[Rick Nebiolo]

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How low are you trying to play?

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I'm rolled for traditional 1/2 blinds 200NL. These <100BB BI games are tricky to figure what I'd be good to play. Does 2/5 /$200 play like 200NL with big blinds, or like 500NL with a table of shortstackers? I want to find a balance where a couple beats or mis-played hands won't hurt my roll (2/5/$500 is too big, is 2/5/$200 also??), but where I'm still +EV (20BB stacks?? seriously?????).

Thanks for the link.

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With that roll play the 2/3 blind $100 game (available just about everywhere) or the 1/3 blind $80 game at the Bike. Take reasonable stack building gambles early and be prepared to rebuy (also note in most clubs you can add $100 when below $50 or do a $150 rebuy if you go to the cloth). Key it to get deep in a good game and press edges while protecting your big stack (which is irreplaceable with the buyin rules).

In other words if you play a while you may find yourself with a fairly deep stack against against a few players who are also deep even though they aren't very good. It's essential to play with big edges when in a pot against them (against the short stack any edge is OK). Reason is if you take a small edge against a deep stack and lose you can't replace your stack meaning you lose the ability to take down their deep stacks later it the session (without grinding back a small stack, by that time they may leave).

Keep in mind when you have a deep stack the quality deep stack players can't take an empty seat and start deep. In essence your game is protected from other sharks.

Biggest mistake in these games is to stay long with a short stack because you are stuck. Better to get some rest and try again another day. Time to play extra long is when you get deep in a good game.

~ Rick