Buy-in for limit ring games

[drewjax]

What does everyone think is the best strategy for buying in to limit ring games, in terms of how much of your total stack to bring in. Obviously you need enough to handle an early downswing. but do you try to intimidate people with a big stack, always buy in for the same amount, mix it up, come in with some odd amount to try to look like its all you have left (i.e. $44.34)?

[eddo31]

this seems to be focused only on online ring games, but i generally follow the same guidelines all the time. i dont think that having a huge stack really has that much of a psychological effect in a ring game, so i buy in for about two times the max you can lose on one hand, if that makes sense. you can lose 12 BB on one hand (4 small bets on pre-flop and flop, 4 BB on turn and river), so for 2/4, i usually buy in for 100, 1/2 is 50, etc. this gives me a little bit of room to play around with, and it also makes it possible to get maximum value out of any of my hands. i hate going all in in a limit game, because it generally means that i am losing profit.

[Defendant]

My usual buyin is 100 x the big blind. That means 200 at 2-4, 300 at 3-6 etc. I feel that gives me enough cushion to take a few drawouts and bounce back without having to reach back into my pocket each time.

Defendant

[hackers238]

I prefer to buy in for less, because I think that people are more often to call a short stack, and with my tight style of play callers are generally what I want. The only downside to this strategy is that sometimes I lose out on a pot when I end up going all -in.

[SirFWALGMan]

I tend to buyin for the suggested amount (150 for 3/6). Too lazy to do otherwise. I never put my full stack in. When I see people do this it just makes me droool and want to take it all away from them!

[Talking Poker]

I ALWAYS buy in for the "recommended" amount. Any more or any less, and it's a tell. Even if it's a false tell, it's information I see no need to give out.

The other advantage of this is I always know exactly how much I'm up or down at that table, without having to remember what I bought in for.

[PShabi]

How is it a tell? Can you elaborate? Small buyin = scaredy cat? Big buyin = good player?

[Talking Poker]

But think about it. Say you are in a 5/10 game and see the following stack sizes around you: 250, 250, 250, 250, 250, 30, 45, 3250, 8750.

There are 5 players at the table that you can't tell me anything about. There are two players that are very likely winning players. And while you don't know for certain that the short stacks are losers, it's likely.... because sitting with stacks that small at this level of play is not a good idea.

Sure, good players could fake this by buying in small (or for the recommended amount, like I do), but my point is, the 250 guys are giving out NO information.

[Baseballa19]

I always buy in for about half of what is recommended. No rhyme or reason. I just do.

[drewjax]

Thanks all. Good advise. I always buy in for the usual amount as well. usually 40-50x the Big Bet. Also, I asked in another thread this question awhile ago, but dont know where, maybe I'll start a new thread. But, when I see the term BB, is there a universal meaning to that. I always refer to it as big bets, NOT big blinds. i.e. at 1/2 50BB would be $100. what do you think of when you see BB??

[Talking Poker]

It depends on the context. When talking in $ amounts (3 BBs per hour), people mean Big Bets. But when talking about position (SB folded and BB raised), they mean the Big Blind.

[drewjax]

Ya thats what I have been figuring, look at what is the context of the statement, but i wish there was just some universal way to distinguish. No big deal. thanks TP.

[4Flusher]

I usually play Cash games with 20X the BB ( Big Blind ) or a medium stack in some circles. It really depends on what you think of your playing ability. The biggest stack in the world will dwindle with bad play !


4Flusher

[2Tone]

Here in Seattle, it is very rare that anyone buys in for more than a rack at a time, and often, much, much less. I always buy in for an even hundred, though I guess technically it should be more. In my 2/4 game on Party, it I usually buy in for either 80 or 100, with no real rhyme or reason or which. I do agree that if someone is very short stacked I'll assume they are in for everything they've got, and a losing player.

[drewjax]

I actually would buy in in a 1/2 game with 80-100, so I guess that is plenty, but its not too much is it? And I have about 4 to 5 buy ins in my total stack, sound OK? should I do anything differently?