Taking shots

T_Mac

This post is about taking shots...im mainly a low limit cash game player and i ensure that i stay disciplined at all times....but as mike mcd said in rounders, ur whole life can become a fucking grind doing this....

ive never taken a shot at a higher limit game, but twice now ive taken 100$ and taken a shot in tournies...both times i went bust...im just wondering what other players views are on taking shots, if they're worth it, how much fun they can be, or how harmful they are to ur bankroll. maybe taking a shot at a higher limit would be better than in a tourney since an individual tourney requires so much more luck to succeed? some other players stories of shots they've taken would be fun to hear.

taking shots is definitely fun tho, the tourney i just played was a 100$ satellite into tommorows big 2500$ wcoop tourney on stars. I had some major pipe dreams going, but one bad beat later and im wondering where my 100$ went lol

esool

I know a guy that parlayed $50 online into $50,000, constantly moving up limits as he got slightly ahead.

CanadaKev

Last Friday I took shot.
After doing so I would say don't gamble with too much of yur bankroll.
If it's more than say 10% of yur bankroll it cant be worth the risk.

I wasn't gonna tell anyone but last Friday I two-tabled at UB, 4am or so.
10-25 and 25-50 blind no limit.
Them games is tough, trust me.

Kev

PokerEH.com

I think its a necessary part of a poker player to take shots up to the next level. I played $5-$10 for several years, and then 'took a shot' at a $10-$20 table. Although I got hammered, I left feeling less intimidated by the larger stacks and quicker play. I now play almost exclusively $10-$20, and recently 'took a shot' at a $20--$40 table. You can read my blog about my $20-$40 experience here:
http://pokereh.com/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=10&t=18&s=77aa1d679d637014c6f2ba1d901f34aa


I think it is better to stay reasonabally close to what you are used to. If you are a $2-$5 player, I would's suggest sitting down at a $20-$40 table with your whole bankroll.

justinhawes

I can't really comment on online shots. I play a lot of live play, and taking shots is really determined on your mind set at the time. Just because you are a good cash player, doesn't mean you are a good tourny player. I recently made my jump from 10 - 20 to 50 - 100, and I have the same success. I know I am a good player, and it is all in my mind. I don't go in to a higher stakes game thinking these guys are going to be better, I just go in there thinking that they have more money then players in lower stakes players.

And what is wrong with grinding? Sure the pros look big cause they play in the wpt events and win, or in the world series or these other televised events, but what do you think they are doing the rest of the year. Grinding it out.

SirWatts

Take shots from time to time but be smart about it and set a max you will lose. There's nothing worse than taking a big loss and knowing you'll have to grind it all back at low limit. take your shots at the games you think you're strongest. No point playing a big NL tournament if you're mostly a low-limit grinder and vice-versa. I think we all need to take shots from time to time when the grind really satarts to get you. Just be reasonable about them.

PokerKai

When taking a shot, the cardinal rule is always, dont put your whole bankroll at risk.  Make sure you have a stop loss limit so that if things arent going well, you can get out without having to play below your regular limit.

Its always a good idea to scout the bigger game before playing.  Theres no reason to jump into the game with your eyes closed and your wallet open.  Recently I played a limit well above my range in atlantic city, but that was only after having spent the previous day, watching the bigger limit and playing my regular lower limit with some of the bigger limit players.

the_main

I took a shot @ 10/20 the other day.
The results were mixed, but I left up a couple BBs after an hour.   And I can honestly say the players werent THAT much better than @ 5/10.
I sat down and recognized a player who did very well in the WCOOP event, and was a bit intimidated.   He ended up being a big donator, and took me out once calling down with A high to which he had my A high out kicked.
I'll share a hand with you that made my day.

OKERSTARS GAME #2686115652:  HOLD'EM LIMIT ($10/$20) - 2005/09/29 - 03:24:15 (ET)
Table 'Guisan' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: counselor196 ($568.50 in chips)
Seat 2: the_main ($456 in chips)
Seat 3: stranqe ($676 in chips)
Seat 4: IB34 ($326 in chips)
Seat 5: Batou1976 ($671 in chips)
Seat 6: kirkdar ($176 in chips)
the_main: posts small blind $5
stranqe: posts big blind $10
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to the_main [:qs :qd]
IB34: calls $10
Batou1976: calls $10
kirkdar: folds
counselor196: calls $10
the_main: raises $10 to $20
stranqe: calls $10
IB34: calls $10
Batou1976: calls $10
counselor196: calls $10   -  Almost everyone's coming along for the ride
*** FLOP *** [:qh :9h :4s]
the_main: bets $10
stranqe: folds
IB34: folds
Batou1976: calls $10
counselor196: calls $10
*** TURN *** [:qh :9h :4s] [:6c]   A harmless card  -  I know Batou to be very aggressive, and possibly the worst player at the table, So I check it to him hoping he'll preceive it as weakness....  hopefully the other gent gets trapped in between.  
the_main: checks
Batou1976: bets $20
counselor196: calls $20
the_main: raises $20 to $40
Batou1976: calls $20
counselor196: folds
*** RIVER *** [:qh :9h :4s :6c] [:4h]  Making the nuts is a nice touch here.
the_main: bets $20
Batou1976: calls $20
*** SHOW DOWN ***
the_main: shows [:qs :qd] (a full house, Queens full of Fours)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $270 | Rake $3   My biggest cash pot ever.
Seat 5: Batou1976 mucked [8c Qc]

stoneskn

Queens full is not the nuts btw. four of a kind 4's is.

the_main

yes, im well aware.

stoneskn

Ok. good. so we're clear.