Why do you play limit? (future of the game)

ChicagoPoker · #1 09-06-2006, 01:45 PM

First off, I hope no one will take offense to this post. Bear with me, I'm new around here...

So I'm relatively new to the poker world, been playing off and on for awhile now but never seriously. Went through the whole deposit, run hot, lose it all, reload cycle quite a few times. I've been playing both NL and limit for the last month, having relatively good success at both the last few months(but I'm playing the small tables - 25NL and 1/2 limit). During this time, I've found myself more attracted to limit poker than NL. Something about it I just like. Maybe it's the math, the strategy...whereas NL seems to be more about the bravado. But NL seems to be sooooo much more profitable, is this accurate or just my imagination?

What I'm saying is, looking at the number of players/tables on all the major sites, combined with higher rake(and no rakeback) on many popular sites, I can't help but wonder if I'm trying to learn a game with a limited(no pun intended) future. Just last night I went onto Full Tilt, UB, Paradise, Absolute and WPEX and there were four to five times the number of equivalent NL tables to limit ones. Sure PP and Stars have a bunch, but no rakeback really kills them in my opinion(more on PP than on Stars).

Also, I see posts where people are extremely happy to make 1.5 bb/100 hands at 2/4, 3/6, 5/10. Not that there's anything wrong with that: winning is winning. But I can't help but wonder: is this as good as it gets and will the numbers keep dropping? Now I play poker because I enjoy it, but I'm also playing for money because that's how we keep score. And although I really like limit, I don't want to invest 250k hands for the next year only to be making .25bb/100 this time next year.

I can't help but wonder: How profitable is limit poker still at small-mid stakes? And if so will it be a year or two from now? What do you guys think?

Do I need to keep up on my NL? [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

ILOVEPOKER929 · #2 09-06-2006, 02:23 PM

I play limit cuz its the only form of poker I know how to play. I'm a one trick pony. I dont think I'll end up like the blacksmith any time soon.

PokerSparky · #3 09-06-2006, 02:30 PM

I play limit as my primary game mainly because I have tilt issues and for some reason I find NL extremely boring compared to shorthanded limit holdem -- perhaps ADD issues.

Though I admint having a WR of 16.8/BB 100 at $25 NL over ~4000 hands is kinda fun.

awebz · #4 09-06-2006, 02:59 PM

I think this issue needs to be discussed more. I'd like to hear everyone's input. I hope you don't mind but I'd like to phrase my own questions on the subject. IS NL the new limit 6max? Will we all soon be like the few remaining full ringers? What is the most profitable form of poker in the future?

VickreyAuction · #5 09-06-2006, 03:11 PM

I play limit because it's the only game that I'm good at. I could probably beat penny stakes NL, and I could be profitable by nutpeddling penny stakes PLO. But I'm far better at limit. Also, you get to chase draws and you see a showdown a lot more than in NL. Reading other players hands is different, since you get information on all of the street, and you're never put to a decision for all of your chips.

danzasmack · #6 09-06-2006, 03:12 PM

Limit is just more fun to me. I talked with jkrantz about this yesterday actually.

I like the mental discipline it takes to succeed at limit poker. I like to call with Q high and win. Bluffing seems more fun to me in limit poker.

I compared limit poker to "dancing with donkeys" and NL is more like just shooting them in the face and hoping they reload.

However, if I went pro I'd probably play like 80-20 NL-Limit. I play about 70-30 now in favor limit, and the 70 is like 1/5 O8.

ChicagoPoker · #7 09-06-2006, 03:18 PM

I think I mistitled this post. I'm certainly interested in hearing why you play this game.

But what does everyone think about it's future? How many players will be playing this time next year? Are you(we) a dying breed or is this shift to NL just a fad?

Peter Harris · #8 09-06-2006, 04:00 PM

I think a lot of people are used to playing limit, and a lot of idiot gravitate to it because of what they see as the 'problems' of NL.

That said, I know how to play NL MTTs, so I could give NL a shot. If i drop another $700 and my BR is effectively down to what it was in January (thanks to cashouts as well as downswings) i may move to NL and see how that plays...

paperboyNC · #9 09-06-2006, 04:02 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I think I mistitled this post. I'm certainly interested in hearing why you play this game.

But what does everyone think about it's future? How many players will be playing this time next year? Are you(we) a dying breed or is this shift to NL just a fad?

[/ QUOTE ]

My sources tell me that 43,574 players will be playing this time next year.

bags · #10 09-06-2006, 04:08 PM

Here's my thinking...

Much of the online poker boom in the US can be attributed to poker being televised and the now huge winnings at the WSOP, etc. Of course the vast majority of televised poker is NL, so the vast majority of the new players coming into the game are already pushed in that direction.

Does that mean limit poker will decline in popularity? I don't think so, but I really don't know. I started out playing NL for this exact reason and now play limit and only occassionally NL. Since I was still learning a ton I tended to make mistakes in NL that cost me a lot of money, whereas a mistake in limit could be contained.

My theories may be wrong, but I am sure there are others out there who think the same way. So what does this mean? To me it means that NL may be the way to go, but limit is still extremely profitable and I don't think it will go away.