Finding out you're a break even player

lemonPeel · #1 07-15-2005, 06:05 AM

Anyone out there like me who deep down believed himself to be a winning player at low-limit tourneys, sitngos and live low limit cash games find out that after 5 months of trying pretty damn hard to find out you just play well enough to keep your money?

Did you feel kind of depressed, or did u find relief that you don't lose any money?

As for me, I really am obsessed about poker. I think about it all day, I dream of it at night, I relive my worst beats and think about all the what if's that a few coin flips in a MTT would of become had I won those. Do I have a problem? I'm really getting to the point where I'm a little scared that my whole life is all about a card game that if I didn't play wouldn't matter because I neither win nor lose at it.

einbert · #2 07-15-2005, 06:13 AM

Try taking up NLHE. The variance:WR is a lot lower and it's nice to get a fresh feel for poker. I have been playing it since I went on a pretty bad run in LHE. It also really freshened up my game and got me more motivated to play, might do the same for you.

lemonPeel · #3 07-15-2005, 06:19 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Try taking up NLHE. The variance:WR is a lot lower and it's nice to get a fresh feel for poker. I have been playing it since I went on a pretty bad run in LHE. It also really freshened up my game and got me more motivated to play, might do the same for you.

[/ QUOTE ]

The live version you mean? I play boat loads of MTT and they are usually NLHE. I'm kind of scared to play 100 buy-in NLHE at the local card rooms around here because of the fact that you could lose your whole stack at any time in the hand. Although, I have started playing alot of Omaha8 or better and hi-lo 7 stud which is very interesting so far to say the least.

BigEndian · #4 07-15-2005, 10:47 AM

NL can be played profitably in a wide range of styles. Depending on your style and the tables you play at, NL can have a lot of variance. The smallest varience style that I know of is used often by the seats in the low limit NL games online - nut peddling.

It's also why, generally, the small stakes NL forum in 2+2 is a snoozer.

- Jim

bobbyi · #5 07-15-2005, 01:04 PM

[ QUOTE ]
It's also why, generally, the small stakes NL forum in 2+2 is a snoozer.

[/ QUOTE ]
I think the main reason the ssnl forum is weak is that there is no "micro" nl forum, so small stakes is the de facto place for newbies playing micro NL (which includes me [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]).

Bascule · #6 07-15-2005, 07:09 AM

Don't feel too bad, at least you're beating the rake. Being break-even lets you work on your game without expecting to lose money, and if you enjoy playing for it's own sake then you're not in a bad situation at all IMO.

Lurkmaster Flex · #7 07-15-2005, 07:17 AM

Get a rakeback program and play on one of those skins, it really helps the limit mindset. IE: I played well today, got rivered like a mofo and still broke even. I made $XXX in rakeback so the day was still profitable.

Webster · #8 07-15-2005, 07:25 AM

Sorry - the belower is more for a Limit - ring player - not a tournament type NL player.

If you are not LOSING money there is hope - 5 months is a long time but not THAT long. It's a very fine line between breaking even and being a good player at 1.5BB/100 or better.

It's only 1 Big Bet and that can easly be leaked away SOMEWHERE.

Do you have Poker Tracker????

Grinderswarehouse - NOT just another BLOG

AL5AcE · #9 07-15-2005, 10:25 AM

I recommend you stay away from MTTs if you're still trying to build your bankroll. Even if you are a really good player, you could possibly play 20+ MTTs and not cash depending on field. That is not too good for your confidence either. I know they can be very addictive, but stick to something more consistent, like 1 table SNGs or a full ring cash game (LHE or NLHE). MTTs are the swingiest way to play holdem, and you don't want to be caught in that while trying to restore your confidence.

einbert · #10 07-15-2005, 03:24 PM

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MTTs are the swingiest way to play holdem,

[/ QUOTE ]
I don't know, LHE on average might be more swingy than MTTs. It's probably close. It would pretty much end up depending on whether you tend to play ~30 person MTTs, ~600 person MTTs, or somewhere in the middle.

LHE is very very very swingy.