NL or Limit in the beginning?

eFe · #1 05-10-2006, 04:48 AM

Hi!

I'm new to online poker (as well as live) and would like some recommendations about where to start, NL or Limit? I would also like to know which site you think I should try. I'm going to deposit about $300 if that helps.

Thanks

AKQJ10 · #2 05-10-2006, 05:02 AM

This is a frequently asked question. One opinion is here:

http://poker.wikia.com/wiki/Beginner...mit_hold_.27em

Another list of advantages/disadvantages is here:

http://poker.wikia.com/wiki/NLHE

My opinion is that you should learn to play whichever you prefer to learn. Others will proffer strong opinions, but I don't find them convincing.

tomtemor · #3 05-10-2006, 05:07 AM

I agree with the previous poster as long as you think you'll be comfortable playing NL right off the bat. I started with limit and I think it was a good way to leard about the strenght of hands and it also felt good to not having to risk my whole stack in one single hand.

cambraceres · #4 05-10-2006, 06:34 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I agree with the previous poster as long as you think you'll be comfortable playing NL right off the bat. I started with limit and I think it was a good way to leard about the strenght of hands and it also felt good to not having to risk my whole stack in one single hand.

[/ QUOTE ]

In the beginning it is very easy to get confused about alot of things, my advice is to stick with the one you intend to play. NL can be daunting, but limit is no easier to play, this is a myth, one which can lose you money.

Cambraceres

smbruin22 · #5 05-10-2006, 01:31 PM

my opinion (FWIW, probably not much) is this:

i think it is completely crazy to play no-limit first... i think limit teaches you the card flow/values in a much lower risk way...

one advantage of no-limit being played first is that it will teach you really fast that K9o is a poor starting hand. the learning curve will be more painful but hopefully alot steeper.

AKQJ10 · #6 05-10-2006, 01:54 PM

[ QUOTE ]
i think it is completely crazy to play no-limit first... i think limit teaches you the card flow/values in a much lower risk way...

[/ QUOTE ]

If you compare $0.05/0.10 limit to $0.02-0.05 blinds NL (same blind structure), then this would be accurate because the bet sizes accelerate so much faster in NL. But that's an apples-to-oranges comparison. If you play something like $0.01-0.02 starting with the smallest stack they'll let you buy in for, say 50 cents or $1, then the risk isn't really greater.

twoakers · #7 05-10-2006, 04:04 PM

Go with limit initially, at least until you become comfortable with the basics, understanding position, figuring pot odds and betting structures. If you do choose to go with NL, I advise you to stick with the tables that have a low max on the amount of your buy-in. It's much less painful to lose $25 (or less) on a bad play then to risk your entire bankroll.

AKQJ10 · #8 05-10-2006, 04:51 PM

You certainly shouldn't be risking your whole bankroll at a sitting as a beginner, let alone putting it all on the table in a NL game. See the conventional guidelines for bankroll, then bump them up substantially because you're not an established winner. For example, to play a short stack (as a beginner should do!) at a 5 cent-10 cent no limit table, some sites would require a $2 min buyin. Conventional wisdom says you could get by on a bankroll of $40 -- but that's if you're a winning player! I would expect to blow through at least another $40 getting on the winning track. (Note that this same $40 bankroll won't even let you play $0.10/0.20 limit by the conventionally accepted standards!)

Now, for a bankroll this small, if you blow it while learning, you can just replenish it with next week's paycheck or whatever. But I'm of the school of thought that says that it's good to establish a bankroll now (see "Bankroll as a means to financial discipline" in the wiki article) to get in the habit of good financial accountability.

NWCougar · #9 05-10-2006, 05:59 PM

Limit and bonuswhoring

AKQJ10 · #10 05-10-2006, 07:25 PM

OK, this is a FAQ even among FAQs so I'm trying to get this content better organized. I just compiled all the arguments from elsewhere around the wiki at Limit versus no-limit hold 'em. I deleted some of this content from the Beginners FAQ, so if anyone has any objections to how it's organized now feel free to go improve it.