Adjustment to Mid Stakes

Kico9 · #1 06-13-2006, 08:46 AM

I have been playing 5-10 holdem for about two years on the SunCruz boat out of Cape Canaveral. On average I win about $200 on a 4 1/2 session using the Miller book. Over the last 4 months I have started to play 10-20 using the same strategies but have notice that my average has dropped to $100 a session. Besides moving back down to 5-10, what general adjustments should I make?

Jeffage · #2 06-13-2006, 09:24 AM

Do you keep accurate records? How many hours are we talking about? Your statements make me think your numbers are unreliable...making $50 "on average" per hour in a live 5-10 game is pretty unlikely over a statistically significant period.

Jeff

Kico9 · #3 06-13-2006, 10:57 AM

Yeah I know it sounds high but: (1) its more like 44 an hr since its 4 1/2 long; and (2)you would not believe the number of times I would get called to the river by 2 or 3 players who could not beat top pair. [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

Dazarath · #4 06-13-2006, 06:50 PM

Jeffage has some valid points. How many sessions do you have under your belt? Because live poker is very slow compared to online, it takes many more "sessions" to get an accurate estimate of your winrate. The fact that players are more passive decreases this somewhat, but when you're playing 1/8 the hands, it just takes that much longer.

As for your question about adjustments, it's hard to answer without more information. From your post, I'm sort of guessing that your sample size is too small, and no information can be gained from your drop in winrate. Adjustments vary depending on your play and your opponents' play. If the 10/20 players are raising more preflop, you're going to need to drop some of the limping hands that you'd normally play from EP, and maybe MP. If you're playing too many hands, you need to tighten up. If your opponents are making better laydowns, you need to cut some of the "slim" value bets, as they won't get called by worse hands. This list could go on and on forever. The point is, it's not because, "Oh, I moved up in stakes; I should change my play." What you should be asking is, "How are my opponents different? How should I adjust to these changes?"

Kico9 · #5 06-14-2006, 04:26 PM

You are probably right about sample size being too small. I play about 2 1/2 times a month on average. So over two year, I have logged about 60 sessions of 5-10. With the money won at 5-10, I have bought clothes, jewlery, and a 50" Plasma. So I'm fairly certain of winnings. I keep poker money in a seperate account. As for 10-20 only 13 sessions. You are also right, I should think more about the adjustments my opponents are making and the impact it has on my game. Thanks.

Dazarath · #6 06-14-2006, 06:14 PM

60 sessions * 4.5 hours = 270 hours
270 hours * 30-35 hands/hour = 8100-9450 hands
That's an ok sample for live, I guess, but not very big.

270 hours * 2 BB/hour = 540 BB = $5400
To be honest, I'm not sure if 2 BB/hour is sustainable at 5/10 with rake + tips and all. I think you were running on the hotter side of variance by at least a little.

How many hours of 10/20 have you played? I'm assuming even less, so don't draw too many conclusions from it.

Kico9 · #7 06-15-2006, 10:47 AM

Only about 60 or so of 10-20, and some of that has been 10-20 1 round of holdem and 1 of omaha (sometimes they cannot get enough players for a strickly holdem game). Now that I think about it I seem to do ok in holdem but give some of it back in omaha. I will try to keep better records so see if this is contributing to the lower winninngs.