Re: Bubble trouble
Since I started with PokerStars in March, it's been limited to an attempt to be educated about poker, starting from scratch, and PS was satisfactory for my purposes. I'd had some success beginning 7/16 with my "Metamorphosis," and had entertained moving up to 5/10 cents if and when I'd get my bankroll back up to the $50 I went to PS with. I decided against moving up, because I had to admit the 1/2 cents tables might have some more educative value remaining in them, and it sure didn't cost much to play there! And the last thing I'd entertain was going to other casinos, mostly because then I'd have to add capital to my process.
But I've heard you recommend Pacific as being a place where fish are swimming all over the place, as you've made that recommendation repeatedly. Those SNGs at Pacific, 20 players and all, sounds especially appetizing but my journey entails going up the limits at PS, so it's too early for me! But thanks for pointing the SNGs out.
Have you entertained the possibility that 1/2 cents NL HE might be viewed as 100% fish, punctuated by just a few sharks? So a fellow is having trouble with his $5/10 NL HE game at PS, and he decides to get his confidence back playing 1/2 cents! That's the way it acts. That's my model for PS 1/2 cents games. That would explain why very accomplished players (sharks) will appear briefly, and then move on. If my model is correct, everything's flip/flopped with 1/2 cents, compared to higher stakes. Weak players are present at all higher levels, but you have to train yourself to discover them, to track them subsequently, to get as much money from them as possible etc. At 1/2 cents EVERYONE is weak, but importantly the imported sharks are especially strong out of all proportion to the financial appeals of the game (1/2 cents is nothin', right?).
PS has 2 to 3 times as many 6-hand tables as 9-hand, for NL HE and 1/2 cents. Yesterday I played 6-hand seriously, for the first time. I ran across the same phoenomenon as I'd witnessed at 9-hand: the sharks! Now if I'm right about motivation they have, they're there to nail the fish as skillfully as they can; they want that dividend of confidence, and the bucks mean nothing at all to them.
This is a nuance about 1/2 cents poker I've been attempting to discover. Further, if I'm right, than 1/2 cents NL HE is about the best possible proving ground for the beginner, because he's getting competition that he has no right or expect and isn't paying for, and if he continues to struggle, his ultimate victory will be even superior. Another might throw himself into a 50/100 cents game, just so he could lose a few $thousand, hoping that would get his attention! So he loses out in more ways than one...
6-hand is different than 9-hand, and that's good for my development process. If I take my present $54 to $70 by playing 6-hand, that will be satisfactory proof to myself that I'm ready for 5/10 cents NL HE. In 6-hand one is in the blinds 50% more (33.3% vs 22.2%). It's hard to figure out where Middle position is, at all, with 6-hand. It's possible to consider Early, Late and Blinds, assigning 2 seats to each of these. Blind Position is stronger than Middle Position was in 9-hand, yet weaker than Late. So, there are many differences, enough so that it will keep me thinking. Thus my adjustment to new situations will happen at the 1/2 cents level, the cheap seats!
When I beat 1/2 cents 6-hand, taking capital up to $70.00, I'll actually have 700 BBs for 5/10 cents.
Since I've documented this stuff concerning 6-hand in this post, I'll excuse myself from writing a separate post to describe yesterday's roller coaster experience with the 6-hand tables!
Dave
PS: Perhaps this would have been better in a separate post, as it's entirely possible it will get lost in your thread. Suits me fine! I learn from explaining my ideas, I'm not writing a book, and I get to say Thank You to the 2+2 Beginner's Forum without a lot of fanfare, doing it this way. Many of my ideas are hidden away, because of my attitudes about publication. It's not about glory, ego etc.
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