $1/2?

[/ QUOTE ]

i do. a lot harder. it's not even close.

[Spaderess]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Svar till:</font><hr />
i just started playing stars, so I can't say i have any real knowledge of other sites, but why "dodge" party 1/2?

[/ QUOTE ]

This is why...

Party Poker 0.5/1 Hold'em (10 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is SB with K/images/graemlins/spade.gif, K/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
<font color="#CC3333">UTG raises</font>, <font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, MP3 calls, CO calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG caps</font>, MP3 calls, CO calls, Hero calls.

Flop: (17 SB) 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif, Q/images/graemlins/heart.gif, K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG raises</font>, MP3 folds, CO calls, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG caps</font>, CO calls, Hero calls.

Turn: (14.50 BB) 3/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">CO 3-bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero caps</font>, UTG calls, CO calls.

River: (26.50 BB) 3/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG raises</font>, CO calls, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG caps</font>, CO calls, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 38.50 BB

Results below:
Hero has Ks Kh (full house, kings full of threes).
UTG has 7h 7s (two pair, sevens and threes).
CO has Qs Js (two pair, queens and threes).
Outcome: Hero wins 38.50 BB.

[deception5]

[ QUOTE ]
This is why...

Results below:
Hero has Ks Kh (full house, kings full of threes).
UTG has 7h 7s (two pair, sevens and threes).
CO has Qs Js (two pair, queens and threes).
Outcome: Hero wins 38.50 BB.


[/ QUOTE ]

You make a convincing argument /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[scotty34]

[ QUOTE ]
i do. a lot harder. it's not even close.

[/ QUOTE ]

I wouldn't say that 2/4 is harder. It is a very different game than 1/2 however, and requires a lot of adjustment. 1/2 is a lot tighter game, and a lot of players are tight-weak. It is a good place to learn blind stealing and steal defenses etc. There are a lot more good players at 2/4 and also a lot more LAGs/LPPs. It is definetly far more aggressive, a lot more multiway pots, and you will have bigger swings.

[tiltaholic]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
i do. a lot harder. it's not even close.

[/ QUOTE ]

I wouldn't say that 2/4 is harder. It is a very different game than 1/2 however, and requires a lot of adjustment. 1/2 is a lot tighter game, and a lot of players are tight-weak. It is a good place to learn blind stealing and steal defenses etc. There are a lot more good players at 2/4 and also a lot more LAGs/LPPs. It is definetly far more aggressive, a lot more multiway pots, and you will have bigger swings.

[/ QUOTE ]

a game that has a lot more good players is harder in my book.

i agree with everything you've said too.

[scotty34]

What makes a game hard or easy for me is the number of bad players. I would happily sit at a table with 5 sharks, as long as 3 or 4 of the others were donks.