Building a BR through Micro Games?

[Daniel Magix]

I recently made a $100 deposit into Pokerroom. My main goal is to clear my reload bonus, and hopefully build the BR a bit in the process. With my small initial BR, I have listened to the advice of many on this site, and started with the 25/50¢ games. I have been playing short-handed games (5-6 players). So far, I have a few hours played, and I am up a couple of dollars.

It seems like I will be able to clear my bonus pretty easily, and hopefully play break-even poker at the worst. But I am now wondering how realistic it is to think that my BR can grow substantially from these games. The pots are so small in general. Is it a better idea to jump to the 50¢/$1 games? Or should I just stick with this level and try to build slowly? I know you want bad calls in general, but for 25¢ after the flop, it's certainly tough to defend your top pair vs. an inside straight draw, for example. Or should I move to full games instead of short-handed? Or should I shut up and just play poker?

I guess I am really just looking to hear some stories of people who may have started in a similiar way (with a small initial BR playing micro-stakes) and have built their BR into a respectable amount.

[bcotton]

I deposited the min deposit into UB and then withdrew all but $3 and am building my bankroll through penny NL games..

I'm up to $65, and growing.. It's just discipline and bankroll management. I am soon to move from 1c/2c NL to 5c/10c NL.

[MatthewRyan]

25/50 CENT games... honestly your $/hour rate cannot be worth your time.

[swede0530]

I initially won $1.32 in a freeroll on Paradise and have gone from nano limits to 1/2.

It takes a long time and lots of patience to properly move up in limits and play within the bankroll.

[Daniel Magix]

[ QUOTE ]
25/50 CENT games... honestly your $/hour rate cannot be worth your time.

[/ QUOTE ]

Would I rather be playing higher limits? Absolutely! Do I have a credit card bill, student loan, car payments, a mortgage, home equity loan, a wife and a toddler? Absolutely! So my situation right now, does now allow me the luxury of dropping $1000 into an online poker account to play in a $4/$8 game or higher. I play in my low-stakes home games, and I consistently profit from them. If I win $30 one night, $25-27 of it generally goes to the checking account to pay bills, and I may keep $3-5 for my BR.

As you can imagine, it's taken me a while to scrape up the extra $100 for an online BR. So that is my story and my situation.

So, I know what you are saying. My hourly rate is nothing to brag about at this point - but it IS a profit as opposed to a loss. But do you feel that no one should or can ever build a BR by starting at this level?

[melzino]

[ QUOTE ]
25/50 CENT games... honestly your $/hour rate cannot be worth your time.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh but playing poker can be fun, can't it?

[krishan]

I started at pacific 5c/10c and now play 20/40 and 30/60.

Krishan

[MatthewRyan]

Honestly, I would recomend a part time job to build up some extra savings and help pay the bills. because you need the money, the opportunity cost of playing poker for quarters is high and probably irresponsible depending on your situation. A part time job will also help you save up a $600 roll for 1/2.

[Dunkman]

Just keep working your way up...that way your skill level will increase at a comparable rate to your bankroll. Also, get away from pokerroom when you finish the bonus, the rake will eat you alive.

[ckmo]

I left 50 bucks on Stars and ran it up playing 5c/10c. I've now got enough to comfortable play 5/10 from the original 50. At the time I think I was playing 6/12 maybe 10/20 live by then so the stakes were pretty much meaningless to me. I challenged myself to see if I could win $100 playing 5c/10c in a week. That helped me not lose interest and then I just moved up from there and whored a little along the way. You can do it, it won't happen over night. Its up to you how much you work at it and learn the game. If you're looking for immediate money to pay bills with this isn't going to be it.