5/10 Random Thoughts on this Week
 

I am a tournament player. At least I thought so until this week.

I have made more money more consistently this week than I have ever made in my life playing SNGs. And its all been on the 5/10 tables.

Except there is one key, I have never really played long at a fulltable. All the damage I have done has been shorthanded, against clueless gamblers (mostly) who can hit a hot streak of cards, but will usually end up losing a bunch in the end.

The deck has been kind to me, but these numbers are unreal:

22 hours played, +$9k.

I really think a lot of the really tight players at the 5/10 full make the game harder to beat, where shorthanded I seem to find a great crop of players to play with.

Opinions?

Re: 5/10 Random Thoughts on this Week
 

I think shorthanded play can be very profitable. I have experienced very good results in short handed games online a live as well. People playing short handed find themselves in alot more murky situations. And also I think its easier for people to justify to themselves what they do. Even though its still a mistake. Where as in a full ring game it makes it more difficult. Also more people get to view their mistake. I think John Feeney has a really cool take on short handed play in the book "Inside the poker mind". While hes primarily a limit player, alot of the psycological aspects still apply...

Re: 5/10 Random Thoughts on this Week
 

I have had the same experience (except at lower limits than 5/10). Short-handed play is much more profitable for me. It is also more fun because you play more hands.

Re: 5/10 Random Thoughts on this Week
 

When I needed to clear my deposit bonus at Empire I realized that I really had no choice but to play ring games. I was up $800 after my first 800 hands of $.50/$1 6-max NL. But of course... I then broke even over the next 500 or so. I really liked the shorthanded play because you will have the best hand much more often. You get to play more hands, and therefore give your opponents more opportunities to make mistakes against you. I found that my overly aggressive play was causing people to start calling me down with lots of trash (second pair, etc). This put them in a position to either win a small pot or lose a big one.

Re: 5/10 Random Thoughts on this Week
 

Opinions?

You've been really lucky.

I know you're a good player and I'm sure you can beat the game. But you'll also have streaks where those guys get hot and bust you once or twice and then get up. That doesn't need to happen much in that game to cause a sizeable downstreak. Most of the guys you describe will leave the table if they get any semblance of a stack.

I doubt that 4-tabling in that game you can make much more than $200/hr over the long term.

Re: 5/10 Random Thoughts on this Week
 

Well clearly hes running well. The point is the games can be beat and its a different kind of game that teaches you different things thats all...
I think most would agree its not agood idea to play them exclusively. But it doesen't hurt to have that in your repertoire...

Re: 5/10 Random Thoughts on this Week
 

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I think most would agree its not agood idea to play them exclusively.

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what? why not?

Re: 5/10 Random Thoughts on this Week
 

I think the 6-max attract a different kind of player than full ring games. They like action more, are willing to gamble more, and are less patient.

There is much less guidance out there (books etc.) on how to play shorthanded well, so its harder for people to get up to speed as fast, so the gap in play quality from worst to best is definitely higher.

And you play more hands per hour, particularly when its only got 3 or 4 people at it.

I have personally beat the 6-max games for approximately 10x per hour more than what I’m beating the full ring games for (much lower limits than you’re playing)

And you are definitely running very good. I wouldn’t plan on making $400/hr on a continual basis, but you knew that.

My two cents.

--Greg

Re: 5/10 Random Thoughts on this Week
 

I've talked to some of the people at 5/10 about how much they make, it seems like some can make $300 an hour

Re: 5/10 Random Thoughts on this Week
 

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I doubt that 4-tabling in that game you can make much more than $200/hr over the long term.

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I make more than half that 3-tabling a smaller game (2-5), and there are still plenty of leaks in my play.

I would expect a very strong player to consistently earn $300-400/hr 4-tabling a 5-10 game.