NL General Strategy

[brenno11]

Hey guys. Im fairly new to NL cash games, most of my poker experience is in SNGs. Just wondering what everyones goal is everytime they sit at a NL table. Iv heard some people like to buy in for the full amount, and play a big stack, and others I have spoken to like to buy in for half or maybe 1/4 of the max, hoping for a double up, since your more likely to get a call being the shortstack. Also, how do yous all decide when to leave the game? I saw on Full Tilt where Chris Ferguson advises to leave the table once you double your stack. Others say stay as long as the game is good, but surely the game changes from its initial conditions once you become a big stack. Any advice or discussion would be appreciated.

[uminchu]

read the essential selection of uNL threads, then go to the small stakes forum and read their sticky, their is mad info in there and it will answer A LOT of your NEWB questions, that way people dont flame you for asking questions like this and believe me they will, or they will just not respond

so read the stickies, then if you have specifici theory question post it again

BIG stack poker is fun and has many many facets that dont come into play with under 50 BBS and many people are uncomfortable playing with suck large stacks as they do not understand that your high pairs lose their stack off value, and other big stacks have implied odds to call with little, so heres my advice

Start low: play a couple different games where you buy in for half stack , buying in for half you must play tight and your goal is to double up (we call it ratholing yo and we dont think its poker).
Then begin Buying in full which will force you to play REAL poker where you have to make tough decisions but it is much more profitable and fun then ratholing, if you can deal with the variance and learn to lay down overpairs to obvious sets

Hope this helps

I hope this helps

[brenno11]

cheers mate, thanks for that

[Wolfram]

Hey brenno11 and welcome. I'm also a SnG convert.

I asked Pokey (a well respected poster) the exact same question, i.e. "what is our plan", when he was in 'the well' and he gave an excellent response. This is the original thread:
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...rue#Post7651827 (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=microplnl&Number=7651827& Searchpage=1&Main=7651827&Words=-re%3A+%2Bthe+%2Bwell+Pokey&topic=&Search=true#Post 7651827)

I'll post his answer below 'cause it's a pretty long thread.

Here are my thoughts on your other questions.

Don't buy in short. There are short stack strategies, but most of them suck and deep-stacks give better players a bigger advantage. And 100BB's isn't even that deep, though it certainly seems to be abyss-like when you switch over from SnG's. Just jump in and start learning to play real poker.

Reload whenever you can, 'cause you want to make the most money whenever you hit that set vs. a raisers overpair etc.

Continute playing as long as you are feeling good, aren't tired or distracted and the table is favorable (still some fishes left with money, preferably sitting on your right).

If you have a really big stack (250BB's+) and somebody else also has a huge stack, you might want to switch if you are afraid of losing that much on one hand, until you get more confidence in playing deep. But if everybody is short (<100) then your stack size doesn't matter.

Play TAG at µ-limit. LAG just isn't that profitable here. Remember that TPTK and overpairs are not the nuts anymore, like in SnG's, so be vary of playing for stacks with one pair hands.

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Wolfram said: [ QUOTE ]
When I'm playing ring games I sometimes wonder what the "point" off it is. Or better yet, what my plan is. Do I just sit there and nut peedle and set mine? Is stacking people most important, or do we make our money by squeezing small edges (lots and lots of c-betting, outplaying opponents)?

[/ QUOTE ]

Pokey answered: [ QUOTE ]
The plan is table-specific. If you're sitting with a flock of maniacs, your goal should be to stack them: their big mistake is overplaying hands, and you want to take advantage of that mistake by letting them overplay their chips right into your stack. If you're sitting with a flock of tight-passive nits, your goal should be to nickel-and-dime them to death. Their big mistake is playing too little and giving up too soon and too often, so you should be betting and raising every chance you get to push them off their hands. The choice of "small ball" versus "long ball" at the tables should be driven by the type of opponents you're facing. It all boils down to this: the ultimate goal is to win "the battle of mistakes" by making fewer and smaller mistakes than your opponents. Watch your opposition, see what type of players they are, figure out what types of mistakes they make, and then play in a way that maximizes your gain from those mistakes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Lastly, check out the FAQ, but don't be afraid of asking "Newb" questions. Most people here (especially the veterans) will treat you nicely when you do, and either answer, or point out that the answer is in the faq.

Cheers,
Wolfram