Trying to gear down/\"learn\" limit
 

I've primarily been a no limit hold 'em player. I've dabbled in limit, but have never been able to properly "gear down" and play successfully. Recently, I picked up SSHE in an attempt to finally learn to play limit games more successfully. This has led me to playing .10/.20 and .25/.50 games. My bankroll is about $360. Are these OK stakes to learn at or should I play .50/1? I feel pretty comfortable with the game, but I'm not too sure what the BR requirements are for limit.

Any information is helpful, thanks.

Re: Trying to gear down/\"learn\" limit
 

The standard bankroll for limit is typically about 300 BB. So you have enough for $.5/1 and should probably play that. Limits any lower than that turn into showdown fests pretty quickly.

Re: Trying to gear down/\"learn\" limit
 

That's what I thought and what I've seen at those limits. I was hesitant to mention it in fear of "you're a bad player" flames.

Thanks.

Re: Trying to gear down/\"learn\" limit
 

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I was hesitant to mention it in fear of "you're a bad player" flames.

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Well, the thing is, the "showdown fest" poker makes it kind of difficult for learning purposes because you can beat those games by basically nut peddling since your opponents are so bad.

On the other hand, in terms of BB/hr or BB/100 they are the most profitable. So if you were to say "I don't think I can win at these limits because of all the bad players." THEN the flaming starts.

Re: Trying to gear down/\"learn\" limit
 

ok.. I'll chime in and promote the flames [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I am, like you, a no-limit tourney player. Period. I'm a decently sucessful one (This year will close out two winning year. Although this one not by a lot, mainly because I've been playing more multis instead of single and two tables and the variance is higher/I'm still learning in MTT).

Anyway, I have read about the better bankroll building/lower variance of limit and have tried to learn the game several times. Read some limit books, and tried .25/50 and .50/1.

I just lose. What's the trick? Is it strictly just multi-tabling and only playing really good hands. Something on the order of you fold 44 UTG type of tight? I just don't get it. I try. and Maybe I haven't tried hard enough. It just seems about as exciting as watching paint dry, as once I get into a hand, there are almost always pot odds to call any bet prior to the river and you've totally missed the draw. Can someone enlighten me?

Re: Trying to gear down/\"learn\" limit
 

Limit poker is more about limiting your losses, No-Limit is about maximizing your profits. Can't tell you how many people I hear talk about pot odds in Limit Hold'em, and how much they lost with pot odds in their favor. Well no duh it's limit hold'em you will almost always have pot odds, but is your hand worth calling to the river. Try raising from late position with a draw hand, and watch everyone check the turn card to you...

Limit is much more of a passive game. In No-Limit agression wins hands, where as low-Limit cards win more often.

Re: Trying to gear down/\"learn\" limit
 

also consider that if you are playing something like miller's small stack NL
type strategy that it makes the game a one or two betting round game
(pre flop and on the flop).

limit will force you to play post flop poker.

like the poster above me said it will be rare that you will not be getting ridiculous odds to call a turn or river bet, but it will only be one big bet. . .
if you missed your draw completely then you do not ever have pot odds to
call a bet, ever. in order for pot odds to be applicable you must have outs
to the best hand, getting 4 to One to lose no matter what is not a
calling situation. if you are losing a ton of money and feel like it's because you are calling off one big bet on the river with the worst of it then i think you need to evaluate the decisions you're making that are getting you that far in the hand.

also, limit need not be a passive game just because you can't bet 200 times
the big blind with only two cards out, good agression in limit can make the
game a gold mine.

Re: Trying to gear down/\"learn\" limit
 

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Limit poker is more about limiting your losses

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Not even close.

Limit poker, especially very low limit poker, is about pushing very small edges. NL you can make money by scoring on the very occasional huge hand because you have such heavy implied odds, and tight-passive play is often correct because in some situations it will be very hard for your opponent to call a raise unless you are beat. In limit it can be correct to cap for value what you know isn't the best hand (in multiway pots), and you can make more marginal value bets because your opponents will generally call with weaker hands, even if they're good players who know what they're doing.

EDIT: BTW, what I've noticed is that NL players coming over to limit tend to be too loose preflop and too passive after the flop. This is because implied odds are worse in limit than in NL (meaning you can "make back" more money after the flop if you're clearly better than your opponents), but betting postflop is cheaper in limit than in NL (as in, inappropriately betting $10 into a $100 pot isn't as dangerous as inappropriately betting $80 into a $100 pot).

Re: Trying to gear down/\"learn\" limit
 

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Limit poker is more about limiting your losses, No-Limit is about maximizing your profits. Can't tell you how many people I hear talk about pot odds in Limit Hold'em, and how much they lost with pot odds in their favor. Well no duh it's limit hold'em you will almost always have pot odds, but is your hand worth calling to the river. Try raising from late position with a draw hand, and watch everyone check the turn card to you...

Limit is much more of a passive game. In No-Limit agression wins hands, where as low-Limit cards win more often.

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this post is basically complete wrong

Re: Trying to gear down/\"learn\" limit
 

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Limit poker is more about limiting your losses (huh?) , No-Limit is about maximizing your profits. Can't tell you how many people I hear talk about pot odds in Limit Hold'em, and how much they lost with pot odds in their favor. Well no duh it's limit hold'em you will almost always have pot odds, but is your hand worth calling to the river. Try raising from late position with a draw hand, and watch everyone check the turn card to you... (also try raising whenever you think you have the better hand)

Limit is much more of a passive game. In No-Limit agression wins hands, where as low-Limit cards win more often.

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this post is basically completely wrong

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I tend to agree.