First NL hand post

[Bona]

I was messing around, playing a nano limit pick up game with some 2+2'rs. I have only played ~300 hands of NL lifetime. I am posting this with my thoughts to see if I really want to play NL at all or if my thinking is just too far afield.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (9 handed) Poker Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

saw flop|<font color="#C00000">saw showdown</font>

Button ($1.73)
<font color="#C00000">Hero ($5.05)</font>
BB ($3.55)
UTG ($5.06)
UTG+1 ($8.88)
MP1 ($5.49)
<font color="#C00000">MP2 ($2.68)</font>
MP3 ($5.67)
CO ($3.87)

Preflop: Hero is SB with J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP1 raises to $0.06</font>, MP2 calls $0.06, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, Hero calls $0.05, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>.

Calling PF with SC hoping for a flop.

Flop: ($0.20) T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $0.2</font>, MP1 folds, MP2 calls $0.20.

I bet pot size here thinking I was probably ahead but vulnerable so I won't be unhappy to take it down here.

Turn: ($0.60) 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $0.4</font>, MP2 calls $0.40.

My bet here is to try to price him off his draw without committing myself too deeply. Poor play?

River: ($1.40) J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $1</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP2 raises to $2.02</font>, Hero calls $1.02.

OK I have a hand but does he have the straight? c/c here? or something else?

Final Pot: $5.44

Sorry if this hand seems elementary to you but I am just starting kindergarten at NL [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[marchron]

[ QUOTE ]
Turn: ($0.60) 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $0.4</font>, MP2 calls $0.40.

My bet here is to try to price him off his draw without committing myself too deeply. Poor play?

[/ QUOTE ]
The problem with this is a pretty elementary one for NL, but thankfully it's a easily fixable one: whether or not you commit yourself is irrelevant if you're committing your opponent. You've left him two bucks in a buck-forty pot, which means if he makes a hand it's all going in on the river. Now his definition of an all-in worthy hand may have a wide range, but generally it beats a pair of tens. Check the turn and the river; you've made two pair but the board is hideous and only bad things can happen if you bet (he folds AK UI or a busted draw or owns you with a better hand).

[gregorio]

For some reason Stars $.01/.02 tables have a crazy max buyin of 250BB instead of the usual 100BB, so they play real deep, which makes it hard for a beginner. The deeper the stacks, the more difficult the decisions.

In your hand, even though it is for 1/2 a buyin at the stars .01/.02 table, it is really for 1.25 buyins at any regular table online with standard 100BB buyins, so you need to be very cautious about pot control. This is a pretty big pot you are playing. Just because villains stack is 1/2 of a buyin here, it is really a lot larger than it looks, and you want a premium hand for such a large pot.

I would suggest just buyin in for 100BB while you are starting.

[Sushiglutton]

Nice to see u here Bona! I'm also going to start with NL. Anyway gl to u!

[Bona]

So it is not necessarily correct to "test" an opponent who is likely drawing when I hold a vulnerable hand that is probably still ahead?

If that is the case, then reads must be much more important in no limit than in limit? Is this especially so against low stakes players because of the frequency of times opponents will play incorrectly? In this particular hand villain had 89 and was, in fact, paying more on the turn bet than his draw was worth. But if I read your answer correctly, that doesn't make my bet correct. Where in limit not betting would have been a big mistake: here that is not the case? Is NL, in fact, so read dependent that it will require seemingly weak tight play against players I don't have a good read on yet but more aggressive play against those I do?

I guess maybe I am asking you for a lot here and I should probably dust off Miller's book and figure it out but I appreciate your help and am really thinking NL may not be a relevant part of my future

[Bona]

Thanks. Sushi. Looks like I'll need a jeweled luckbox to survive NL; or perhaps I'll have to learn something about it if I want to be competitive [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[BadBigBabar]

bona - getting stacked twice isn't even noteworthy. sorry you got rivered. keep getting the money in with the best of it [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]