I have been grinding 1/2 for almost 9 months or so. I feel that my game has really come around in the past couple months. From January until now I have been running at $22.50 / hr for roughly 215 hrs. It seems to be that an average downswing for me is $500 - $1000.

My question for you 1/2 grinders is, what are your winrates and downswings? How long does a typical downswing last?

Try searching the forums, I suggest.

Hey guys, this is my first post on here (long time reader). Guess I'll just get into it.
Was a rec reg playing 1/2 until about 6 months ago, playing 1 to 5x a week but still winning player. Some life **** happened and I was forced to dump my poker br to cover expenses (don't drink and drive lol).
Basically trying to rebuild my br from scratch. I have played a few sessions since and have been getting coolered in my AI spots. Overpairs getting cracked, flopping monster draws and not hitting when the action is huge, all the good stuff. One leak I have found this time around for myself is not making the big call on the river when I know my read is right but the numbers don't add up. Not being properly rolled is tough bc I can't reload if I'm wrong (used to having 3-5k to rely on).
Was just wondering if anyone implemented a strategy if they were on something like their last 1-3 bi's. Any advice on buying in short? There's also a 3-6 limit game that plays at my local club that gets a lot of action with a $60 bi, but that's just bingo. Min bi for 1/2 is standard $100 so I've been thinking about just taking shots once a week to get back to having at least a few bi's. It's either that, or save for like 3-4 months to come back and play. I know some of you that preach br management will say just wait til I'm rolled again, but I guess I need some help from the degens that made a stand with their last bi and came out on top!

Been there. It's a b****. Just dont get another one!

On 1-3bis theres really no magic formula. You just have to rungood. Then after you rungood and turn your 2bis into 6, you have to keep running good. I've done it, but I wouldnt recommend it. Theres really no way to circumvent proper br management.

Youd be much better off saving for a few months and instead of playing using that time for some hardcore study. Then when u return to the game youll be a better player AND properly rolled. Then youll be this:

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/17...-tldr-1165605/

!


And oh yeah, welcome.

I hear ya. The games by me get so juicy it's hard to not play. Especially when I've gone on runs buying in at 100 and cashing out 800+ in like 2 hrs. But like you said, that's running good (but not as good as you'd think, some tables are just that easy).

The risk right now is on my life roll. I make decent $ but nothing crazy (commercial construction). Got to the point where I was relying on poker roll for things like taking my girl out to eat, nights out drinking, etc. Can't afford it on my paycheck all the time, but poker has more than supplemented my income over the years.

Just hard getting back in the groove after not booking a win past 3 shots.
Guess I have to take down my weekly $20 trny if I wanna keep taking shots. Otherwise I guess it's $100 a week to the safe and more study in my off time.

Taking time to study is a good idea, but if playing with your last BI won't affect your play, I don't think you really need to stop playing while you add a little to your BR each week from your job.

Just play as normal. If you win, you win and don't even need to supplement your BR. If you lose, then the time off is forced because you have no BR until you slowly build it back up. No need to sit on a 1K BR until it's 5K. Just play the 1K and stop playing if you bust it.

I would feel comfortable rolled at 1k for a short period. Gives a little leeway for the variance of fishy 1/2 games. I'm thinking to save 1k would take me around 5weeks. Sure, could be done earlier if I gave up going out and things like that. But I'm 27, I like to have fun with friends, and I have bills.

I guess the main thing I'm missing is the extra cash to do "fun" things, as my poker br has not dropped below $1500 in the past 3 years. And has allowed me to do things, go places, that would not be affordable if it weren't for poker.

I keep telling myself after these losing sessions that im not going to play again, but then I review my session and realize I'm not playing bad, just running bad. And the fact that I'm playing 1 bi at a time means I can't reload and grind a table where I know I can get my money back after losing a flip.

Arg.

One thing that comes to mind is you should probably get up once you double up and change tables (or wait the 20 minutes) and buy-in short again.
oh, and i would stay away from tournaments.

Another thing you can do is maybe deposit on merge (assuming you're American) then you will be able to practice proper bankroll management.

Ya, the only trny I really play is a $20 at my local elks lounge (family had been long time members and I joined when I was 21). That is more of talking **** about sports and having a few beers than anything else. Im the youngest there at 27, most players are in there 30s-50s and a few old timers. Haven't been able to play as of late due to work schedule.

Other than that I have only played a handful of tourneys over the past few years. Mainly because the structure at my club is horrible unless it's the monthly deepstack $500. Everything else is just 60-250 donkaments. I have won a few, but can't play them without ripping my hair out 90% of the time.

Correct. Those guys are generally playing higher. There are at least a couple that play 2/5 where I play (because there aren't many games of higher stakes) but I'm sure that they beat the games for far greater than $25/hr.

82 an hour at my last 100 hours, all 1-2 with 500 max, sustainable?

nice run but not even close

My February stats:

Hours played: 33
Games: $1/3 NL w/ $300 max buy-in
Venues: 32 hrs at Horseshoe Tunica, 1 hr at Harrah's Tunica
Profit: $1,084
$ Per Hour: $32.85

I have a $42/hour wr at 1/2 500 max over 400 hours. I think that $50/hour is the absolute peak u can get in these games. Also, where do u play?

Not always. Some of the online players have trouble/don't adjust their games enough for live play. They still beat the games, but not at the rate they "should" if they could figure out a better way to play live.

I say that not to be a pain in the ass nit. But to highlight there are some big differences that must be adjusted to if you're going to transition to live play.