I am going to Niagara Falls (Canada side) next weekend. While I am down there, I am planning to play some NLHE. However, after paying off my tuition for my last year of university, my liferoll is not that deep at the moment.

I am deciding between playing 1/2 (for $200) at Casino Niagara or 2/5 (for $350). I will probably just use 1 buyin, because I will not be down there for very long.

I am a big winner on online SnGs and over my ~30 hours of live 1/2 play, I am a ~$400 winner. Only played 2/5 at fallsview once before, competition was soft and I left with $750 after my buyin of $500 after 2.5 hours.

If I choose to play 2/5 underrolled and not planning to rebuy, will I be screwed? Should I play it safe and just play 1/2 at Casino Niagara instead?

If losing 70BB at $2-5 could possibly make you "screwed", then losing 100BB at $1-2 must get you somewhere close to screwed as well. I am not seeing a huge difference.

But personally, I would not buy in short to a game where I have an edge given the two options. The dilemma alone would be enough to tell me that I should be playing the $1-2 game where I am properly rolled.

It's all up to you though.

I won't be screwed in either case. I think I exaggerated. I just mean, I'm not gonna rebuy for either 1/2 or 2/5 due to time constraints (and to a lesser extent money constraints). I'm probably more used to the 75bbish stack due to my online SnG experience. Also, I know the 2/5 is pretty much as soft as 1/2 at the casino.

My main question is whether a 60-80 bb stack is fine for 2/5?

Yeah, go for it if that's your thing. It sounds from your SnG experience like you are comfortable at that stack size, and in my experience you'd be able to outplay a few of the larger stacks who don't know how to adjust to a shorty who actually knows how to use it.

Obviously, a $1-2 bullet would last longer on average, but you could lose that in one hand too. I think the fact that you are not going to rebuy no matter where you play makes a big difference in the decision.

How often do you go to Canada to play poker?

Do you have any other source of income?

My advice is that you just wait until you have 2-4 buy-ins in your pocket. There is nothing worse than going to the casino with less than one BI, sitting for 20 minutes and then getting coolered.

However, in the event that you don't care at all and are going anyways...

Then my advice is to play 1/2nl and if you run hot fast you can always table change and play 2/5nl with a full buy-in. In fact, sit down at the 1/2nl table then put your name up on the 2/5nl board. Then, when they get to you on the list, you can decide if you move up or if you stay at 1/2nl

30 hours of live 1/2 is a joke

you will eventually get all of the money in as a huge favorite and will get sucked out on

you need to be able to shrug off those losses and keep on truckin'

my advice is stick with 1/2 and try to build a steady bankroll which takes a long time

i would not buy-in for 2/5 with only 30 hours of live play at 1/2, i think that you will get crushed when you get the expensive poker lessons

Strictly speaking, you are way underrolled for both games. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't play, but it sounds as if you've decided that you don't want to risk more than a few hundred $ (which may be wise, though it may put you at somewhat of a disadvantage).
But if your strategy really is to only buy in once and leave in a few hours, (unless you bust sooner), I would suggest you play 1/2 and allow yourself to top up your stack a couple of times if it starts to shrink too much. At least give yourself a chance to win.
There's nothing wrong with buying into a 2/5 table for $300-400, instead of $500 (if that's the max). Please bear in mind that larger stacks are normally much less of an advantage in a cash game than in tournaments. The problem for you in a 2/5 cash game is not that there's a huge difference between playing a $300 and a $500 stack; there isn't, most of the time.
The problem is that you're buying in for $300 with (effectively) zero in your pocket; that's not good if it affects your play.
Also, if you start with $300, and play 2/5 for an hour, and see a few flops without connecting or playing any big pots, it's quite easy to get down to $150 or so, and now you really are short-stacking.
So I would stick with the 1/2 table for this trip, and allow myself at least a limited ability to top up or rebuy, if I were you. (Also, I would be cautious about generalizing about the relative softness of 2/5 vs 1/2 at this casino based on your 2.5 hours of live 2/5 play).

Which is better depends totally on how the other guys play and how you plan to play against them. Against nits you generally want a short stack, but against spewy calling stations you want a big stack.

The 2-5 players are likely to call off big bets lighter, and to float you more often. The 1-2 guys are likely to limp-call your MP 10x open then play fit-or-fold poker. Decide what you want.

But based on what you've said I'd do neither and instead buy in short for the 1-2 with a backup bullet.

um you can play the 25 game just fine if you want
i doubt whatever your doing is gonna make a huge difference whether your in the 12 or the 25,like i doubt your gonna play loads better w a 100b stack comepared to your 350 stack at 25 id tell you just play the 25 cuz if the deck hits you you can make decent money relative to the 12.

go to the 1-2 game with another bullet in your pocket. Move games if the 2-5 looks really juicier.

Where I play the 2/5 generally has alot more action and alot more money on the table. The 1/2 can be like watching paint dry depending on the table.

I would say if you are only firing one bullet and are decent with a short stack...take a shot at the 2/5...more potential profit there...and the risk of getting coolered and going broke quick is always there reguardless of stakes.

It's a one time, one buyin event, so really.... it doesn't matter. Just do whatever you fill find most fun. That's the reason you're going anyway, right?

If you're going as a professional and you're trying to make the most +EV decision, you shouldn't be paying in either game, you don't have the roll for it.

If you're going as a tourist, you should do whatever is going to maximize your enjoyment.

HAHAHAHA roll you don't have a roll. Bankrolls are only worth talking about if you are planning on trying to start playing on a regular basis.

Just go play and when time is up you leave its pretty simple. But please enough with all the roll nonsense.

the thoughts in your head that lead to you make this thread are the same thoughts that will prevent you from ever winning any money gambling

Hope you had a good weekend and tripled up to 1k at 2/5. That would have been my advice.