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#1
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Why some struggle with the jump from Micro to SS games
There have been a fair number of posts lately about people struggling to make the jump and adjustment from the .50-1 and 1-2 levels to the 2-4 and 3-6 games.
Going through that adjustment right now myself, accompanied by a bit of a downswing, I've been giving a lot of thought to reasons why it's tough for some to make the jump, like myself, while others seem to sail right through on their way to 15-30. I'll present some thoughts below, and I'd love to get some feedback both from players who have made the leap, to see if this is off base, and also from players in the same boat as me, who might have other thoughts about the fundamental weaknesses in a person's game that gets them stuck at a certain level. 1. Inflated view of one's bankroll through bonuses: For those starting at the micro level, bonuses are an easy way to build up the bankroll when starting out. Personally, my first $500 was really built through some casino whoring, so I could take advantage of the full amount of bonuses that poker sites had to offer. But because of that, I think bonuses have allowed me to play at a higher stake and move up levels before knowing if I was really "beating" them or not. Now that I'm hitting $2/$4, poor play results in losses outside of what a bonus would cover at the $1/2 and $.50/$1 level. In essence, because I have the requisite 300 BB to move up a level, I think I might have a slightly inflated view of my actual poker ability - having the BR doesn't mean you're ready to move up yet. 2. Poor table management: I think the 300 BB rule is a misnomer when people immediately jump into 4 tables at a new level. Others have mentioned in some good posts that tables at a new level should be eased in. Play one /4 table and 3 1/2s to get a feel for the new level. I think this is solid advice. Yet I still see a lot of posts about people losing a chunk of their roll, invariably sprinkled with clues that they were 6 tabling at a new level, or something to that effect. 500 BB might be a better number if you're wanting to play 4 tables right away. 3. Recognizing tilt in it's most subtle forms: Because the lower levels are so soft, I think the combination of slightly tougher play at 2/4 and 3/6, and the amount of money you lose when you play/run bad at that level, makes it even more important to have your emotions in check before moving up a level. Personally, I find that tilt doesn't hit me in a maniac type of form, like playing crazy types of hands all of the sudden. Usually it's more subtle - starting to limp with slightly borderline hands in MP, "rounding up" my pot odds slightly and looking for a reason to call, and making what I justify as "value bets/calls" when I know I'm probably beat. These are small leaks in a single hand, but over the course of a session, I think they're killers when you play in a slightly tougher game. I know I need to work on resisting those urges, and acknowledging tilt for what it is, based on a great definition in John Feeney's book - it's anytime you knowingly make a play with a negative expectation. 4. Lack of true evaluation of one's game: Bernie made a good point in another thread that people don't bother to examine their game when they're running well, only when they're running bad. I think this is something I need to work on more. When I'm running good, the game seems easy, and I don't bother looking at big hands as much as I should, to see if I should have won more money in it. And when I'm running bad, a closer look needs to be made at whether I'm really having downward variance, or am pressuring variance downward by my own poor play. I hope others will post their thoughts here. Maybe this is common sense for many, but it was theraputic for me to put it into words. If you can think of other examples of mistakes people make when trying to jump levels, post them as well, I think it's a worthy topic. |
#2
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Re: Why some struggle with the jump from Micro to SS games
All excellent points. Let me just add:
5. Not making necessary adjustments. Your game at the microlimits might be quite good for those limits. However, even $2-4 and $3/6 will play differently from $.50/1 to $1/2. For example, a lot of the hands that you can profitable limp with from EP at the micros often need to be mucked at the small stakes tables, particularly $3/6. In the micros you are generally correct to limp in EP with Axs (and even Kxs sometimes), as well as small pairs like 22-55. While this may still be correct at $3/6, IMO it generally is not. At the SS tables you will encounter more aggression than at the micros. When you start getting checkraised frequently you need to learn to make certain adjustments. While there are still plenty of poor players who will pay you off frequently, there are fewer of them. At the micros you can afford to make a lot of mistake and still be a pretty decent winner at the game because your monster hands get paid off so well. This is less true at the SS tables so you need to work a little to get the most out of your made hands. There are other things as well but you should begin to get the idea. I hope this helps. Colgin |
#3
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Re: Why some struggle with the jump from Micro to SS games
In the micros you are generally correct to limp in EP with Axs (and even Kxs sometimes), as well as small pairs like 22-55. While this may still be correct at $3/6, IMO it generally is not.
Be careful now, granted, as you move up the games are generally more aggressive but I've been in 20/40 games where I limped UTG w/22 because it was so passive. However, as you move up, you need to recognize what type of game you are in and what is likely the action going to be preflop if you hold such hands where you'd like to see the flop cheaply. Peace, Joe Tall |
#4
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Re: Why some struggle with the jump from Micro to SS games
[ QUOTE ]
In the micros you are generally correct to limp in EP with Axs (and even Kxs sometimes), as well as small pairs like 22-55. While this may still be correct at $3/6, IMO it generally is not. Be careful now, granted, as you move up the games are generally more aggressive but I've been in 20/40 games where I limped UTG w/22 because it was so passive. However, as you move up, you need to recognize what type of game you are in and what is likely the action going to be preflop if you hold such hands where you'd like to see the flop cheaply. [/ QUOTE ] Joe, This is a good clarification and what I should have said. I often find myself in games where these hands are playable regardless of limit, but increasingly I find them unprofitable at the $3/6 tables I am at. (Now granted that my game selection is not the best given my extremely narrow time frame of late for playing online.) My point is that these are no longer pretty much auto limps like they were in the microlimits when I started. |
#5
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Re: Why some struggle with the jump from Micro to SS games
Not only cheaply, but with enough callers behind you.
Good point Joe. Dov |
#6
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Re: Why some struggle with the jump from Micro to SS games
I am in this boat. My biggest problem is that I still see the chips I put into the pot as money--not big bets. I start to limp or call when I know I should raise because I don't want to lose the money.
I am currently watching my wife learn the game at .25/.5 and am shocked at how infreqeuntly the hand is raised preflop (it's been a while since I've watched/played this level)--yet still have 7 people in the hand. I stand over her shoulder and yell "RAISE THAT!", where she gets all nervous because she is going to lose her money. Yet, still 7 people to the flop and she gets sucked out by J8 off with her KK. Then the evil glares start--she doesn't get the whole variance thing yet.... For me it's protecting the bankroll--I may need to stay a little longer at 1/2, but have found 2/4 is actually running pretty good--way to few of hands but still positive on most aspects. I just need help on relating to the swings. |
#7
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Re: Why some struggle with the jump from Micro to SS games
Excellent post Nolan. I hope a lot of people considering moving up levels take this all in before they make their move.
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#8
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Re: Why some struggle with the jump from Micro to SS games
Well Said.
I'm moving from $1/$2 to $2/$4 and see alot of truisms in this post. Sarge[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] |
#9
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Re: Why some struggle with the jump from Micro to SS games
[ QUOTE ]
1. Inflated view of one's bankroll through bonuses: For those starting at the micro level, bonuses are an easy way to build up the bankroll when starting out. Personally, my first $500 was really built through some casino whoring, so I could take advantage of the full amount of bonuses that poker sites had to offer. But because of that, I think bonuses have allowed me to play at a higher stake and move up levels before knowing if I was really "beating" them or not. Now that I'm hitting $2/$4, poor play results in losses outside of what a bonus would cover at the $1/2 and $.50/$1 level. [/ QUOTE ] This is so frickin brilliantly put. No other way to say it. I made a post a few days ago asking if there was a way PT can encorporate your bonus whoring money into your winrate. I have built my online bankroll up over the last year and a half and really have no idea how much of it came from bonuses and casino whoring. In Neteller its all the same whether it was $800 coming from a $1/$2 grind over a month, or spending 45 minutes ransacking BJ Ballroom in pounds (oh the good ole days). Many players just say oh I worked my roll up to 1500 from $50. Thats all well and good but when you break it down, after the $100 signup bonus, the $50 free some affiliate gave you into your acct, the IGM bonus you did, your reload, and 5 freerolls you won for a total of $25, and one casino whore, and a sidebet you made in Neteller on the Yanks/RedSox series, you really dont know what your winrate is. If you play 100% on Party, or Stars, and have used Pokertracker for every single hand you may be ok but I am sure 90% of new users to this forum never heard of PT beforehand and thus dont know about their roll coming from where. If I played an hour at my gf's house it isnt recorded in PT. Players must examine where their bankroll came from. If you have 300BB it doesnt mean you can move up. If you are up 600BB's at a previous level, then move up. People would be surprised how little they actually earned from playing compared to bonuses in some instances. Good post Nolan. |
#10
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Re: Why some struggle with the jump from Micro to SS games
Considering all the stuff in this thread, let me ask something.
I am playing the micros in an effort to implement the strategies in SSH cheaply while I internalize them. Should I not bother with the micros or are the games similar enough? |
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