CAZ, ready for 2007 with BR $1800

[rontime]

Started this year with $1800 BR for 3/6, really playing carefull (ABC) poker. not hard todo when it took me 4 months to save, not from poker. I am down to $800. Over all can't seem to beat 3/6, with my big pairs preflop I R,RER and everybody calls or caps it, post flop same to river most of the time at river there are 2 other players, I mite show pockets QQ then 1 player will show like 10-7os both paired by the river. I do win pots but loose the big ones
most of the time. Anyway I feel I should stop going and study my game more, with 800 left mite evan take a shot at 4/8. any thoughts thanks

[RayPowers]

Whats the rake? Is 3/6 beatable at the CAZ rake?

Ray

[that_pope]

With only 800 left, I would not advise moving up to 4/8 yet. I also started out at Casino AZ, and am currently a big winner in the 8/16 game. The 3/6 game is very beatable, but because of the play you described, variance can also be high.

Your range of hands may need to expand. If no one is raising preflop, play any pair and any Ax suited. Look to flop a set with your pair or a nut flush draw with your Ax suited. The best way to make money in these large mulitway pots that come with low limit holdem is to play hands that when hit, have your opponents pretty much drawing dead. That is where you will make a ton.

Also, if you haven't, reading Small Stakes Hold'em is a must.

To the other poster, the rake is $1 jackpot, $2 at $30 and $2 at $60 (might be $50).

[rontime]

thanks pope,
I did read SSH, infact its falling apart many pages out lined, dogear and everything else. How long did you play at 3/6. what were you own personal requirments for moveing up?

thanks for the help rontime

[DesertCat]

Your big hands won't be pocket pairs unless you flop a set. 10-7s is the nuts in that game, you need to flop big draws and build big pots. If you truly read SSH, you should understand that, and that even playing well won't banish variance.

You should consider 4-8, because it will lesson the effect of the rake, I believe you'll have a greater expectation because of it.

One other thought is to read Caro's book of tells. Part of your edge in these games can come from good reads, at low limits sometimes it's stone cold obvious what people have if you pay attention.

[rontime]

Thank all of you for your help

[Percula]

[ QUOTE ]
what were you own personal requirments for moveing up?

thanks for the help rontime

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the most important thing next to bankroll considerations is a mastery of the game. This means learning to read hands, learning pot control, learning to laydown when you are beat, learning to value your hands correctly throughout the play of the hand.

[llayner]

I am in the exact same situation at CAZ and have the same BR issue. I tried 4/8 for a while, most recently on Sunday, had no problem playing it but the swings more psychologically affect me than at 3/6. Take a stab at 4/8 on a profitable night - ie Fridays - and see how it works out.

Also, you want the kind of table that will cap multiway preflop - it means you have to change gears a bit (be able to let go of a big hand) but they're highly profitable.

[otter]

Low stakes poker is going to have a lot of variance. I don't know how good your hand reading skills are, but perhaps that may need work. I started off playing limit. I refer to that as sometimes being on autopilot. Calls are easier since you're technically getting pot odds, etc...however after playing no limit almost exclusively for 2 years it's soooo easy to fold a hand like K,10 on a flop of K high because I know I'm beat w/ the kicker. That saves a lot of bets in the long run. It may not usually be a good idea to fold, but when you know you're beat you know you're beat.

In the small stakes games if you know how people play it's easy to fold a hand that other people would have played on autopilot 'til the river.

Also I think it was Sklansky that said (not 100% sure, but 90% sure) you should be more protective of a large bankroll than a small one. If this isn't all the money you have and if you have a regular job you might want to move up to 4/8.