Question for people who play for a living

[jeffnc]

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Blinds are still the primary determinant of "how big" a NLHE game plays. $1-2 with unlimited stacks is still more akin to $1-2 with $100 max than akin to $5-10 with unlimited stacks, although it shares some attributes of the latter.

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I don't really agree. I think the 2 most important aspects of how a NL game plays are
1) the buy in
2) the table raising standards

Note that in most low limit NL games I've played in, blinds aren't even necessary. When there are $30 preflop raises, then a $2 blind is irrelevant. People simply want to play so the classic "seed" of the blinds really woudn't be necessary. On some tables, 3x raise is common, making the game play small. On some tables 5x to 15x raises are more common for the same strength hands, making the game play big. But if there are relatively small stacks, the game still can't get too big.

A third and less important factor is the propensity for straddles. If $10-20 straddles are common in a $1/2 game, the game will play much bigger too.

[jeffnc]

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You have to be better IMO to be a great limit player than no limit.

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I think you got this one backwards.....more things to consider in NL as opposed to limit. The best way to explain this would be to say, "you are limited in Limit."

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Being "limited" doesn't necessarily mean it's not harder. Think of it this way. Take away half the tools from a wordworker. Isn't it now going to take more skill to accomplish the same thing? That didn't prove which one is more difficult either. Maybe one woodworker could produce better quality than another woodworker if each used the same limited tool set. If they both could use a larger tool set, then maybe the other woodworker would produce better quality. It doesn't mean one scenario requires more skill than the other - it means.... that they're different scenarios.

[jeffnc]

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"Let's gamble"..... I think in a game like that, there could be no blinds and it would still play bigger than a $1-2 game with $100 stacks. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

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I think you underestimate how many games there are like that. The modern game could easily be played without blinds for the majority of low limit players.

[jeffnc]

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dealing the 1-5 stud game to all the Civil War vets.

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lol

[pig4bill]

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"Let's gamble"..... I think in a game like that, there could be no blinds and it would still play bigger than a $1-2 game with $100 stacks. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

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I think you underestimate how many games there are like that. The modern game could easily be played without blinds for the majority of low limit players.

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"Majority" is far too strong a word. These loose games exist in Vegas and NorCal, but are in the minority by far. Maybe it's different in L.A., but given the propensity of 2+2 to exaggerate, I doubt it.

[PeteN]

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I'd like to agree with that but my question is this. You mentioned "solid and aggressive". Do you think aggression per se buys you something at this low limit, or is it simply a matter of beating them with good cards? I guess what I'm asking is what do you mean by aggression exactly? Buying pots? Or just betting big when you have a good hand? Not being afraid to play some big pots sometimes with TPGK? Some of these games get a little wild (which is not to say tough), so I'm wondering how much value is there in strong cards vs. pushing some people around.

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IMO yes to all of the above and what I mean by that is if your a rock no one will play when you have a hand, if your a lag, you'll get trapped you. So you need to manipulate your opponents one way and then go the other. And be hard to read and adapt to table conditions, ie sometimes I can steal the blinds sometimes I can't. If I can I will. If I can't then you need to trap more. In low limit games I beleive you need to push your good hands, ie TPGk and hope you win. You will lose some, but if your opponents are paying too much to draw you'll win in the long run.

[pfapfap]

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The modern game could easily be played without blinds for the majority of low limit players.

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Considering the rake in most areas, aren't they already?