Limit Player / Want to play some NL

[Pokit2s]

Well, I have played limit for a while now. Anywhere between .50/1 and 3/6, standard small stakes stuff. I have really studied limit, read all of the Sklansky books, etc. I consider my self a pretty solid, and still improving limit player. I would like to play some NL too, just to mix it up and keep it interesting. I played a few small games, ($25 and $50 NL), without much success. I used to play NL all the time, but it seems harder now that I have played Limit so long. Any advice for a pretty standard, T/A limit player trying to make some money in the small NL games?? I have some NL books but they pretty much revolve around tournament play. What's the best suggestion for a good NL "CASH" game book? Thanks!

[GrandmaStabone]

Every reply is going to tell you this:

HOH1 refers to NL poker when the blinds are small in relation to the stacks, so much of the advice is relevent to cash games.

No Limit Theory and Practice by Skalnsky/Miller is out now, it will be the definitive work on this subject.

SO, now that these things have been said. I am interested in answers too. Are there any general "rules of thumb" for differences in pre-flop play, odds or betting that anyone can share?

[runout_mick]

[ QUOTE ]
No Limit Theory and Practice by Skalnsky/Miller is out now, it will be the definitive work on this subject.

[/ QUOTE ]

I can't wait to see the concepts that took me years to develop spelled out in an easy to understand format. I'm expecting this book to make the last 3 years of my life meaningless and obsolete.

I hate Miller and Sklansky.

P.S.

I can't wait to get my copy, this book is gonna blow ALL the doors off...

[Mik1w]

lower your value of suited aces, raise your value of small pocket pairs. learn and understand the origin of the 5/10 rule as an application of implied odds, tend to bet as a fraction of the pot (generally not more than the pot), and I can't stress the use of position enough.

thought process:

figure out villan's range. based primarily on PT stats (if enough) and your memory of villan's showdowns that are out of the ordinary. Keep this range in your head all the time

look at the flop and compare it to the range, whats most likely, what you need to protect against and what needs protecting against from you, how cheap you want a turn, river and showdown to come, if you semibluff, how likely you are going to see the river if called

very generally, raising or folding are better than calling, unless you have a draw or are setting up a bluff.

steal with any decent two cards in CO and dealer when its folded to you, raise with any two decent cards in BB when its folded to SB, same for SB vs BB. continuation bet most flops 3/4 pot to full pot, fire a second turn barrel against weak villans when the turn blanks and when you can strongly represent a hand he beats

don't call a turn or flop bet for an easy showdown with a poor hand even if it's cheap, the bets can get more expensive on the turn/river.

min-raise generally means strength, consider folding decent made hands with it, baluga's min raise rule is good.

some of this is good, some is probably bad, meh. I just typed some stuff I knew about poker.

[Mik1w]

also don't value bet rivers that only hands beating you call. consider the value of checking to induce a bluff, especially when many draws have missed, eg. you raise pre flop, there are 2 hearts on the flop and you have TPTK, turn and river blank. villan has been calling down and has position on you. the river is a non-heart ace giving you 2 pair. consider checking to induce bluffs from hands you beat rather than betting and folding them.

don't 8 table straight away, play at least 5000 hands single or 2 tabling, concentrate on extracting maximum value when you are ahead and take advantage of villan's inability to do the same when you are behind.

steal pots mercilessly, and don't loosen up when you get cold cards (single tabling can get boring when this happens).

oh, and check raise less.

[ConfusedAgain]

I've read many of the no-limit books, Phil Gordon's is very good as well as Harrington's and Brunson's haven't seen the new Sklansky yet. But actually looking on this site -reviewing the low and medium stakes no-limit is the way to learn and taking notes on hands that you play and your analysis or 2+2 input. You'll find that internet play requires different betting structure (higher than books recommend), that you cant get away with river bluffs when you haven't shown strength along the way very often. The level you play will greatly determine the ideal way you play. I think you really have to map out a style for yourself, include some Shania, and be much more adaptable to the players at your table than limit. Your stack size you want to start with will also greatly determine the optimal style. Position is even more important as well as playing your opponents cards. Bluffing/stealing is also way more important in no-limit as well as reraise since it can put enormous pressure on your opponent. (I'm not a great player but i play almost everyday and read 2+2 every day and analyze my own play everyday). Pros don't change gears - just to change gears, decisions need to be based on the situation. That's my 4 cents worth (2+2). Don't go all in with Ten's when your opponent reraised.