I'm having much trouble with NL hold'em

Alright, to me, it seems like limit hold'em is so much more simple and clear. Maybe it seems that way because I'm pretty new to poker, but anyway, I can play limit and be pretty comfortable with my play, even if its only low limit. But when I move to NL hold'em its like a totally different game. I mean, its easy to push me off a hand, especially when I have a marginal hand. I get scared easy in NL as well. Maybe I should just play real tight. Every time someone makes a big bet I feel like I can't call because they have a great hand, and I don't want to risk any more money. I know, I'm thinking unrealistically and stupid, but I'm not sure how to adjust....

Start with small stakes and read everything here.

Read "Getting Started in Hold-em" It's got a great section on no limit for beginners. Try what it says about buying in for a smaller amount and just pushing all in post flop with a good hand. Also, if you are scared about losing the money, you could be at too high of a limit.

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Read "Getting Started in Hold-em" It's got a great section on no limit for beginners. Try what it says about buying in for a smaller amount and just pushing all in post flop with a good hand. Also, if you are scared about losing the money, you could be at too high of a limit.

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Agreed, Miller's chapter on playing the short stack is phenomenal.

Yeah, I have read GSHE but you cannot play like that forever, then you will become so predictable.

[Malachii]

Do you play full ring or 6max? I would reccomend you start off with $25 NL full ring. Here's your basic strategy:

Early position: Raise AK/QQ-AA. Limp JJ-22 and call a raise, play for set value and limited overpair value. Fold AQ/KQ and worse.

Middle position: Raise AQ plus previous hands. Limp suited aces if there are limpers infront of you. Limp pocket pairs... if you're first in you can raise or limp JJ or TT.

Late position: Depends on # of limpers... if there are one or two limpers, raise AJ/KQ+/TT+. If there are more, limp behind. Continue to limp suited aces.

SB: Complete with AJ/KQ+/TT+ and any suited ace. If there are several limpers in the pot, complete with more. Don't complete with random junk hoping to catch a big flop (trips or two pair.)

Read the small stakes NL forum regularly. Get Pokertracker. You will win with this strategy. I guarantee it.

[beekeeper]

One thing I found is that if I switch between NL and Limit HE, I tend to do poorly in both--I call too much in NL, and I bet/fold too often in NL. I would recommend choosing one to play until you feel more confident in your play.

If you feel like you are being outplayed--you say it's easy to push you off a hand--then play tightly when you are out of position, so that you won't have as many difficult decisions to make, as Harrington puts it. You can open up in later postion because you'll have the advantage of acting after everyone else.

Check out some of the articles on this site. It will introduce you to some common strategies, which will help you play back at your opponents, and also to be aware of what they might be doing against you.

Thanx, the NL game I play in is 25$ full ring but it is not online, but anyway, poker tracker is confusing but is it really that helpful? I downloaded it and its a little confusing, I play at paradise poker.

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Yeah, I have read GSHE but you cannot play like that forever, then you will become so predictable.

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There are so many different sites and players out there, I doubt you will get too predictable (unless you're playing only 2+2ers). Regardless, either try GSHE's large stack strategy ot better yet read HOH. HOH did for my NL game that SSH is doing for my limit game.

[Colonel Kataffy]

You get out of pokertracker what you put into it. That being said, its worth the 55 five bucks just to keep track of your winnings (or losings), so I'd reccomend it.