NL newbie

[mmanne]

Hi everyone,
I've been playing limit HE for about 5 years now, and am a decent player (Up about 5K for this year). I'd like to add NL games to my array of skills. A few quick questions:
1. What's the best way to get some experience? Try some SNGs? Try some low stakes games? I generally play at Party, but if I hear that there are better games elsewhere, I'll try that.
2. I've thought some (and read some) about Post-flop play, but I'm very confused about pre-flop play. Can someone give me a few good hints on it? Are there some good books to pick up?
Thanks

[crockpot]

ciaffone/reuben's Pot Limit and No Limit Poker is excellent. it does not include a rigid guide on starting hands, but it does tell you which hands change value from a limit game and why.

i also have a short intro to the game on my website's Starting Out in Online Poker section. it's no substitute for ciaffone/reuben, but you can browse it while you are waiting for the book to arrive in the mail. (i don't know of any b&m bookstores that stock it)

as for experience, tournaments are so much different from ring games that it will not help you all that much. you can try out the .01/.02 blind no-limit at UB. although this game is naturally much looser than any $25 buy-in table, it will give you some ideas and experience. and the $25 buy-in tables at party and UB should not be that expensive for you to learn at.

[1800GAMBLER]

After playing for 5 years you'll have all the skills you'll need to beat NL games too.

The main starting differences Bob lists are pocket pairs and suited connectors are up in value. Just be careful with KQ KJ KT QJ QT AJ as they are trap hands.

Just jump right in the $50 buy in and post your main hands at the end of each session.

[Zag]

[ QUOTE ]
The main starting differences Bob lists are pocket pairs and suited connectors are up in value. Just be careful with KQ KJ KT QJ QT AJ as they are trap hands.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmm. I would refer to them as "get trapped" hands. Trap hands are the ones with which I lay traps.

Other than in terminology, I completely agree with JayP's point. The reason is that you want to make strong hands that you can bet with confidence, because the price of doing so and being wrong is far higher in PL/NL than it is in limit games. The hands listed above are the ones that make good hands that you will feel obligated to bet with, but will come in a good second-best dangerously often.

The other big difference from limit is that there is a whole new thing to think about: stack sizes. These strongly influence how you play, and even whether or not you play certain hands. In limit it hardly ever matters, because usually people won't be going all in during a hand. In no limit, it always matters. Is he deep enough to make your draw worthwhile, and will you get paid off if you make it? This is just one question you have to consider -- I know that I am just learning this aspect of the game and have barely scratched the surface.

[scrub]

The biggest difference between the UB small buyin tables and the Party small buyin tables is the relationship of blind structure to maximum buyin.

The blinds at party are twice as high relative to the max buyin as the UB blinds are. This tends to make the pots significantly larger relative to the stack sizes.

I'd reccomend playing at UB on the 25 dollar tables to start. The software's better, the players are just as terrible, and the smaller blinds make it easier for a beginner to play. With smaller pots, you won't have to make as many difficult decisions, and you're more likely to have odds to draw.

Good luck!

scrub