limit, no-limit, and card reading

[rhinoceros]

I have noticed a peculiar pattern in my win/loss results. I generally play very low limits, exclusively online. Limit holdem, often short handed, up to $5/10, though ususally only $2/4. No limit, BB ranging from .25 to 1.00, usually .50. What happens is this:

I play a losing session of no-limit, and then I crush the limit game for about a day.


After a session of no-limit, it seems like my card reading skills are significantly improved. Alas, I seem to lack the skills (discipline?) to make this card reading ability last.

Other perhaps pertinent points are this:

I am a newbie--I played my very first hand of holdem 7 months ago.

I am a clear loser at no-limit. Although I have improved significantly since I started posting here very recently, I still call far too often with 2nd best hands. I have lost $900 at no-limit since I started playing it 6 weeks ago. The majority of that was Omaha hi-lo which I have abandoned.

I am a clear winner at limit. I have won $2600 at limit poker (mostly holdem) since I began. This includes the initial losses when I was a total beginner. I have not tracked hours (and they have been many) so I can't say much about the rate.


I believe the cause/effect is this:

The penalty for loose calls in no limit is clearly huge. Accordingly, by playing no-limit, I force upon myself a more tight aggressive approach than I generally use at limit. I lose anyway (because I'm just no good at no-limit). But when I return to the limit game, I save a few extra bets with good laydowns and good reads. I win a few extra bets (or an occasional pot) with a good river play. My no-limit skills dramatically help my card reading in the limit game.

Has anyone else noticed this phenomenon? Is this just my imagination? Any suggestions on how to make better use of it, if it is real?

[FlyingOver]

I agree with you that after playing no limit your limit holdem hand reading skills do improve. One thing you have to remember at no limit is that the odds your offered to draw to your hand are almost never sufficient enough unless offcourse you have excellent implied odds too. Try this the next time you play your no limit holdem session:
NEVER CALL. If you have AJ and the flop is 23J and your opponent bets lets say half pot and you raise the pot and he reraises dont call either reraise again or fold.
There are only two good reasons for calling:
1) You are slowplaying a monster hand (I mean a real monster) having 66 on the flop of 286 is NOT a slowplaying hand in a multiway pot. If you have 88 and the flop is 228 you can slowplay this. Generally slowplay when you have a lock.
2)You can call if you think you can outplay your opponent and bluff him out of the pot on a later round.

Hope this helps,
-MJ