In need of some Bankroll advice...

[pdparv]

So I have been playing for about a year. I lucked my way into a WSOP seat and was lucky enough to cash for abou 16K. I now have set aside a nice bankroll for my playing and i have split it between tournaments and cash games. 5K for cash, and 5K for tournaments. I traditionally play 1-2NL, and do pretty well...but honestly the swings of NL get to my head a lot. i dont play limit very well, but want to get myself to playing. I play 3-6 when i do play, and sometimes play great others, i feel lost... If i really do my homework, and want to dedicate myself to limit, is 5-10 too high to jump right in. I have more than the 300BB. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Sadat X]

Congrats on the WSOP cash first off, beating 5000+ people isn't very easy.

Considering the size of your bankroll, if you feel like you can play comfortably and beat the 5/10 game, by all means, play that. Your bankroll (500BB) can certainly support it.

If you're not sure you're a winning player at that level yet, stay at 3/6 and hone your skills, move up when you are ready.

[Simplistic]

2nd the motion, if you're not comfortable playing 5/10 yet, I suggest you stay at 3/6 for the time being.

limit especially at the lower limits is just about making the mathematically correct plays, there is not that much room for deception etc. if you're not in the mindset that is going to allow you to consistently make the right plays (scared of losing money etc.) then you should stick to the lower limits for the time being. the 5/10 game will always be there for you to move up to.

[peterchi]

I would even suggest spending some time at 2/4 for a new limit player. It's a difficult question since you clearly are a winning NL player AND you are aware that limit is a different animal AND you have the bankroll to play 5/10. But as in NL, the swings can be brutal in limit, too. Nothing can take your confidence away like a 200BB downswing at 5/10 that may or may not have even been your own fault.

A good number of the great posters here started out at .50/1. There's nothing wrong with starting small, even if you have the bank and possibly the skills to play higher, but are thin on the experience.

And congrats on the WSOP cash.

[spaminator101]

i think that it is harder for players to move from limit to nolimit than viceversa
it depends on how you do on average in limit if you dont do very well i might even suggest playing some 2/4 instead to work your self up while primarily playing NL

[pdparv]

Thanks for the great responses so far. I guess my biggest frusteration in limit is feeling like i have played correctly only to see some guy cold called 2 bets with 8 5o, and some how river 2 pair. I was thinking this is something i would see less of if i stepped up to say 5-10. I think it may be most profitable to stick with 3-6, fine tune my game before making a jump. Another quick question...i play pretty much all over. Mainly on pokeroom.com. Any suggestions on the best 3-6, 5-10 games?

Thanks again.

[peterchi]

[ QUOTE ]
I guess my biggest frusteration in limit is feeling like i have played correctly only to see some guy cold called 2 bets with 8 5o, and some how river 2 pair.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is exactly what you want to see. Your profit comes from these players.

My guess is that you won at NL by being pretty aggressive. You'll have to alter this aggression a lot for limit. It might feel like you have to take 3 steps backwards, before you can move forward again.

Let me fine-tune my suggestion:

1) Read Small Stakes Hold'em by Ed Miller
2) Lurk in the Small Stakes Forum
3) Learn to beat up on the donks at 2/4
4) Read Small Stakes Hold'em again

Bad beats happen at every limit. Embrace them, or be ready to commit yourself to an institution.

[crunchy1]

[ QUOTE ]
honestly the swings of NL get to my head a lot.

[/ QUOTE ]
They're worse in limit hold'em...

[spaminator101]

agreed you will make more money in the long run fron these players you have no clue what they are doing
what this guy is saying is that he basicly wants to play against better players to reduce variance

[Zetack]

[ QUOTE ]

3) Learn to beat up on the donks at 2/4


[/ QUOTE ]

Lets just be clear, though, that by beat up we mean win a lot of money, we don't mean try to bully them with your bets and raises as thats a good way to start chip spewing.

--Zetack

[peterchi]

[ QUOTE ]

Lets just be clear, though, that by beat up we mean win a lot of money, we don't mean try to bully them with your bets and raises as thats a good way to start chip spewing.


[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, as careful as I was trying to be with my response, I can't believe I missed that mixed message I was sending. Thank you.

[pdparv]

Since you say the swings are worse in limit...should i even make the switch? It seems like limit is the way to really begin to move up the ranks. What are the pros of limit versus no limit. I am looking forward to rereading my limit material, and giving this a go though. Hopefully I can turn it into a success.

[pzhon]

[ QUOTE ]
I traditionally play 1-2NL, and do pretty well...but honestly the swings of NL get to my head a lot. i dont play limit very well, but want to get myself to playing.

[/ QUOTE ]
Non sequitur. The swings of limit are larger in relation to the amount you win than in NL. You hit the long run much more rapidly in NL than in limit. If you are sick of the swings in NL, that is a reason to stay in NL rather than to switch to limit.

In NL, you are used to seeing a few big pots in a session. The pots at $3-$6 may look small to you. However, there are so many medium-sized pots that the variance is similar to NL 100 (SD ~$100/100 hands), while the win rate of an established winner (which you are not) is comparable to the win rate at NL 50 (~$12/100 hands).

If you really want to play limit, I recommend starting lower than $3-$6, so your opponents will be worse and you will get more rapid feedback if you are winning.

$20k is not a sufficient bankroll to play $3-$6 if you are a losing player.

[dogmeat]

It's been said many titmes at the 2+2 forum, but:

Limit is more swingy than NL. If two players, each with the same ability in their respective field of Limit and No Limit hold'em play the same number of hours against the same type of players, the limit player will experience much greater variance in his bankroll.

Honest.

Dogmeat /images/graemlins/spade.gif

[peterchi]

[ QUOTE ]
What are the pros of limit versus no limit.

[/ QUOTE ]

I chose limit simply because I fell in love with the small stakes forum here.

I'm sure that the no-limit forums have great discussion and advice too, but for some reason, I didn't notice as much.

Also, I can't multi-table NL. I'm sure tons of people do it, but I can't. Whereas I can 6-table limit, comfortably.

I intend to get back into NL at some point, but right now I'm busy working on my limit game still.

[EStreet20]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the great responses so far. I guess my biggest frusteration in limit is feeling like i have played correctly only to see some guy cold called 2 bets with 8 5o, and some how river 2 pair. I was thinking this is something i would see less of if i stepped up to say 5-10.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope, idiots abound everywhere, and remember you should be happy to have such a player in your game, rather than pissed.