Starting bankroll

[Talking Poker]

$10,000.

If you start with $10,000, you can (barely) play $15/30 at Party. These are soft games and there is a LOT of money to be made at this level.

If you are a winning player, of course.

[SirFWALGMan]

You giving out loans?

BTW - I have played the 15/30 6-Max and THEY ARE SOFT!

[Talking Poker]

You can say that again. Reminds me of 1/2, only way more aggressive.

[omahilo]

Brian you dont realize that your not going to play 2/4 with $50 BR... you have to build it up, if you gotta play 10 NL tables then play them.

If your a good player you will beat those games more times than not.

[ChipFish]

OK. I'll answer the student question...
I would suggest you deposit $0.
I think you'll make more in the long run that way.
And you won't have to work as much overtime.

That's what I would tell my student.

[Zybomb]

Limit or NL depends on where your expertise is (i.e math/odds vs aggression/reads) and where your experience comes in.

I personally started playing 1/2 NL on PS with a deposit of only 200 (the max buy in for the table) I now have accumulated much more, but I rarely go past the 2/4 tables...and usually still play 1/2 more often than not. The reason is both because its more comfortable for me and because of the softer play. You can usually go to a table and immediately spot the dead money (IE someone who buys in for 40 bucks, the minimum allowed, a player calling a big bet and not being able to beat 2nd pair with a decent kicker etc).

As a general rule if you look at the table and more than 2 players are above the max buy in, there is a softer table to be found. Am I suggesting you start a bankroll of 200 for a 1/2 NL table?....absolutely not....unless you are confident you will only need a buy in one time and will make money each time (or at least enough times to keep you in the +) this is a horrible idea. Also dont spend money you cant lose. I didn't deposit money on any site, until I was ahead on everything, and could afford to lose it if I did....

For limit a general rule is usually minimum 100 Big Bets....

As for what limit to start at, start wherever you can consistantly win

At any limit, if you are not comfortable calling a standard raise (NL) or calling a capped pot (Limit) with a strong but not monster hand, you are over your head.

[ChipFish]

I am not saying you are wrong here. But I do the exact opposite.
These guys tend to be the best opportunity to double up quick....
Just keep re-buying to top yourself up if you drift a few bets below the max buy-in. Be somewhat patient but aggressive and they'll pay you off.

[Zybomb]

Thats another way to think about it. I found that generally these players know what they're doing (unless theyre winning was from one big hand and is only temporary), and if I do get doubled up its when I have a monster over a monster, which only happens once in a while... the other plus though is they also are generally more aggressive which can play into your factor also. And obviously there more money to be won.

Ive had just too many times when I took all of someones $90, in a hand they were just dominated in bc they played horrible....or when they call preflop raises with garbage and fold to a basic continuation bet every time, giving me an extra 8 bucks per hand....thats why I say that.

[bdawg31]

If you are at say a $100 max buy-in NL table - at what point do you reload to top it back off at $100? I usually do when i get to around $80ish or so. I guess maybe in theory i should do it everytime i dip a little off the max buy-in??

[BrianSwa]

I think $300 for $25 NL is about as high as I want to go. Im in now way ready for $1/$2 NL, NO WAY READY.

[SirFWALGMan]

In there is the rub my friend. Aggression is power. It is fear. It is what makes poker. The fearless players can do a whole lot as long as they are willing to risk the consequences. It almost ends up a huge guessing game with the best guessers being the long term winners. It is funny how a little more aggressions changes the complexion of the game totally.

[BrianSwa]

.................... yea right.

[omahilo]

I think TP is right here Brian... in order to take swings at that level you prolly need that much.

10,000 = 333 BBs which is plenty for lower levels but if you hit a bad swing at 15/30 with 100 BBs you will quickly lose your BR and/or prolly tilt off the rest from the massive swing in your BR.

[BrianSwa]

oh I know my comment was because there is noooooooooooooooooo way im playing 15/30!!!!

[omahilo]

oh I thought you were questioning the BR for the game...

I agree with you tho I wont be touching the 15/30 game since I dont have the BR... Im sure it is a very profitable game tho.

[BrianSwa]

yea bankroll is one reason but the other would be the fact that I would get crushed. Im sticking to $25 NL, I did good there last couple days with my $50 but I knew that wasnt enough to handle the swings. Really wanted to just see what I liked more the .50/1.00 limit or the $25 NL. I admit though a couple times I layed down hands that probolly would of won just because only had a $50 bankroll...stupid scared money.

[BrianSwa]

Im not sure if I have bankroll for this game im not good in figureing that out when it comes to NL but im in the 25nl games have about $150...Is this enough to handle the swings or am I above my head?

I seem to be handleing the swings but I might just be getting lucky and hitting some hands.

Also dipping into .25/.50 which i just have enough for .

[BlibbityBlabbity]

I would say you should set a point that you stop and drop back to the $10 NL or .10/.20 (or .05/.10 if that is all there is). Since you are right on the edge of being at the bankroll for these other games it probably should not be much lower than $100. That way if you lose a little you can drop down and build back up. Then when you get to $150 again take another shot at these games.

Grind away

[omahilo]

You have 6 $25NL buyins so its not bad.

Im not exactly sure what the # of buyins you need to be bankrolled for each game.