1/2 NL Grinder

[Force1]

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If you are the Pro you claim to be you should be able to avoid tilt.

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In defense of the OP this is far from a "i own 1/2" post

[AlexisBelle]

I never claimed to be a pro. I'm just happy that I set some goals for myself 3 months ago and they have all been exceeded. Walking away from the table if I lose 2 buyins allows me to get out with what I'm willing to lose each day and have a clear head about things the following morning. I've only lost two buyins in one session a few times so if and when it starts happening more, I may change my approach.

[bkholdem]

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Good points. For right now my mindset is if it's not broken don't fix it blah blah. Will definitely keep what you said in mind though. Playing 2-5NL every third day seems like a great idea.

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Play when it is SOFT. See who are the regulars there, who to avoid. See how loose or tight the game is playing. The time to jump on the waitlist is when there are a few live one's dropping a bundle.

[kommunizt]

Moving completely to 2/5 would be a mistake since NL200 it's being so profitable.

Try shortstack NL500 to get a grip of the game..

[AlexisBelle]

I have played 2/5 before when I was a casual player taking monthly trips. I got owned a few times and held up well other times. Anyway, no plans to move up now. I'm really happy with the money I'm making playing 1/2, so why change a good thing for myself. If things start getting swingy, I'll change the plan somehow. Also, I should note that my friend I told you about from the OP has also been averaging basically the same as I so could the sample size be stretched a bit? I mean we taught each other the game and basically play with the same mindset.

[bkholdem]

Why would you not want to monitor the higher game for particularly juicy games? You can sit in and only play pots against the live ones when the game is particularly good.

[whorasaurus]

the 400 dollar limit is a good idea. It's much harder to stay focused and objective after suffering two bad beats live. Online, its no big deal, but i think its harder to swallow at the b/m. Oh and $40/hr is totally doable at 1/2. Good luck, and take a shot or two at 2/5, don't just move into it cold turkey one day.

[pig4bill]

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I said I averaged $1200 a week. There have been weeks when I lost 3-4 buyins a week. I only sit down at the the table with 240, so if I take some losses, I've been able to make a comeback.

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3 or 4 buy-ins a week is not running bad. Wait till you lose 10 or 15 buy-ins in a row. Then you'll have an idea of what running bad is like.

[chopstick]

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The set schedule is needed because that's really the only structure I have in life. Everything else I usually just play by spur of the moment. My girlfriend loves the schedule because she knows when I'll be coming home and she deserves at least that. I bring down 400 a day, leave the credit card at home. If I lose that, I'm quitting for the day. Sometimes if I have a rough week, I'll play a 4th day to try to reach some sort of goal. I don't tilt live, always tilted online. If I lose live, I've learned to accept that it's just the nature of the beast and move on.
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I never claimed to be a pro. I'm just happy that I set some goals for myself 3 months ago and they have all been exceeded. Walking away from the table if I lose 2 buyins allows me to get out with what I'm willing to lose each day and have a clear head about things the following morning. I've only lost two buyins in one session a few times so if and when it starts happening more, I may change my approach.

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First off, congratulations. Both on doing well, and in making the choice to do what you enjoy doing. Kudos to you.

Next, some concerns I have related to the above:

If the reason you need a set schedule is because it's the only structure you have in life, perhaps you should consider other alternatives. What happens if you go busto? No more structure, because no more money to play? Have you considered other structure alternatives, even if it's just something as simple as always have lunch on a certain day with a friend, or always spending some time volunteering somewhere as a Big Brother or similar, or even just getting a dog that you'd need to hang out with and walk around with?

If you don't tilt live, then why are you concerned about having "a clear head" the next day?

Why do you have an amount you are willing to lose in a single day? What is the difference between one day and two days? Do you not view this as one large session?

I strongly suggest you reconsider your 2-buyins only limit. As long as you have an edge, you should do everything you can to exploit it, within your risk tolerance. Finding a super juicy game and then busting both buyins because your opponents are playing abysmally and just happen to hit their 2 outers on you twice in a row is not a reason to leave the table. That's a reason to rebuy for the max buyin. You don't want to be without money in a game like that. You are now playing for a living. Bring enough to handle the variance.


Best of cards to you,

chopstick

[Fishhead24]

Cannot imagine making over $30 an hour longterm at these levels.