Part Two on Strategy for Micro-No-Limit cashgames (what you are doing wrong)
Reposted with permission from WCGRider (2+2 forums) (Originally Titled Why you suck at uNL Part Two: Bankroll Management)
Note: uNL = Micro No-Limit
Stats are VPIP (Voluntarily Put In Pot %) and PFR (Pre-Flop Raising %)
Let me tell you guys a story about my poker career. When i started poker, i was crazy degen like many of you. I would play with most of my roll and when i busted it, blame it on bad beats. The truth of the matter is, you need a bankroll to play poker. There is a common phrase in this forum "Bankrolls are for Winning Players", that is used when a losing player posts about a bankroll. I would actaully like it changed to "Bankrolls are for responsible players with a goal to win long term". Im pretty sure when we all first sat down to play poker, we all were pretty terrible. Without the bankroll to allow you to lose a bit before starting to discover your game, you may never get that chance to even become a winning player. So do yourself a favor, play with a sufficient bankroll. I am going to make it really really really easy for you! Just follow this chart. No more "I have $25.74 what do i do?" threads, this is about to be the end all. Note: I am an American player, so this will be based on sites that all players can access.
I want to become a winner at Cash Games.
- You absolutely must have 20 buyins, there is no exception. Preferably more, but at least 20. If you ever drop below 20 then please move down.
I have <$100 on ....
Stars - You should be playing 1/2c. Buy in for 5% of your bankroll. If you have 20, that means you are short stacking. *Recommended*
FTP - Get your ass off of FTP or dont play cash games, you cannot play anything on ftp with this amount.
Ultimate Bet - Same as Stars
I have $100-500 on ...
Stars - You should be moving up to 2/5c and 5/10 by now. However it is fine to play 1/2c with $5 deep. This can be very profitable. If you have worked your bankroll to this point you will probably be fine long term. *Recomended*
FTP - Get your ass off of FTP or dont play cash games, you cannot play anything on ftp with this amount.
Ultimate Bet - This is a bit tricky, they got straight from 1/2c to 5/10c, so you should probably build up to 200 and then take a shot up.
I have $500+ on ...
Stars - You should be playing 10/25c by now
FTP - NOW you should take your money, and deposit it on FTP. Get rakeback, and a signup bonus. Ship the cheddah now you have a good deal. *Recomended*
UB - Sometime after FTP you can consider a UB deposit, but their bonuses clear slow and there isnt a ton of volume, so you have to think about what you want.
I want to become a winner at Sit and Go's
- You need to have 40+ Buyins for sit and gos. If you have <40 then you need to play lower or something else.
I have <$100 on ....
Stars - Stars has a huge selection of low end sit and go's, including 10c 360 man tourneys. That is correct, you can have a FULL roll for these with $4. This is the place to build your tiny, tiny, roll. *Recommended*
FTP - FTP has RB and is probably slightly softer, but doesnt run as low as stars does.
Ultimate Bet - Probably the softest but even less lower games and wayyy less volume.
I have $100-500 on ...
Stars - You can start playing the amazing 4/180's, and by the end of this scale start working in some $11 180's. Great game selection and easy to get a lot of games going, this is the way to go. *Recomended*
FTP - Here FTP starts to become a bit better, and the rakeback and game softness might even make this potentially more profitable then stars. However they just dont offer the same versatility stars does.
Ultimate Bet - See FTP
I have $500+ on ...
Stars - You can now move up to bigger sit and go's, but Stars wins the trifecta from their support+game selection+volume.
FTP - Rakeback and game selection become even more important now, but really by this point you are probably good enough to win in most environments, i suppose this is more opinion now at this point.
UB - Same as above but even softer and even more rakeback but less volume.
I want to become a winner at Tournaments.
- 100 bi minimum. If you have less then this dont even play.
To be honest, im not even going to run through sites, I think the amount of low level tournaments and how large they get makes stars the easy favorite for this one. The $3 rebuy is one of the softest tournaments on the internet, and with an amazing amount of selection and constant tournaments, stars is the place to play.
So if you have $xx, go to this thread, and you will know what to do! Good Luck!. And remember, no matter how good you are, if you increase your risk by too much anyone can go broke.
Note: uNL = Micro No-Limit
Stats are VPIP (Voluntarily Put In Pot %) and PFR (Pre-Flop Raising %)
Let me tell you guys a story about my poker career. When i started poker, i was crazy degen like many of you. I would play with most of my roll and when i busted it, blame it on bad beats. The truth of the matter is, you need a bankroll to play poker. There is a common phrase in this forum "Bankrolls are for Winning Players", that is used when a losing player posts about a bankroll. I would actaully like it changed to "Bankrolls are for responsible players with a goal to win long term". Im pretty sure when we all first sat down to play poker, we all were pretty terrible. Without the bankroll to allow you to lose a bit before starting to discover your game, you may never get that chance to even become a winning player. So do yourself a favor, play with a sufficient bankroll. I am going to make it really really really easy for you! Just follow this chart. No more "I have $25.74 what do i do?" threads, this is about to be the end all. Note: I am an American player, so this will be based on sites that all players can access.
I want to become a winner at Cash Games.
- You absolutely must have 20 buyins, there is no exception. Preferably more, but at least 20. If you ever drop below 20 then please move down.
I have <$100 on ....
Stars - You should be playing 1/2c. Buy in for 5% of your bankroll. If you have 20, that means you are short stacking. *Recommended*
FTP - Get your ass off of FTP or dont play cash games, you cannot play anything on ftp with this amount.
Ultimate Bet - Same as Stars
I have $100-500 on ...
Stars - You should be moving up to 2/5c and 5/10 by now. However it is fine to play 1/2c with $5 deep. This can be very profitable. If you have worked your bankroll to this point you will probably be fine long term. *Recomended*
FTP - Get your ass off of FTP or dont play cash games, you cannot play anything on ftp with this amount.
Ultimate Bet - This is a bit tricky, they got straight from 1/2c to 5/10c, so you should probably build up to 200 and then take a shot up.
I have $500+ on ...
Stars - You should be playing 10/25c by now
FTP - NOW you should take your money, and deposit it on FTP. Get rakeback, and a signup bonus. Ship the cheddah now you have a good deal. *Recomended*
UB - Sometime after FTP you can consider a UB deposit, but their bonuses clear slow and there isnt a ton of volume, so you have to think about what you want.
I want to become a winner at Sit and Go's
- You need to have 40+ Buyins for sit and gos. If you have <40 then you need to play lower or something else.
I have <$100 on ....
Stars - Stars has a huge selection of low end sit and go's, including 10c 360 man tourneys. That is correct, you can have a FULL roll for these with $4. This is the place to build your tiny, tiny, roll. *Recommended*
FTP - FTP has RB and is probably slightly softer, but doesnt run as low as stars does.
Ultimate Bet - Probably the softest but even less lower games and wayyy less volume.
I have $100-500 on ...
Stars - You can start playing the amazing 4/180's, and by the end of this scale start working in some $11 180's. Great game selection and easy to get a lot of games going, this is the way to go. *Recomended*
FTP - Here FTP starts to become a bit better, and the rakeback and game softness might even make this potentially more profitable then stars. However they just dont offer the same versatility stars does.
Ultimate Bet - See FTP
I have $500+ on ...
Stars - You can now move up to bigger sit and go's, but Stars wins the trifecta from their support+game selection+volume.
FTP - Rakeback and game selection become even more important now, but really by this point you are probably good enough to win in most environments, i suppose this is more opinion now at this point.
UB - Same as above but even softer and even more rakeback but less volume.
I want to become a winner at Tournaments.
- 100 bi minimum. If you have less then this dont even play.
To be honest, im not even going to run through sites, I think the amount of low level tournaments and how large they get makes stars the easy favorite for this one. The $3 rebuy is one of the softest tournaments on the internet, and with an amazing amount of selection and constant tournaments, stars is the place to play.
So if you have $xx, go to this thread, and you will know what to do! Good Luck!. And remember, no matter how good you are, if you increase your risk by too much anyone can go broke.