1/2 Is there a huge difference in play?

[tiltaholic]

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Patience my man. You're good enough to play it. I moved to party from paradise and there's just not much difference in the two limits. The preflop play is a little tighter, not as much crazy raising, but the postflop play is terrible. I'm gonna try paradise 1/2 on their next reload. I had the same problem moving from .25/.50 to .50/1 at paradise. No bad beats till I moved up and they stung more.

If you feel the players are better than you leave. If they are making dumb mistakes and getting lucky, hang in there till you get your money back. You'll feel alot better. It might take a couple thousand hands to get the feel of bigger bets and different plays, it is a slightly different game, but when you do you wont have any problem.

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Thanks man. I guess the difference for me is that I started to win immediately when I moved from .25/50 to .50/1 and I'm taking my lumps now.

Its not really the size of the bets that bothers me as much as the fact that I feel I cant protect my money as well. It makes no sense but if I win a big hand, I just give it back and then some.

Yes I have gotten some terrible beats but Im trying not to focus on them. They happen. I am concerned that I am being outplayed. I am hoping that within a few thousand hands, Im going to look back on this and realize it was just me overreacting to a temporary downswing.

Greg

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guys - very few people continue immediately to win at their past rate when they move up in levels. it is very normal to have a period of non-winning (ie, breakeven or most likely LOSING) while you adjust to the new game. for me going to 1/2 from .5/1 it was 2k hands. going from 1/2 to 2/4 it was over 10k hands. i'm writing a long(er) post about & when i finish it will be its own thread...

[Hellmouth]

So far the things that I have read in "blood sweat and tears" that have resonated the most strongly with me are.

1) I dont see a lot of free cards which makes drawing a lot harder. Some people have posted the opposite but this seems to be my case. So a lot of times I get involved in unprofitable drawing opportunites. I've already recognized this and am calculating the odds on every draw now, but I have been missing more then usual. This part should average out over time.

2) A lot of the players are tight passives and slowplay top pairs. So when I think my read is good because I get a check on the flop and bet. They call so I read this as a "probable middle pair or draw" they actually have me beaten more often then not.

3) Number two leads me to play further on a draw or with a weak kicker, then I normally would. Then villian tends to raise the river on me and I know that I have just popped in 3BBs that I never would have if my read was better.

Ill post more observations as I get them.

Greg

[deception5]

I think one of the best ways to prepare for the play at 1/2 and 2/4 is to learn shorthanded if you haven't already. The types of situations you will face there are things you have probably rarely encountered in full ring at .50/1.00, like heads up post flop play and blind defense/steals. You will get a lot more experience at shorthanded flops as well. Finally you will learn to target weak players more which will help when you go back to full ring, since there tend to be fewer per table. Here's a post to get you started should you choose to play shorthanded if you haven't already seen it. Be warned shorthanded variance is higher, but can be very rewarding and fun (I can't remember the last time I played full ring).

Link


One other thing to think about is when you are playing. I've noticed that in the mornings 1/2 is much tighter than in the evenings for example (although it of course varies).

Finally the $$ may be significant to you. I know that was the hardest part for me when I was trying to move up to 2/4, losing 100BB in a night felt very significant. Make sure you aren't playing with scared money (I won't need to risk as much if I just call down, etc).

[Hellmouth]

I'm also looking now at table selection. Ive been picking tables with the highest % of people seeing the flop.

Should I be looking for bigger pots instead?

[deception5]

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Ive been picking tables with the highest % of people seeing the flop.

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This is fine.

[KingOtter]

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The main problem that I see is that the players are significantly trickier, and I think that it is affecting my reads.

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I would agree with this... I've moved up to 1/2 and am finally doing very well at it. The players are trickier... or more passive, however you want to say it. They call down when they should be raising, etc. Or wait until turn/river to raise to see if a flush counterfeits their straight, etc., etc.

I'm playing 9-max mostly, which seems to be a bit looser than the full-ring tables although I don't really know why. Full ring often has an empty seat or someone sitting out.

KO

[Hellmouth]

Has anyone tried starting a verbal dialogue when making decisions?

I think maybe if I state my reasoning out loud for a certain line of action I can catch myself making some stupid decisions before they really take hold of my play.

Has anyone tried something like this?
Greg

[KingOtter]

Talking to yourself is a sign of impending mental collapse.

KO

[PygmyHero]

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Has anyone tried starting a verbal dialogue when making decisions?

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Not me. But I do use a similar technique - every time someone bets into me or raises (or re-raises) I force myself to sit there and think before I act, even if I am holding the stone cold nuts. Actually I try to do this every time it is my turn to act (except for obvious folds). But I think it is more important when someone is showing strength - you probably have a more difficult decision.

During this time I analyze what their bet is telling me, I think about the betting sequence, their past play, try to establish a range of hands, etc. I want to get a read on their hand and then I want to determine not just what I am going to do right now (call, fold, re-raise), but also what I'm going to do on the next street. This is applicable even if I hold the nuts - how am I going to get the most money in? Can I get demoted on the next card?

I think this is something I failed to do (a skill I failed to develop maybe) at $0.50-$1. Like you said, playing on auto pilot. But I think it is necessary to my game now, and even if not, I want to develop these skills.

Forcing myself to take the extra time makes me more likely to come up with the correct answer.

Think to yourself, 'what would the posters at 2+2 think of that (my) play?'

[txdolly]

I find that with 1/2 you do need to increase your skill set. If you revert to the pre-flop starting recommendations in SSH for a tight table, you should do fine. Eventually you will notice in certain situations you can vary your starting hand requirements and use the loose table guidelines. Using SSH I was able to move from 1/2 to 2/4 with almost no decrease in BB. When I started at 2/4 I was a bit timid and got burned by playing that way but after settling down and using those guidelines I was able to re-coup. As far as those players that are passive just remember that is good for you since they could "value bet" but don't and it saves you in the long run. Good luck!!