Can you acquire the gamble?

[Little Wing]

I’ve been playing live LHE for many years, mostly 3/6 with some 4/8. I probably play a couple hundred hours per year, and I win somewhere around 1 to 2 BB/hr. While I have not posted here very much since I registered, I am not a newbie and I am very comfortable in the card room.

I’ve always been a real tight player for just about all of my poker career, rarely bluffing or being very aggressive, really weak-tight. I was still a winning player, but just marginally. In the last year or two I’ve made a conscious effort to open up my game a little, mixing in a few bluffs, widening my range of pre-flop raising hands, etc. Although some of this is unnecessary at the limits I play, there is no question it did help my earn rate.

The card room I play in spreads a couple of 2/5 NL tables on weekends with a $300 maximum buy-in. I know a couple of people who play regularly in the game, and they all tell me it is pretty soft and they think I would do well and should try it some time. Additionally, I have played limit with some of the other NL regulars, and many of them are very weak players. I am thinking about giving it a try and I need some advice. But to be honest, the thought of calling a $200 or $300 bet with less than the stone cold nuts is absolutely terrifying and I don’t know if I’ve got the gamble in me. I realize you never know for sure until you put yourself in that position, but I was wondering if any of you had the same problem starting out in NL but you got used to it, or is this something that is naturally in a person that he cannot get rid of.

Again, I would like to try it, but I have a lot of respect for you guy’s opinions and would really like to know what others on here think before I do.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Edit: not sure it this is the correct forum for this but please feel free to move as necessary. Thanks.

Edit#2: I should add that I wouldn't try this with0ut first reading a couple good books on N/L and hanging around the N/L forums for a while. Would this ease the "pucker factor?"

[Taso]

I don't see a reason to go straight to 2/5nl hold 'em. Why not start at 1/2 nl, it'll be a much better transistion, see how it goes a few times.

[Gonso]

They may not have a 1/2NL game available where he is.

[ QUOTE ]
the thought of calling a $200 or $300 bet with less than the stone cold nuts is absolutely terrifying and I don’t know if I’ve got the gamble in me.

[/ QUOTE ]

I played LHE before NLHE too, the only thing I'll say is that you'll have to get used to calling a whole lot less than you're used to. In NL, you won't want to be in the habit of calling huge bets with marginal holdings (especially at lower limits). The game favors players doing the betting and raising, not calling.

Really, I'd play some micro-limits online for about 50k hands and see what you think. You'll probably pay off too many river bets and so on for a while, but you sound like a bright guy and your LHE experience will help you. Read a few books and you'll be fine. If you're beating comparable limit games you can learn to beat NL.

Also, for what it's worth I found making huge bluffs more nerve-wracking than making big calls. Experience and playing comfortably within your BR will help. Also helps to have a good sense of humor when you have to show down ace high.

I'm sure you'll do fine after a little adjustment.

[jiacstrap]

I started off the complete opposite. I started playing 1/2 nl as a gambler. Took me a couple years but im slowly learning how to play LAG +EV. Limit is more of a mechanical game while nl is more psychological and moves should be based more on pot odds. In no limit playing TAG you won't be seeing many flops and playing live you will be facing a lot of bets from players that could be holding anything in their hand.

[El_Hombre_Grande]

[ QUOTE ]


Really, I'd play some micro-limits online for about 50k hands and see what you think. You'll probably pay off too many river bets and so on for a while, but you sound like a bright guy and your LHE experience will help you. Read a few books and you'll be fine. If you're beating comparable limit games you can learn to beat NL.

I'm sure you'll do fine after a little adjustment.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is what you should do. And read Sklansky/Miller's book.

I have traditionally played more limit, so I know what you mean. However, I play NL now as well and have done well. And I added it for the same reason -- I played it with buddies live at the local card rooms (I'm in Detroit) and at the capped games the players are often loose and foolish. In any event, if the rake weren't gigantic, my rear would never leave that seat. I think your terror in calling a big bet is a good thing, actually, and once you turn it into caution rather than terror you will be fine. I did it by very methodically requiring myself to articulate to myself why I was calling the bet--nonsensical betting pattern, or it could be a busted flush draw bluff with great odds, etc. Live the players are usually terrible, and once you have experience and some discipline you will do fine.

But get that experience playing for dimes rather than dollars.

[IzanDV]

Don't play with money you cant lose.
I know the felling cuz im just a student and i cant afford to lose big. Just stay at limits where you feel comfortable. Otherwise you cant play your own game and thats not good.
This is the difference between good players and very good players (IMO). Very good players never worry about money because they know they will win.

[Big_Ham]

2/5 $300 max sounds like an awful game.

I played 1/2 $100 max which was worse than your game sounds, but they're about equal. A better game would be a 1/2 $300 max.

Sounds like you have your head screwed on straight tho. I play regularly with 2 limit players and they do quite well in NL. The numbers still matter, but as others are pointing out, you will just need to adjust to calling less and really only coming into a pot when you're ready to raise.

If you read 1 or 2 books you will understand how to bet in NL and you should be able to beat the smaller (1/2) games without issue in short order, I would think. Personally, I stay away from cash games much of the time as I have a much better (i.e. winning) record in SNGs. I still have yet to consistently beat all cash games. I do well in B&M and poorly online.

[TyFuji]

Think of what is a "big loss" to you, and find an NL game which has a comprable "big loss". You'll be just fine. I suggest NLHE Theory and Practice, it has a ton of tips for the switch from limit to NL.