I think op needs an intensive crash course in limit holdem that would include playing a very experienced player heads up for 500 hands, and playing a three way session for at least three hours with very experienced players. Then you would review all the hands played with the other players. I think this is necessary to have a decent chance of placing near the top of the leaderboard.

Also I think it matters a lot if there's reduced rake when shorthanded.

I dont know if Id win guys... I dont know what to say. Im confident Id be able to beat the game but havent played 2/4 limit except a couple times to get a promo last year as well.

In my experience though and from playing in the room for about 300 hours it was mostly older men and ladies who I feel Id be able to win against.

But anyway i never used a variance calculator so if the sd numbers look off let me know. The only thread I could find online said avg was about 16 for full ring but i think that was online. So yeah let me know I appreciate it.

You can drop in my hourly numbers from above. Just replace all the /100 numbers with /hr ones. You're close enough. The unknown is WR. Given the rake, 0 would be decent.

Thank you

If you are a breakeven player and require 125 hours to hopefully win $1k, that is at best $8 an hour.

I played online NL prior to Black Friday. Almost 2 million hands. After first year or two I was normally at the $50 or $100 tables full ring. I was not a loser but at times I needed rakeback to get into the black. Quit playing after BF.

Fast forward to last June (and a move) and started playing 3/6 kill HE at a local casino with $5 max rake per hand with high hand jackpots. Playing 50-90 hours per month since June... I have "made" precisely $4 total (including the few high hand jackpots).

GL

Appreciate the advice... I'm just bored so figure I'd give it a shot. Hopefully in a month or so if I run good with the promos, I'll have an alright roll to play 1/2 with. That's my thinking.

Have you ever done a bankroll calculation with your winrate and variance for 1/2 NL?

No... I'd feel comfortable with about $3k, I think though.

Nothing wrong w giving it a shot if the money doesn't meant too much. As the posters educated in BRM have explained, you are a dog to make money. But it sounds like you're bored and playing a lot of poker w a chance to make some money if you run well could be just the cure.

I wouldn't discourage anyone from playing a tons of hours for a challenge, even if you said you were terrible, as long as the money wasn't consequential - so best of luck.

Thank you man... Same to you.

I don't know why we should assume op breaks even in the game. Unless it's got an abnormally low rake, I think you'd have to be a pretty exceptional player to break even at this limit.

Yeah, the rakes going to suck... Like I said though, I'm just looking to grind the promos for about a month, so I don't think it should be that big of deal, but I may be wrong. Obviously, the first week or two is real important. If I clear the promo for them, I'll feel good about the next two weeks.

If losing the $650 isn't world ending and this seems like a fun lark, I say good luck and hope to hear it went well. Like you say, if you can get your grind on and run OK the first week, the promo money could be BR changing. If the goal is motivating, then the fact you're doing it for $6/hr to $8/hr isn't the problem.

I have no idea the impact of short stacking and/or small buy in at NL. Could you make that $650 into thirteen $50 buyins for the 1/2 game? It could be your risk of ruin is better in that game. Could be it isn't. Even almost seven $100 buyins could be less RoR than breakeven 2/4. In some ways it seems like you're playing the same blinds for much larger upside. Not sure, as I haven't played any serious live NL and I was more likely to be ridiculously deep for my (lack of) skill than short stacking to protect $.

We're 100% rooting for you and look forward to a trip report.

Thanks Doug. I appreciate your thoughts, I didn't think of that... I'll check it out. Flights booked for the 1st. I'll keep you guys updated.

I'm not disagreeing but I'm not agreeing either.

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OP, a lot of people say that they don't care about the money and just want to have fun. The vast majority of people who say that secretly mean that they're only going to have fun if they win money.

If that's you, I think you're in for a really rough time. You're going cross-country to grind 2/4 LHE, I don't think you're going to win as much as you think, and I think the value of the promotion is really low.

I'll be honest with you - it's a lot easier to win money at 1/2 NL than 2/4 LHE. I love LHE and I can't stand a lot of NL players, but if it comes down to dollars and cents, you'd be a fool to be playing 2/4 LHE even if you put in 120 hours/week and were guaranteed to win $1,000. The bankroll requirement for a solid 1/2 NL player may be less than the bankroll requirement for a solid 2/4 LHE player, because it's really really really really hard to beat the rake at 2/4 LHE. For that matter, it's quite possible the bankroll requirement for 4/8 LHE is less than the bankroll requirement for 2/4 LHE!

I've been honest with you, so be honest with yourself. If you move and spend 60-80 hours/week playing breakeven 2/4 LHE without winning any promo money, will you really be happy?

If so, I am 100% rooting for you and looking forward to a trip report.

If not, I think you should rethink your plans.

It's worth it to me to get away as well. I'm still excited about running good for a short while and possibly building a roll, but I'm not really expecting it. 120 hours is crazy, but I could def. do 60 for awhile and grind the 3/6 at T.I. That's what I decided to do and just enjoy Vegas a little more.

Thanks for the well wishes. I'll keep you guys updated.