Starting out with $100 - advice needed

[johnnydrama]

I plan on depositing $100 after going broke (playing over proper BR guidelines). This will be my first deposit on Poker Stars.

I typically play NLHE, SnG, and the very rare MTT. I have started to learn some other games as well (any of the HORSE games).

What would you recommend to build a BR starting with only $100?

Thanks!
John

[lucky_mf]

[ QUOTE ]
I plan on depositing $100 after going broke (playing over proper BR guidelines). This will be my first deposit on Poker Stars.

I typically play NLHE, SnG, and the very rare MTT. I have started to learn some other games as well (any of the HORSE games).

What would you recommend to build a BR starting with only $100?

Thanks!
John

[/ QUOTE ]

It would be nice to have the deposit be at site where you could get some rakeback as the rakeback could buffer your losses starting out. This said, I don't think (but I'm not sure either) that there are sites where you can get rakeback and play within the guidelines of a $100 bankroll (assuming your not a huge winner).

If you are just starting out you are probably not a "good" player yet and are probably going to lose some money. To limit these losses and allow you to play longer on the $100 I would recommends starting very low (2NL or whatever). When you feel like you have a handle on things and start playing even-money or being a slight winner poker you can try some higher limit games.

Lucky

[kylephilly]

Yea starting out at 10NL would even be risky.

I would start out at 2NL (cash 2 dollar max buyin) or 5NL (cash game 5 dollar max buyin)

I wouldn't play a MTT over 1 dollar and I wouldn't play a sit'n'go over 5 bucks.

Good luck

[pzhon]

The first step to building a bankroll is learning to win. If you haven't established a winning track record, you should set a budget and play within it.

You'll hear a lot of people say that you should have 300 big bets for limit, 20 buy-ins for NL, 100 buy-ins for MTTs, etc. However, these assume that you are winning at a solid rate, and 20 buy-ins for NL is much more conservative than 300 BB for limit, which is much more conservative than 100 buy-ins for large MTTs, assuming normal win rates in low stakes games. In the microstakes games, an expert can play safely with far fewer BBs or buy-ins than in a tougher game, so if you learn to play NL decently before you drop to $20, you can safely rebuild in games with a $0.02 big blind.

I recommend playing the lowest stakes NL games, NL $5 with a $0.02 big blind. Initially, buy in for $1 or $2 at a time. You get feedback a bit more rapidly than in other games, and you won't have to unlearn much if you decide to play tournaments later.

[djcarter66]

The micro limits are really all you are rolled for anyway.

Play .01/.02, $1.10 SNGs and they have MTTs for $3,$2,$1, .50 .25 .10.

Just don't think one day I think I'll take a shot at 1/2 or play that $11R tourney it is a quick way too lose your money.

[Hockey Hands]

If you want to gamble a bit play the 4$ 180 STGs. Lots of weak players there.

[johnnydrama]

Hey Lucky, thanks for replying. I would like rakeback but already have a play account on FTP, and a money on UB. That leaves PS for me.

I would consider myself more than a beginner. I have been playing for the past 3 years so I have a good handle on ABC poker.

So you feel cash games are the way to go rather than Sng? Thanks again!

[RapidEvolution]

I think it'll depend heavily on what you think you play best. If you have more experience playing cash games, then play cash. If you have more tourney experience, play SnG's. I'm an advocate of going the cash route because you'll learn to be patient and tighten up. I think that with $100, 5NL is a good place to start and you'll clear your $50 bonus faster than you would at 2NL.

I also think you'll be better off focusing on one game and building your skills at that one game instead of playing 4 or 5 different types of poker. It can be good to take a break every now and then and play some Razz or Omaha, but you really want to focus on being good at one game first. (Of course, this is just my opinion, but the sooner you get better, the sooner you can generate income from poker, assuming this is your goal [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]). I started in mid-August with a $50 deposit on stars, playing 5NL and worked my BR up to $650 playing 10NL and 25NL. I then moved it to FullTilt to get rakeback and had a MASSIVE downswing that would've left me broke had I not gotten some bonus monies. I moved back to stars with my $200, lost another $100, and moved back down to 10NL and took a long break to read, work on my game, and figure out if it was just variance, tilt or crappy play (it turns out, it was a bit of all 3. Since then, I've built my BR to 1k and and now beating 50NL at a decent rate. Things I've learned from all this:

1) Don't be afraid to move down if you're not properly rolled for a limit (I like to have at least 15BI's for wherever I am, but will move down immediately if I have less than 10)

2) When you start feeling like this could really be a way to make money, invest in Poker Tracker and PAHUD. Both of these programs are priceless IMO (in reality, they run $80 together), but they're both exceptional tools to have.

3) Post hands in the forums. (Either micro stakes if you play 6max, or full ring if you play full ring). Getting feedback on your play will definitely help you improve, and giving feedback on other hands can help you start thinking about the game in a way that will help your profits. Good luck and I hope to see your posts in the forums soon!

[lucky_mf]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey Lucky, thanks for replying. I would like rakeback but already have a play account on FTP, and a money on UB. That leaves PS for me.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think your play money accounts preclude you from getting rakeback at those sites. I would advise checking with a reputable affiliate on this.

[ QUOTE ]
I would consider myself more than a beginner. I have been playing for the past 3 years so I have a good handle on ABC poker.

So you feel cash games are the way to go rather than Sng? Thanks again!

[/ QUOTE ]

There is a lot of variance in 9 and 6 handed sngs which means that you would have to play fairly low. For this reason I don't like them much.

HU sngs are low variance and if you are good at them they are easy money. If I was trying to build a roll from close to nothing I would mix HU sngs with cash.

Lucky

[SellingtheDrama]

Go with whatever you think you have the best chance at beating - cash or sngs. Pick one thing (you can dabble around until you find this one thing, but be looking for it) that you want to build in, and go there. Don't be constrained by TV preconceptions, many people are better outside of holdem than within it.

I would skip MTTs entirely until you have established a more comfortable bankroll, the varience isn't worth it at this point.