1/2NL vs 2/5, how big is the jump in skill?

tomek322 · #1 12-26-2006, 12:23 PM

I have been playing 1/2 NL for a year now, mostly Foxwoods and Borgata lately. Make $17/hr, over about 450 hours. I was thinking with the New Years weekend coming up, I might give 2/5 a try. What can I expect? Does the play change or is it the same donk fest? Can I expect a high number of inexperienced or bad players at 2/5 due to the holiday weekend.

Or do you advise just to play the 1/2 over the weekend, got to imagine this weekend's tables will be softer than usual.

SellingtheDrama · #2 12-26-2006, 12:38 PM

If you feel good about your game/state of mind, take the 2/5 shot.

2/5 is a different feel than 1/2 (I admittedly have almost never played 1/2, but am a regular in that Borgata 2/5 game). There are less total idiots and more competent players, so it plays differently.

It is not difficult to beat, just a different set of muscles. Best thing you can do is figure out quickly who's who - who are the guys like me who play regularly, who are the clueless tourists, and who's moderately ok at poker but isn't really that good (these guys are the norm), and play accordingly.

WMB · #3 12-26-2006, 12:50 PM

At foxwoods, I've noticed quite a difference in skill level between the two during the week. I'm not saying 2-5 is tough, just not as profitable as 1-2 since the buy in was raised to 300. I rarely sit in 2-5 because i expect to make more at 1-2. now during a holiday weekend, it may be different. my advice is to try 2-5, if the game isn't that good, go to 1-2.

tomek322 · #4 12-26-2006, 01:49 PM

Going to Foxwoods this Friday, as I am going to Boston for the weekend. I just hate paying $5 per half hour, when 2/5 is $6.

On a side bar at the Borgata I noticed that the 5-10NL was $6pp/phh. Looks like Foxwoods is just slightly over charging for their services. I hate Foxwoods, if Mohegan's staff is somewhat competant and their rake somewhat fair, their room will be full non-stop.

tomek322 · #5 12-26-2006, 01:55 PM

[ QUOTE ]
(I admittedly have almost never played 1/2, but am a regular in that Borgata 2/5 game)

[/ QUOTE ]

Out of curiosity how did you manage to just skip 1/2? Mainly how did you grow your poker roll to just go to 2/5?

SellingtheDrama · #6 12-26-2006, 02:06 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
(I admittedly have almost never played 1/2, but am a regular in that Borgata 2/5 game)

[/ QUOTE ]

Out of curiosity how did you manage to just skip 1/2? Mainly how did you grow your poker roll to just go to 2/5?

[/ QUOTE ]

Online tournaments for over two years and a slight disregard for money...$500 buyin game doesn't faze me or my bankroll, so I figured I'd start there and move down if I felt out of my league. I felt comfortable and that it was the right game for me, so I stayed.

AllVegasPoker · #7 12-26-2006, 03:27 PM

In Vegas I'd say it's a big jump. There is a significant difference in the quality of players at the average $1/2 game vs the average $2/5 game. In terms of competition among limit poker standards it might be the difference between low-limit ($2/4 or $3/6) players vs mid-limit ($8/16 ish) players.

Most of my NL experience in Vegas is in the MGM poker room. At $1/2 NL you'll find many more tourists and recreational players just looking to have a good time. At $2/5 you'll still find tourists and recreational players, but there is a significantly greater % of experienced players actually trying to hack out a consistent profit.

NL Rounder · #8 12-26-2006, 05:32 PM

Sorry to use the cliche, but "It depends..."

You may notice little to no difference at times, especially if the buy-ins are capped at 100 BBs. With the capped NL games, a lot of donators just feel that $200 is too small to get jazzed about and go straight to $2/$5 with a rack of red.

Anything really goes, I've played in extremely soft $2/$5 NL games and $1/$2s that were meat grinders. The best advice I can suggest is feel sure that you and your roll can handle the potential heat of the $2/$5 game. Then sit-down and stick your toe in the water. If you don't like the temperature, there's no shame in leaving.

PokerFink · #9 12-28-2006, 04:57 PM

Hey tomek,

The main difference between the two limits is that there are more people at 2/5 that generally know what they're doing like you do. $17/hour is a reasonable winrate for 1/2 and I can estimate your relative skill level. While you're usually going to be the best player at the table at 1/2, at 2/5 you will generally find 1-3 other players who are just as good as you (or better). The key, of course, is to focus on the other donkeys.

The Borg 1/2 is soft even for a 1/2 game, but I havn't been too pleased with their 2/5. I've found the Taj 2/5 to be better when I've played there, but it's a small sample size.

As for Vegas, it's a bigger step-up than in AC. There are more people grinding out a profit in Vegas. It doesn't make the game harder, it makes it less profitable because you have to extract money slowly from the nits. They won't just give it to you like a 1/2 donk.

Messiahkid · #10 12-28-2006, 05:44 PM

[ QUOTE ]
(I admittedly have almost never played 1/2, but am a regular in that Borgata 2/5 game).

Best thing you can do is figure out quickly who's who - who are the guys like me who play regularly, who are the clueless tourists, and who's moderately ok at poker but isn't really that good (these guys are the norm), and play accordingly.

[/ QUOTE ]

So are you saying to avoid the 2/5 'regulars' like you at the borg?

If so, the regulars at 2/5 and 5/10 at the borg are probably the most +EV to play against besides the total drunk rich guys throwing around money.

Please don't tell me you are one of the regulars I always see at the tables with IPOD+PSP+oakleys, I will laugh hysterically.