Moving from 1/2 to 2/4 back to 1/2 how it helps

[Beastmaster]

Moderator can move to psychology section...just thought it was appropriate here also.

I have recently started playing more 2/4 tables and believe this has help me with my 1/2 game psychologically. For me and many others the move up at small stakes is more psychological rather than skill. I see many of the same mistakes in 2/4 as on the 1/2 tables. The hardest part to overcome for many is the bet size and the thought of what you could lose. It's been a challenge for me at 2/4, not because the play is that much better(it's not) but because the bad beats hurt much more. A few people hitting their 2 or 3 outs on the river and you losing $50-$75 hurt much worse than the average 1/2 pot. But losing these pots can help your game back at the 1/2 level. Going back to 1/2 the limit looks small and I'm not as concerned about each chip that goes into the pot. Losing a big pot now at 1/2 seems relative and small. Obviously I still have some concern for the $ but it's not a driving factor that it once was when I moved up from .5/1. In conclusion I encourage people (whom have the BR) to take a shot (50-100bb at a higher level) if for nothing else but to improve your game at your current level. I will continue to mix in 2/4 games with my 1/2 play and hope to make 2/4 my home in the very near future. I had 1000bb for 2/4 when I moved up but now feel it may have been helpful to take a 100bb shot awhile ago to give some perspective and help my 1/2 game.

[JoeyFrogs]

I completely agree with you, Beastmaster. I do this on occassion just to help me deal with the mental side of poker. Taking shots at a larger game now and then really helps put the $ in perspective. Also, I find that it helps to look at pots solely in terms of BB. With 6-max games its just so much more difficult than full rings games to stay calm and play your A-game when opponents keep hitting slim outs on the river.

[TeeMDee]

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Going back to 1/2 the limit looks small and I'm not as concerned about each chip that goes into the pot.

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Words of caution: you should be every bit as concerned about the chips you put in the pot at 1/2 as you are at higher levels. Sometimes if the 2/4 or 3/6 games aren't good then I'll drop back to 1/2 and find myself saying "what the hell, I call. It's only two dollars more..." Even though I know I'm beat, I sometimes find it harder to make good laydowns at lower limits.

[Ineedaride2]

I actually play better when I move up, as every chip IS more important to me.

At $1/2, I'm subject to call a river raise 'just to see what he's got.'

It's only a couple of bucks. However, the same raise in $2/4 would make me fold if I thought I had little hope of winning the hand (which is usually the case).

In summary, $2/4 helped my $1/2 game, but only because it made me make better marginal decisions. Now, when I drop down and play more tables of 1/2, I try to carry that same mentality to that game. Be aggressive with winners, but don't be scared to drop losers like a hot potato.

[GMMigge]

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Going back to 1/2 the limit looks small and I'm not as concerned about each chip that goes into the pot.

[/ QUOTE ]

Words of caution: you should be every bit as concerned about the chips you put in the pot at 1/2 as you are at higher levels. Sometimes if the 2/4 or 3/6 games aren't good then I'll drop back to 1/2 and find myself saying "what the hell, I call. It's only two dollars more..." Even though I know I'm beat, I sometimes find it harder to make good laydowns at lower limits.

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This is a good point. I recently had a 350 BB downswing, and in the middle of that downswing I dropped down to 1/2 from 2/4, and I'm not sure it did me any good at the time, for the reason you just mentioned.

But if it wasn't for of my downswing, I also think that it can be the other way around. Low limit shorthanded is often about calling down more than you perhaps are used to, and it can be good practice getting rid of the bad habit of folding too much at your usual limit.

[Beastmaster]

[ QUOTE ]

Words of caution: you should be every bit as concerned about the chips you put in the pot at 1/2 as you are at higher levels. Sometimes if the 2/4 or 3/6 games aren't good then I'll drop back to 1/2 and find myself saying "what the hell, I call. It's only two dollars more..." Even though I know I'm beat, I sometimes find it harder to make good laydowns at lower limits.

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Moving from 3/6 back to 1/2 I could see this becoming a problem

I did state for me:
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Obviously I still have some concern for the $ but it's not a driving factor that it once was when I moved up from .5/1.

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The bet still means something because I have only taken a shot at 2/4 but could see where moving down from your normal game could have the adverse effect.

[MATT111]

I feel as soon as you made a nice amount of bets on a specific limit you will feel comfortable there. So as soon as my roll justifies it I take shots.
I felt uncomfortable moving up from 1/2-2/4, from 3/6 to 5/10 and from 5/10-10/20 for the first couple of hands. I now sometimes take shots at 15/30 and 25/50 and don`t feel comfortable there. Guess it`s a matter of time/hands getting used to new bet sizes.

[jschaud]

i would pay for a mod that changed bets from $$$ to BB. Instead of seeing that it is $20 to me, it would just say 2BB. The pot would not be $43, it would be 4.3BB. Since I play multiple levels sometimes, it would help to know that it is 1,2, or 3 bets to me.

[CrayZee]

The problem w/ some people is that once they move up to the higher absolute dollar action, they start to play poorly, wildly, or otherwise loosely at the lower limits. Just make sure to look at the number of bets in the pot, observe your opponents, and adjust accordingly (a.k.a. play goot poker).

However, what you say is good if you are pretty sensitive to risk and fluctuation. It gets you adjusted to the stakes. Eventually, you want to get over that sort of sensitivity...in either direction.

[jakeduke]

$ to BB converter in this thread.