short-handed variance

[wrto4556 0]

I started playing alot of short handed games.$.50/$1 limit and $1/$2 limit$.25/$50 No limit and $.50/$1 No limitI dropped...um...let's see...$150 in about...6 hours. Is that normal?Also, what kind of Bankroll do I need to play these games every day. I have about $600, but i'm not sure if it's going to be enough...Should I deposit more?Thanks for the help, guys.

[Vade 0]

Short handed games are a bitch, that much I know.I don't mind em if they're short term at full tables (people leaving), but they can tear the hair out.Your bankroll is probably fine, unless you drop another 150 (hopefully not)Then you should run away screaming back to the full table games

[treydru21 0]

Why in the world would you need to have more than a $600 bankroll to play those low of limits. If you can post a few wins and keep that size bankroll in those type of games. You may wanna switch games. And that is not being an A-Hole. That is just honest. The common thought is 300 BB, and the highest limit you are playing is 1/2 so you should have plenty enough. If you keep losing like that, drop your limits....

[treydru21 0]

Playing those limits why would you not be playing full tables, I understand the more hands per hour scenario. But really with those limits you want Big hands to get called down and get paid off. And trust me with the loose players at 1/2 you want to sit full games, so when u do catch that monster. You maximize your winnings.... Go back to full tables.... Sit and wait and you will get that back and some.. Be Patient. Its not how many hands you see, its how much the pots you win....

[wrto4556 0]

I can't go back to full tables! HahaI got a job as a prop player and they send me to all sorts of breaking tables.

[Vade 0]

From what I hear, prop playes go through the grinder before they even out. If you are willing to ride it out, hopefully it will work out great

[treydru21 0]

Just pick your spots and dont chase, when you do make it for the absolute minimum. That is tough because you almost feel forced to play any decent looking hand. I don't know. But being a prop would be cool. So you gotta take the good with the bad.. Try to learn and adjust. And hope for AA.

[troutsmart 0]

My largest fluctuations have certainly occured playing shorthanded or heads-up. As far as your bankroll, I would be concerned about the NL, though a competant player can usually do well in low NL. 1/2 NL is beyond a $600 bankroll, even for a skilled player. Generally it is recommended that a NL bankroll consist of 1500x the big blind, so $3000 for 1/2. A skilled player can get by on maybe a 1000x, but it's definitely sketchy going below that.Anyhow, you seem to be a solid player based on the many posts I've read by you, and I've learned quite a bit reading your posts. I'm sure the downswing has more to do with a bad streak, and less to do with you. Thanks for your input on the forum.

[wrto4556 0]

My largest fluctuations have certainly occured playing shorthanded or heads-up. As far as your bankroll, I would be concerned about the NL, though a competant player can usually do well in low NL. 1/2 NL is beyond a $600 bankroll, even for a skilled player. Generally it is recommended that a NL bankroll consist of 1500x the big blind, so $3000 for 1/2. A skilled player can get by on maybe a 1000x, but it's definitely sketchy going below that.Anyhow, you seem to be a solid player based on the many posts I've read by you, and I learned quite a bit based on your commentary. I'm sure the downswing has more to do with a bad streak, a less to do with you. Thanks for your input on the forum.

Much appreciated.But i'm honestly not the best No Limit player...I could get around, but I feel more comfortable with limit. I guess I should deposit about $400 more just for cushion and comfort.

[akishore 0]

congrats on the job, but there's a reason people get paid for it--it's difficult.for short-handed games, you need a bigger bankroll. $600 isn't enough for $1/2 short-handed. if it's 5-7 people, increase it to about 400 big bets. if it's 2-4 people, increase it to 500 easily, maybe more.here's a couple of helpful articles about short-handed play:http://www.ultimatebet.com/learn-poker/art...ml?articleID=40http://www.learn-texas-holdem.com/introduc...exas-holdem.htmthe second one is definitely a really awesome one.basically, short-handed play is all about position and being aggressive. if the table is tight, steal a lot of blinds but don't protect your blinds too much--especially small blind--with weak hands because you're not the aggressor and you'll often fold on the flop, plus you have the worst position.in general, when it's short-handed (2-4 people), play any ace, any king, and any face card with kicker above 7. when i mean play them, i mean raise. suitedness has no value short-handed because you never have the correct pot odds. similarly, never chase open-ended straights. high cards and pairs will take most pots, sometimes two pair or trips.with 5-7 people, it's not so much short-handed any more, it's more medium-handed. raise with premium hands and play weaker aces down to 8 and 9, and weaker kings down to 8 and 9. also play any face card with kicker 10 or above. basically loosen up a little, but not so much. it's when it gets down to 4 people that you really loosen up. even 5 isn't too short-handed, it's somewhat borderline.oh yeah, one point i forgot to mention--you're playing way too high for NL with a bankroll like that. if you're buying in for 50 big blinds, you need a bankroll of at least 30 buy-ins in a full ring game. in short-handed play, you easily need 50 buy-ins, preferably more. don't go above $0.50/1, that's just on the edge of a low-enough game, but since you're learning, it might be too high.i don't know if you can really change your limits, though.good luck, and hope this helps,aseem

[treydru21 0]

What site do you prop for and how did you come about doing it???

[akishore 0]

i noticed you said you're not a good NL player.some key differences between limit and NL, specifically for short-handed play:- position is exponentially more important. exploit it.- aggression is more important, but discipline is much more important. you MUST check down a hand and fold to a bet if you raised pre-flop and bet on the flop and got called--assuming you have nothing.- trapping is the biggest key in NL. in your biggest hands, you want to earn as much as possible. in this sense, don't fall into the fish habits of only betting on bluffs and only checking on traps, mix it up, but keep it milder than in limit where you should be raising just about every hand you play.- post-flop is more important, don't raise too much pre-flop in NL--it'll be a big leak because it opens you up to huge traps since it'll always check to the pre-flop aggressor on the flop, and you basically HAVE to bet.- tighten up on the premium hands you play, but loosen up on the trash/drawing hands you play. don't play A8 or A9 but play 78s and 89s. don't chase longshot draws, but do go for good ones as long as it's not too expensive. medium and low pocket pairs go way up in value if you hit a set.- playing the man is vitally more important. note who is tight and who is loose, and if you get called by a rock who thinks this is a full ring game, just don't even bet into him, or make one small bet and hope he folds--otherwise, just fold. you can also trap the real laggers big time.- one play i've found works great on the NL fish is to bet at a two-suited flop aggressively. if i get a caller who i reasonably put on a flush draw, i'll bet on the turn again if the third suit doesn't come. if it doesn't come on the river, i'll check, because far too many fish have moved in on me there and i call in an instant and laugh when they show their Q high that missed the flush. too much TV poker is not good for you.- keep your bets reasonably small. don't bet the pot or overbet the pot too often, because you'll only get called if you're beat, and your opponent(s) will only fold if you're not beat.- let people bluff you out at first. you can't lose what you don't put in the middle, but the fourth time you catch the fish going all-in on a paired board, call with your overpair because you know he doesn't have the trips 4 out of 4 times.hope this helps,aseem

[wrto4556 0]

From what I hear, prop playes go through the grinder before they even out. If you are willing to ride it out, hopefully it will work out great

I don't like the sound of that.

[wrto4556 0]

Good advice assem. But shouldn't you be studying? Seriously, thanks. My No-Limit game sucks, I need all he help I can get. I'll go back and read the short handed articles.

[jayboogie 0]

well props will have major swings in their bankrolls, that's a given. I don't recommend propping to everyone, it's hard than it seems. Yes, it's great to get paid to play poker, but your being put in some crappy games sometimes. It will improve your game though, but if you can't handle the swings, it may not be worth it. You MUST be comfortable playing shorthanded, that should be obvious because your job is to play shorthanded to get games started and keep them running. You will need a higher bankroll to play shorthanded games, because you can drop a lot or win a lot in a short period of time. If your a good player, playing shorthanded is to your advantage, you play more hands and make more decisions. You have more opportunities to make decisions and if you make them better than your opponent, in the long term you will win money. I would say that if your interested in getting, propping is a good choice because you will learn to play shorthanded, get better at adjusting to different situations and you will also be paid and be able to add to your bankroll easier. With that said, make a bigger deposit and add more to your bankroll, have some confidence in your game that you'll make it back.

[wrto4556 0]

Thanks.I have lots of confidence in my game, just want enough BR to handle the varience. I'de hate to have to ask the site for a forward on my money so that I could conitnue working! :-)

[jogsxyz 0]

When you enter a no limit game, are you expected to buy in the max? If not, buy in a smaller amount. That should reduce your fluctuations.