In a live NL game what does a player's buy-in tell you

[Percula]

I am interested in the way a player buys-in to either a no cap or high cap game and what it might or might not tell you about their playing style.

For example I have seen people that buy-in for a large amount >$5000 and they will buy a couple of hundred in the dominate blind size chip (10/20 they will have reds or 10's) and the rest will either be in black or a combination of black and purple. It seems from my limited experience that these players tend to be fairly TAG and are more likely to make big bets.

Another type I have seen is pretty much the reverse of the first example, they buy a lot of the dominate chip color and then top off with blacks. They seem to play a lot more pots and are more LAG than anything else.

If there is something to this what would you suggest be a better buy-in "structuring" of chips than the two extermes sited above?

[etizzle]

in general the best player will have enough in red or green to play small pots against most the opposition, and have the table covered with his bigger chips.

No reason to have 2k out there in red chips for a TAG. I dont know that you can necessarily read other players' styles from their chip denominations though.

[Percula]

Thank you that is the type of thing I am looking for...

Follow up...

In a no cap game, what does a large stack really bring to the playablity of the stack?

So assuming your are a thoughtful player, just because you buy-in for $50K does not mean you will throw around chips in -EV situations. Sure there is a bully factor, but that only goes so far, so offten and in just the right situation.

[etizzle]

the only thing a huge stack does for you is to have everyone covered. In a no cap game having exactly equal to the other biggest stack is no different from having a lot more on the table, as long as you can pull money out of your pocket if you take a beat.

[AZK]

I used to think there was an easy way to figure out how a player played based on what he looked like/acted like and what he bought in for. This is not always the case live, do not jump to conclusions. On the internet, if someone buys into a game with 20 - 50xBB it's almost always safe to assume that they are a fish. You just have to watch them play 1 orbit and you will know.

Live is a totally different story. I was sitting in a 2/5 game once, this iced out, wall-street type wearing a sharp suit and drinking grey goose on the rocks (i.e. drunk and showing off about it) sits down with 10k to my right. We start talking and he offers to buy the first round, I oblige and reach into my pocket to put all the money I have on me into the game. We have a few rounds, the guy doesn't play more than 5 hands that night. Left down about $20 before going out. You see some of the most bizarre things.

Watch people play a round regardless of what they buyin for, by then you will know who has a clue and who doesn't.

[aggie]

I typically play in a $500 minimum no max buyin 5-5 game. It's a pretty reliable tell that if somebody sits down with all red ($5) chips they are a fish.

[aggie]

buyins from 20-25k are very typical amongst the best players in the 5-5 game i play in (mostly in the form of a large stack of cash)....The cash hardly ever makes it onto the table