Paradise problem

is there anyone and i mean anyone who plays 1/2$

at paradise and is after 300 hours a winner

the problem is i play 0.5/1$ and have 0.76 BB/H

after 250 hours and i can tell you some time is hard to swallow after you see what people play and they have you beat by the last card... so is it worth to play at these limits ?..are higher limits even more difficult? Im looking for some answers how to play ...i consider myself as an average player seeing about 15% of the flop

thanks for any answers

I have been playing Paradise for a few months, at .50/1.00 and find that I can beat the .50/1.00 pretty easily, but have a hard time making much headway on 1.00/2.00.


My observation is that the .50/1.00 games are much softer. In nearly any .50/1.00 game, you will find at least 1 and perhaps all of the other players are totally clueless calling stations. They will check and call nearly any hand all the way to the river, often with bottom pair, or rag no pair. There are some good players, but, at worst, you may be sharing the donations from the fish with one other good player.


The 1.00/2.00 games are quite variable. There are some very good players, some calling stations, some maniacs, lots of weak tights, and a lot of players who play way too many hands pre-flop, but play pretty solid post-flop. Game selection is important.


If you're only seeing 15% of the flops on .50/1.00, I think you're playing a little too tight. My numbers usually run in the mid 20's.

If the game is loose-passive pre-flop (it usually is in .50/1.00), you should be limping with suited connectors, middle pocket pairs and suited aces in middle or late position. Play suited broadway cards in any position. These will make the straights, sets and flushes that you so often need to win in loose games. OTOH, tighten up on the flop. Overcards and 2nd pairs will rarely win in multiway pots. Also, the calling stations won't let you know if your second pair is beaten. They will just call your bet with top pair or better. Top pair, good kicker and big pocket pairs will frequently get run down, but they will drag big pots when none of the fish connect. Push these hand hard. Bet, raise or check raise. Make the fish pay to draw.

Bet and raise flush draws and open end straight draws for value in multiway pots. Don't try to bluff or semi-bluff very often. You can't bluff someone who doesn't know what the "fold" button is for. One exception: Bluffs often work when the board is paired. For some unknown reason, a lot of the players that think nothing of calling with two unpaired rags on an ace high flop will fold to a bet if there's a pair on board. Of course, if they raise, they probably have trips or better, so you can usually fold.


Remember, the people who are sucking out on you with crap cards are people you want in the game. They are the people who are paying you off when their two pair or better doesn't hit. You're making more money if 3 people go to the river and

one sucks out on you half the time than you would if everybody folded to your bet on the flop.

Depending on your playing style, you might do better in 1.00/2.00. If you play a solid, tight-agressive game and your post-flop play is solid, you may find these games easier. However, in general, they are harder to beat because the competition is better.


Also, the rake is a significant factor in these games. Although it is less than half what you pay in most B&M cardrooms (including jackpot drop and tips), it still means that you can play better than your competition and still have a net loss. If you're coming out ahead or breaking even, you're playing way better than your competition.


Is playing at these limits worth it? If you're looking at it as a job, no way. No matter how good you are, you're probably not going to make minimum wage. However, if your primary goal is enterteinment, or you are willing to slowly accumulate bankroll and move up in limits, it can be worth it. Also, it's a cheap way to learn to play poker. The play in a $3/$6 game at a B&M cardroom is pretty similar to what you wee at .50/1.00 at Paradise.

That's a very good description of the PP games CORed.


I move from level to level based on my bankroll and have slowly moved up from the .50/1.00 to 3/6 (with some unfortunate attempts at 5/10). If my bankroll dwindled below my limits I would step back down 1 level. I have always had to step back at least once from every level I've tried, but overall I have continued to increase my bankroll.


The point I'm trying to make is that All of these levels are beatable if you play solid poker and are amply bankrolled for that particular level. And in hindsight the .50/1.00 is the easiest game to beat. That doesn't mean a bad run of cards won't keep you from winning though, and you need the bankroll to weather the storm. Each level has it's own style and you need to adjust to that style if you want to keep improving.


At any level you are mostly making money on the bad play of others. You don't need to get too fancy (but learning the right places to win pots that your cards may not warrant helps a lot), let the bad players bleed it to you over time. And they will however much you curse the suckouts. It's even worse when you open raise with your AA and they all fold.


Hang in there Marky, those low levels are beatable. Raise when you've got the best of it and get out when you don't.