Yes people go crazy on the rebuys and add-ons. I figure if you can't make it work with the original buy-in chips, I don't see how the measly add on chips is going to help you. Once the add-on option comes up, people are already up to 30k in chips I play Paradise for now, I really like how their interface is clean and uncluttered, makes it easier to concentrate on whats going on. I've played multi-table in the low limit games, but I can't say I like it. Makes is harder to focus in on the individual players at each table.
Hey guys, Absolute Poker has a 35% bonus (up to $210) for new players. I usually only play $20/$30 SNGs (1-3 tables) but when I saw this I said WTF, let's have a go. I played $1/$2 and $2/$4 and it's very easy-- loaded with calling stations and people who bluff with absolutely nothing. I've been playing 3 tables because you don't have to watch what people are doing... they do the same thing every time: call to river. There is hardly any pre-flop raising. There is even less re-raising. About they only time they raise is with a flush draw or OESD on the flop. But just remember, you can't fold these guys, so you have to adjust your play a little. I just check and call my draws, no semibluff raises. Have fun, Pete
Nik, I haven't really messed with NL $ play yet. Do you have anything to share on how to play there (vs. SNG vs. Limit)? Thanks Pete
Forgot to mention, the one time you CAN fold them is when a scary looking flop falls (A/K or 3-flush).
Hi Pete Well, it's a long discussion, but some of the tactics you mentioned in your SNG post apply to the ring games. It really depends upon the texture of the table. It is different, IMO, than the SNG games because there, I generally let the first few rounds go by without doing much of anything. Not sure if you take the same approach. In the low buy-in ring games, you can sometimes buy pots in position, but you have to identify the players you are in against, because there are many that will never fold even middle pair or a gutshot draw to i.e. a $3 bet. The idea is to bet your good hands hard and hope that someone tries to chase their hand, which will happen occasionally, like about 96% of the time. In limit, you can check-call quite a bit. In nl, better players will escalate their bets against you, making it harder to check-call. In nl, you will have a guy in with you calling your escalating bets when the flop had two spades. The river brings the third spade and he goes all in. In my experience, the player will often have the flush as opposed to being on a pure bluff. These guys simply don't have the game to bluff like that. I have called enough of these bets and been shown the flush to have decided that it is in by best interest to just fold it and wait for the next one. The same thing applies when there are pictures on the board and the riv brings the completion of the nut straight - for some reason, guys will chase this straight more than the others, IMO. There are other guys who will try to make huge bluffs repeatedly. You have to lie for them and then pick them off. It is fairly easy. Some of the others can weigh in here, but I think you should expect more variance in nl than in the Limit or SNG games. Things can and do go horribly wrong, for varying periods of time. You have to have a strong stomach in these games. If you can't react unemotionally to losing your entire stack to a maniac caller 3 times in 1/2 hour, then nl isn't for you. Some people say that the implied odds are so huge in nl that you can play significantly weaker starting hands than you would in Limit. You will have to decide what you think about that. Certainly against specific players, it is true. An interesting question I had to ask myself in the beginning was this - when I go all in, is it usually because I want my opponent to call me or because I want my opponent to fold? If you are interested in nl, I strongly suggest you spend a few hours searching through the threads at 2+2 www.twoplustwo.com There are plenty of posts devoted to this topic, by helpful semi-pros and pros and others who shark the low buy-in nl tables. Hope that helps. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
I'm pretty proud of my brother, he just won tournament #20 in the "Ultimate Poker Challenge" - it will air on TV January 29th. He played on the same table as Chris (Jesus) Ferguson (one of our traders as well), and made it to the final table and won. He will now play in the semi-finals starting next week. And, in case you haven't check out Chris' (and Ray Bitar, another of our traders) poker site...check www.fulltiltpoker.com All the best, Don
I am a "Hold'em player and a trader and agree about the connection, however, the thing to look at is who is playing and why! In the lower stakes game of "NO fold'em Hold'em", you can be playing correctly and lose to some guy there for entertainment or a rich guy just stealing pots because of a big chip count! Have you ever wondered why a stakes horse shows up in a claiming race with lesser horses? It's because there is a business reason, the stable needs cash and a win in a claimer would give him the cash! In general and this is only my personal opinion, traders playing the futures markets like a video game (e-mini's etc.) on 2 grand are not the businessmen you're playing against in the livestock and grain markets. I believe fundamental and transparent reasons for trading make your play more dependable and there are tools to use for that. Market Profile and understanding the psychology of the floor trader is a better edge than a super fast computer connection!!!
I totally agree about the "video game" aspect of trading, and I use the same analogy when training my people. The floor trading experience, which I try to empart as well, is much more valuable than a quick computer. Of course it's preferable to have both. Don