Are NL Holdem Cash Games Very Profitable?

[PokerProdigy]

Recently I have been thinking about playing NLHE cash games, but I have a few doubts. First, I haven't played much in NLHE cash games before, but I have played in many NLHE tourneys. Will this allow me to play NLHE cash games well? Is it easier or harder to multi-table in NL or Limit HE cash games? Why? What potential is there for making money in NLHE cash games? Because in limit HE many good players talk about making 2-3 BB per 100 hands while 2-4 tabling at the small stakes games, and I am just curious how NL win rates compare to limit winrates at holdem.

[yvesaint]

If you are anywhere near competent (i.e. know which hand beats what, and how to tell what hand you have), I am sure SSNL up to at least 100 NL will be very profitable.

You don't have to play 6-max. You don't have to get tricky playing LAG or making 'moves'. You can play ABC poker at full-ring and still make a killing, because people are idiots. And unlike a tourney where you don't get a second chance, you get many chances in cash games.

[Mercman572]

the benefit of NL is that a single mistake is super costly. you can exploit bad players mistakes and set worse odds, also having to decide bet amounts allows you to read bad players hands better, causing a higher winrate and less variance if you're better than your opponents

[pokerjoker]

its probably about equal in profit to limit....A solid player can make ~30 in the 1-2 game per 100.
Probably about equal to a solid player at the 15-30 game.

[Isura]

[ QUOTE ]
its probably about equal in profit to limit....A solid player can make ~30 in the 1-2 game per 100.
Probably about equal to a solid player at the 15-30 game.

[/ QUOTE ]

A solid 15/30 player can make much more than $30/hr. 1/2 NL is closer to like 3/6 or 5/10 limit in terms of bankroll requirements and skill level needed.

Its profitable. Especially if you find me at your table.

Signing off - the ATM machine.

[TheWorstPlayer]

Multi-tabling is probably easier at limit. But you definitely make more per table hour at no limit. But you can play higher limit with the same bankroll. So it is all a tradeoff. If you just want to make money in the short term, just play limit. Especially since you have recently made a break-through. If you want to make the most money in the long term you must learn no limit and pot limit because the biggest and most profitable games are mixed. If you just want to have fun, you should learn NL and PL because they are fun (and also profitable).

[Simplistic]

no. i just pushed a re-raiser with kings and he had aces. there goes my profit for the night. ARGH.

/rant

[Neil Stevens]

At the very low end of NLHE (I play $25), you can have winrates that people used to other games will call ridiculous.

People make huge mistakes. People will even apply short-stack tournament strategy they learned from Norman Chad and Mike Sexton to the ring game, which gets to be really fun.

You just have to make sure you play good, straightforward poker. You don't need to get fancy to do things like build a big pot, because your opponents will do that for you with their own mistakes. Just be patient.

Also, make SURE you have enough bankroll. You want to be able to be fearless when you push or call one of those short-stack kamikaze pushes.

[uaw420rook]

They are profitable over long term. It is more of a mind game, and tilting can be your best friend or enemy. Tilters at NL can pad your bankroll for days, in one sitting. Tilting at NL can cripple your bankroll in one sitting. I believe it will help NL tourney game, but not as much as the inexperianced would think. Cash game you can sit for 2 or three rounds without winning a hand, and still have no pressure to win a hand. The betting and hand playing strategys are pretty much the same. The pressure of playing for 4 hours and being left with nothing on one bad play, is the reason I quit playing tournements(plus having a family). I would recommend picking one type of game and mastering it. Play it untill you don't even think about the odds when to raise or fold. Every thing is second nature. When you have mastered the one game, the others will still be there, and you can allways go back to the mastered game to rebuild if another variation gives you a beating.