ABC poker at higher NL levels, does it work???

[turnipmonster]

I think it's possible to appear to play ABC poker and be successful, but don't think it's possible to actually play ABC and be really successful, although you could grind out a profit in most games.

[fathertime]

David Grey
Aggressiveness: 4
Looseness: 3
Short-handed: 6
Limit: 7
No-limit: 6
Tournaments: 6
Side games: 7
Steam control: 8
Against weak players: 7
Against strong players: 6
Best game: Seven-card stud.
Weakness: Doesn't change pace well; inflexible in his thinking

If anyone plays by the book, David Grey does. He plays with good starting hands and generally plays them to the river. Of all the players who have tried an ABC approach to poker, David is the only one who has been able to compete at the highest levels. Solid, predictable play is often unsuccessful in high stakes games, but David has good self-control, knowledge of all games, and reasonable game-selection skills.

Amusing anecdote:

David says, “For twenty years when I have raised with a big up-card in stud, I have invariably had a big pair. But they always think I don’t have it this time and they call me and chase me to the river and draw out on me. So it doesn’t really matter if I tell them I have it again.”

http://www.barrygreenstein.com/dgrey.htm

[PokerSlut]

No offense, but I wouldn't consider 2/5 NL a "higher NL level".

[creedofhubris]

None taken, but compared to .50/$1 (which is what the original poster was asking about) it is.

[lapoker17]

And since he's talking about a mid 5 figure income, I don't think he's looking to play in The Big Game - 2/5 sounds about right.

[Jester999]

[ QUOTE ]
So, yeah, you could do it, but it might drive you to suicide.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's terrible after a while playing like this, but the frustration of trying to learn to change your game up is also very difficult. I've had difficulty moving up much past 1/2 online, but have been moderately successful at higher limits live.

As an aside, any hints for making that step from 'Mr. ABC Poker' to 'Mr. That Guy Can Actually Play'?

[TStoneMBD]

trust your instincts. this is what makes a player great. early on your instincts will be wrong quite often, but they will become more accurate readily.

[PokerFink]

[ QUOTE ]
there are pros are 3 pros at my local casino who are abc rockish and play 1/2NL for a living. they grind 50hours a week and probably pull in $15/hr.

[/ QUOTE ]

Who are you referring to? Paul?

[TStoneMBD]

Paul (50 year old with brown beard huge guy), Ben (little asian guy that doesnt speak a word), Tom (asian guy with grey streaks in his hair that speaks good english). There is also RJ who apparently plays for a living but hes a loose cannon.

do i know you fink?

[PokerFink]

Nope. You've probably seen me there, but you woulden't know it because I blend in with the rest of the endless stream of college students playing 1-2NL. I've been there four times since the summer, playing only the 1-2NL game.

I have played quite a bit with Paul, some with Tom (although I don't think I've ever played a pot with him) and some with RJ. Not positive who Ben is, although I think I know. I just thought they were regulars, didn't realize they make a living out of it.

RJ is definetly the loosest of the four. Paul is way beyond rockish [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] He is like granite.