SNG's vs cash games - advice sought (long)

45suited · #1 07-12-2005, 02:14 PM

I've been playing SNG's for about a year with good success. I'm about to move up to the 22s exclusively, but recently I've gotten kind of burned out / bored with the grind of the SNGs. So I started playing NL25. These games are so soft that my $ / hr (over a small sample size) has actually been higher than my SNG $ / hr. Again, the NL25 sample size is small so I'm not putting much stock into the actual rate. Here is my question, keeping in mind that I just started playing poker 1 year ago. I want to keep improving as an all-around poker player, but I also don't want this to hurt my $ /hr too drastically.

Given the vastly different considerations between SNGs and cash games, can I (as a non-genius but a player killing the lower levels) effectively play both SNGs and cash games OR will playing the cash games hurt my SNG play by getting me out of that mindset?

Will playing cash games help my SNG play in any way (post flop play perhaps) or will it hurt it? Has anybody run into problems by trying to play alot of both?

(I bring this up because there was just a thread in the other forum where a guy had QQ and faced a mini re-raise pre-flop. An ace flopped, queen came on the turn, and most of the guys on that forum didn't want to raise the river. I was like, "I play SNG's! Push it! Don't worry about set over set!" but I was in the minority.)

It got me to thinking that trying to get good at both games might just hurt me in the short run.

Comments / flames would be appreciated.

gildwulf · #2 07-12-2005, 02:17 PM

I find that if you really want to get better at poker and want to play cash games, you should try 6-max (as long as you stomach the swings). Your pre-flop game from playing SNGs should be very advanced and your post-flop game would probably be weaker than someone who has been playing cash games for a year...so it would be a good place to start and get your ass kicked and learn a few things.

That being said, NL25 is snugglebear soft and is always good for money...but I doubt you will learn much from that.

So it depends...if you want to learn more and improve your cash game and SNG game, play 6-max (reads are vital whereas you can get away with just playing your cards in a 10-max NL25)...I guarantee you this will improve your SNG game. If you juts want the cash, I guess NL25 or 50 would be good...

Irieguy · #3 07-12-2005, 02:43 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I find that if you really want to get better at poker and want to play cash games, you should try 6-max (as long as you stomach the swings). Your pre-flop game from playing SNGs should be very advanced and your post-flop game would probably be weaker than someone who has been playing cash games for a year...so it would be a good place to start and get your ass kicked and learn a few things.

That being said, NL25 is snugglebear soft and is always good for money...but I doubt you will learn much from that.

So it depends...if you want to learn more and improve your cash game and SNG game, play 6-max (reads are vital whereas you can get away with just playing your cards in a 10-max NL25)...I guarantee you this will improve your SNG game. If you juts want the cash, I guess NL25 or 50 would be good...

[/ QUOTE ]

This is really good advice, in my opinion. I concur.

Irieguy

11t · #4 07-12-2005, 02:49 PM

the 25 6-max is full of drunks late at night too [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

gildwulf · #5 07-12-2005, 02:52 PM

hehe...I prefer limit six-max just because I'm not 100% with my reads yet and if I'm going to check-call someone down with a pair of 3s or ace-high I'd rather not do it for all my chips.

45suited · #6 07-12-2005, 02:53 PM

Thanks for the advice. So you would recommend 6 max? Is the 25NL too fishy (won't learn anything)? B/R isn't really a consideration (up like 7k since starting SNGs) so I should probably just start on 6 max NL50?

45suited · #7 07-12-2005, 02:55 PM

[ QUOTE ]
hehe...I prefer limit six-max just because I'm not 100% with my reads yet and if I'm going to check-call someone down with a pair of 3s or ace-high I'd rather not do it for all my chips.

[/ QUOTE ]

Limit to me is like craps for TJ Cloutier! Just a place for me to piss away my winnings. Gotta stay away from that!

gildwulf · #8 07-12-2005, 02:57 PM

Hehe...if you want to get started on six-max, the HUSH forum has a really good starting hand chart (it's basically raise or fold for way more hands than you will be used to playing...very fun)...it gives about a 28/18 VPIP/PFR ratio and is a good starting point for six-max players.

It should be somewhere near the top of the forum if you click replies or number of views...

Meatmaw · #9 07-12-2005, 04:56 PM

I took a look and all I can find is an article with starting hands in limit play. Were you referring to a NL one somewhere? I'd definitely be interested to learn some basic tips in this (as I'm strictly an NL SNG player) to improve my play.

gildwulf · #10 07-12-2005, 05:15 PM

here