Micro to Low Limit Transition - General Questions

[gamboolman]

I have some general questions regarding the transition from 50 cent to low limit games, primarily 2/4 & 3/6. I have been playing mostly 50 cent games the last year. Here is the data from Stat-King for this year at 50 cent games on Paradise and Party: +$1,463, $1.92/hr, 1,263 hours, Std.Deviation = $21.68/hr. So I guess the abc method works at the match stick level.

Stat-King for the year at 1/2, 2/4,& 3/6 is +$764, $1.43/hr, 536 hours, Std. Deviation = $42.94/hr. Stat-King shows poor performance at these “higher levels”. My question concerns the quality of hands I see being being played, it looks like 50cent games with a whole pack of rabid Chasers From Hell pumped up on testosterone & steroids running you down with trash hands being played out of position.......They were suited...... Other than the blind stealing/aggressiveness the play appears to be about the same in that I am seeing crappy hands shown down consistently.

Here’s 4 examples from this morning on 3/6, I ‘m in the BB with AhKh, 1st in mid position raises, next calls, rest fold and I call. Flop is 8d8cJc, I check, raiser bets, next guy calls, I fold. Turn is 2c, raiser bets, next guy calls, River is 10d, Board = 8d8cJc2c10d. Raiser cks, next guy bets and Raiser loses to Kc7c. Raiser leaves table.

Another hand I am on button with Qc10s, 2 limpers to me I call, small blind folds, BB gets free play. Flop is 2s5c7h check to me I bet get 2 callers, turn 10h I bet and BB calls, River is Kc. Board = 2s5c7h10hKc checked to me I bet he folds.

I have JsJh 2 before button, Cut Off posts late position with a poster in cut off. 1 limper to me I raise, cut off folds sb folds, BB calls, limper calls, flop 9d6c8d BB bets, limper calls, I raise. Turn is Jc BB checks, limper bets I raise BB folds limper reraises I call, River is 5c. Board = 9d6c8dJc5c limper bets I call and lose to Qc10d. I think I should have folded the river when the board did not pair?

I am on button with Js10c 3 limpers to cut off who raises, I call, SB&BB fold, 3 limpers call, flop 6cQc5s, checked to me I ck, turn 7d checked to cutoff who bets I fold and bettor get 2 callers, River is Ks , Board = 6cQc5s7dKs checked to cut off who bets gets one caller. Cut off loses to 3s3c

Is it just me with the normal moving up jitters or are these just 50 cent gladiator games?? Thanks for all help, flames, advice, and golden nuggets of wisdom.

[yct]

I am on button with Js10c 3 limpers to cut off who raises, I call, SB&BB fold, 3 limpers call, flop 6cQc5s, checked to me I ck, turn 7d checked to cutoff who bets I fold and bettor get 2 callers, River is Ks , Board = 6cQc5s7dKs checked to cut off who bets gets one caller. Cut off loses to 3s3c

Fold JTo when facing two bets on the button. I think the other 3 hands are fine.

[Hotchile]

Difference between micro limit and low limit = slightly larger bankrolls and a few less "totally" clueless players. I play limits ranging from 2/4 to 10/20. Sometimes I can't tell the difference except for the chip colors. People still call raises with KTo. They still limp from EP with suited aces and they still slowplay trips with flushes and straights imminent. They check when ahead and bet when behind. Oh yeah, 10/20 players have trouble not defending a blind as well.

So what's the difference? The higher the limit, the more aggressive the good players become. In lower limits, even the good players tend to play too passively. As the limits get higher, draws get more expensive. I have found that 150 Big bets was sufficient bankroll at .50/1.00. When I got up to 2/4, I decided I need closer to 250 big bets. At 3/6 and 5/10 I chose 300 BB. At 10 I figured 400 BB would be necessary. I found that my variance increased with the limit due to player aggression.

Just some things to consider

Cheers.

What's wrong with limping AXs early in a loose/passive game?

$1463 /1263 hours = $1.16 /hour

not $1.92/hour

[mdlm]

Gamboolman,

Congratulations on your spectacular results playing 50 cent poker.

I know very little about poker, but I think that the hands you show suggest that there are some serious leaks in your game.

Hand #1:
Comment #1: AKs is one of the half-dozen best hands in hold 'em. This may be worth a re-raise even in a tight game and in the game that you describe it is almost certainly worth a re-raise.
Comment #2: There was a long discussion on the small stakes and high stakes board on how to play AK as overcards. One of the key questions is: What is the probability that ace-high wins? If ace-high wins then virtually the entire deck is an out which means that even if you think that the probability that ace-high will win is small (say 10%) it adds a lot of outs to your hand. So... you may want to bet the flop.

Hand #2:
Comment #1: QT is a marginal hand. You might fold.
Comment #2: Note that there seems to be a discrepancy between your play on the flop in this hand and your play on the flop in the first hand. Here you bet two overcards. In Hand #1 you have two much better overcards and you fold. I don't think that the preflop raiser in Hand #1 should scare you too much.

Hand #4: Even in this game, JT is a bad hand. I would fold.

[MS Sunshine]

For breakeven players this and playing small pairs up front are their biggest leaks. There are spots to play these hands, but I think I play these hands 5-10% of the time.

MS Sunshine

[GrannyMae]

What's wrong with limping AXs early in a loose/passive game?


NOT A THING!!!
(if Granny is at your table)

CAP IT!!! that's a stoooong hand.. ace big card.. kicker no matter..

woohoo

[Hotchile]

Leak, Leak, Leak. It would probably be less dangerous for a player if they knew how to get away from the hand when they hit an ace. In my experience though, I make a lot of money with Ak vs Acellaneous. So many players cannot find a way to muck a pair of aces regardless of kicker.

Played from the very back end with a surplus of action with the committment to fold the hand if the flop isn't extremely favorable can result in some very nice pots with little damage done in unfavorable circumstances. Otherwise, most players are just looking for trouble.

Hotchile

[gamboolman]