NL10->NL25->NL50 Transitions and Experiences

HANABI · #1 04-20-2007, 06:36 AM

English is not my first language so bear with the grammar.

A little background on me, I’m a new player that watched some cardrunners/read books/got PT/PA hud etc. Main reason why I picked up poker was for a challenge. It’s a game that’s hard to master and great emotional control is required to be successful, and that appeals to me for some reason.

I know my sample size isn’t much, but that’s all I have for now so these are my first impressions I have played 21,000 hands since my initial deposit of $50 into full tilt 3 weeks ago. I started 2 and then 4 tabling the nl10 games. I have 10k hands at that limit totaling +260 at 13.2 bb/100. When my roll hit $300, I moved up to nl25 and the game has changed so much. Except for occasional maniacs, it was all regulars at my 6 max tables playing their 18/13 or 15/10 tight game. It was much harder to get paid off. At nl10 most of the players have over 50% vpip so you just make a hand, bet it, and get paid. Sometimes at nl25 it felt like if I just played straightforward solid poker and didn’t attempt any bluffs I could breakeven forever. I guess I was used to playing big pots all the time at nl10 and expected the same action at nl25. Big pots are for big hands. Big hands don’t come around very often, and tight players don’t go broke with garbage. So I played 10k hands at nl25 which felt like a real grind and was up $270 running at 5.21bb/100. Comparing my stats from nl10 and nl25 play, they are almost the same, 21/16/3 at nl10 and 20/15/3 at nl25. I tightened up a little bit while making the transition, probably because it felt like playing for more money so I didn’t want to risk it as much. Then I took a shot at nl50 and quickly dropped a few buyins.

I butchered this QQ hand pretty bad, this was my first orbit of nl50 ever. K on the turn was a really bad card for me and I kinda froze and didn’t bet enough on the turn. I think I shouldve either bet more on the turn or checked. Once the the Q hit on the river I figured I can’t get away from this hand and if he has a flush it’s a cooler, so I shoved hoping he calls me with 1 or 2 pair.

Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Hold'em Cash Game
$0.25/$0.50 Blinds
5 Players
LegoPoker HH Converter

SB: $131.35
HANABI (BB): $56.85
UTG: $26.60
CO: $68.30
BTN: $44.40

Preflop: HANABI is dealt Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (5 Players)
UTG folds, CO raises to $1.75, 2 folds, HANABI calls $1.25

Flop: ($3.75) T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 Players)
HANABI checks, CO bets $3, HANABI raises to $10.50, CO calls $7.50

Turn: ($24.75) K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 Players)
HANABI bets $13.50, CO calls $13.50

River: ($51.75) Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 Players)
HANABI bets all-in for $31.10, CO calls $31.10

Pot Size: $113.95 ($3 Rake)

CO had A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (a flush, Ace high)
HANABI had Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (three of a kind, Queens)

Then 2 min later, on another table I lost another big pot:

Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Hold'em Cash Game
$0.25/$0.50 Blinds
5 Players
LegoPoker HH Converter

SB: $122.20
BB: $49.50
UTG: $56.10
HANABI (CO): $71.65
BTN: $80.70

Preflop: HANABI is dealt T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (5 Players)
BB folds, UTG raises to $1.75, HANABI calls $1.75, BTN calls $1.75, SB calls $1.25

Flop: ($7) 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (4 Players)
SB checks, UTG checks, HANABI bets $5.50, 2 folds, UTG raises to $25, HANABI raises all-in to $69.90, UTG calls all-in for $29.35
Uncalled bet of $0 returned to HANABI

Turn: ($115.70) Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 Players - 2 All-In)

River: ($115.70) 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 Players - 2 All-In)

Pot Size: $115.70 ($3 Rake)

UTG had J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (a straight, Queen high)
HANABI had T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (three of a kind, Tens)

and then 3 min later another one:

Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Hold'em Cash Game
$0.25/$0.50 Blinds
6 Players
LegoPoker HH Converter

SB: $56.85
BB: $18.20
UTG: $20
HANABI (MP): $80.20
CO: $68.25
BTN: $58.20

UTG posts $0.50
Preflop: HANABI is dealt K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (6 Players)
UTG checks, HANABI raises to $2.25, CO folds, BTN calls $2.25, 3 folds

Flop: ($5.75) 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 Players)
HANABI bets $4.50, BTN calls $4.50

Turn: ($14.75) 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 Players)
HANABI checks, BTN bets $11, HANABI raises all-in to $73.45, BTN calls all-in for $40.45
Uncalled bet of $22 returned to HANABI

River: ($117.65) J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 Players - 2 All-In)

Pot Size: $117.65 ($3 Rake)

BTN had A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (a flush, Ace high)
HANABI had K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (a pair of Kings)

That’s when I realized I had just lost a third of my roll and I should move back down, so I did. Not sure what to do right now as my roll is at 450ish. I might just go back to nl10 and try to beat it for 20+bb/100 (which I think is doable for me now since I improved a bit) and then skip nl25 altogether and play nl50 once I get up to 1k or so. I am hoping to start some discussion with this thread about how you guys adjusted to various microstakes limits as you moved up, which ones you liked to play most, which were most profitable, which would you be playing in my position with the roll I have. I have a huge beef with nl25 because it feels like its infested with nits that are hard to exploit for me.