You can win with ABC probably through 400nl. How much you win will slow with every level.
Your stats are mega standard for microNL. When I started at 25nl I had about the same stats but more like a 2.5-3 AF.

I found there to be a BIG jump in the standards of the regs at 6max from 25nl - 50nl. How does this compare to the FR jump in quality of players?

Is there more money to be made 12 tabling FR or 6 tabling 6max? What do you think is better for the long run?

You're a little misguided. There is no difference between 25nl and 50nl they're both full of bad players whether they're regs or not.

If I had to offer advice I always say go with 12 tabling full ring if it means you'll get more hands/hr comfortably, which is usually the case.

I play 18/8/2. Is this playing too many hands or what would you consider stats to aim for to play solid ABC?

stop limping.

Is calling someone's raise with anything other than a pocket pair an unprofitable play? What requirements do you have for just calling a raise?

You really need to get more specific with these questions. All these are factored based on reads on the table.

What is your display setup and screen configuration when you are 12 tabling?

Worst river transgression:
- missing value bets
- not laying down 2nd best hands
- not taking away enough pots
- all of the above

Also, you mentioned somewhere that 6-max players tend to play better post flop. Is there a particular skill that 6-max brings out that isn't developed in full ring or is it that the level of skill post-flop is simply higher in 6-max?

Here's an SS.

This is an older SS of my setup. It's the same but I wall-mounted a 40" Sony above the monitors and cleaned up my desk a bit. Camera got broke by a drunkass friend last week but I should be getting a new one soon.



Edit: If it's not clear, the first monitor holds the 9 tables, and the 3 tables + other stuff is the second monitor. It's two 20" Samsungs. Basically every electronic I own is from FPP's.

what are my leaks?
who are you up the most against?
plan on moving up as high as you can or will you be content staying at mid stakes and making a nice hourly?

For me my worst river transgression is DEFINITELY missing value bets. I over-estimate the aggression of my opponents sometimes and try to pick off too many river bluffs by going for c/c's. I also from time to time underestimate the ability for my opponents to call 3 barrels which is definitely more common for me than average as I generally find I frustrate tables and make my presence known as a loose/aggressive player post flop rather quickly.

The reason 6m players are better post flop is simple logic: They play more heads up pots postflop more often with more marginal holdings.

I am up the most against TheMini0n.

I don't plan on ever playing higher than 5/10, I don't chase dreams. (This is much the same reason I don't play MTT). I'm also well aware that my edge would be minimal if not non-existant even with practice in these games. I'm not sure I have the mental/emotional aptitude to develop into a player who beats 2knl+, Despite what some people who may or may not be trying to level me say.

Your leaks? You don't have any .

Eh, ok I won't be a dbag about it. I've done a good job avoiding playing with you and generally we normally play at different times as I'm an early AM player, but in limited experience I would say you play me better than just about anyone else, and there really isn't anything significant worth mentioning. In fact I think you have the best positional play out of anyone I've played with which was kind of shocking. I can't believe EPiPPeN or whatever actually believes you are "terrible." Really wish I could say something and not look like an ass kisser but I'm at a loss for leaks in your game unfortunately. Probably means I'm outclassed but then again I think we only have 3k ish hands on each other at most.

...snip...
People "get it" at different rates. It's about discipline and focus as well as being honest with yourself. This isn't for everyone. 3-4/hrs a day should get you 100k a year if you start at 25nl and you really study hard in my opinion. Barring some mega horrible run. The mid stakes games are easy. I don't think games get greatly difficult if you're properly bankrolled until 10/20+. There are plenty of breakeven players and donators at 2/4-5/10 to pick on. I don't expect this to ever change either. A big realization I think a lot of players don't really come across is how bad a "good" .5/1 player really is.
...snip...

- biggest epiphany when you "got" somthing

- It is your contention (and I'm inclined to believe you) that most players up to .5/1 suck, many players from 2/4-5/10 suck. What do you look for in these sucky players when you are sitting down and choosing a juicy table. Any/all of:
- playing out of position too much
- folding too much in big pots
- paying off in pos
- paying off oop
- limp/calling
- passive and predictable
- too loose
- too tight
- other

When you mention study can you elaborate?? I daily go over a few hands and usually post interesting ones on here as well as critique others hands around my level. I also read somewhat; I read 3 poker books (Playboy poker book, Theory of Poker, and Negreunus Book), a monthly poker magazine, and pretty much everything on here that pertains to me(the monthly issues and most of the posts in Full Ring) To be honest i didnt really get much out of the books except some insight and a basic understanding of the game. I really tried to absorb all the material...But they were more geared towards limit except Negreunus book, which was surprisingly insightful, I liked it. Also I review graphs bb/100 to mark my progress. See which hands are profitable from which position etc.
Are there any other methods you reccommend for "studying"? I mean the way Im doin it now doesnt seem "hard" like studying "hard" for an exam would be.

How did you go about studying?
Sorry if its a dumb question

hmm, good question. there were a few pretty groundbreaking (at the time) epiphanies i've had in my short "career." one of the biggest ones is that the game does not dramatically change just because you moved up one level. the subtleties that differentiate a good 2/4 reg from a good 3/6 reg are just that, subtleties, and it's important to not try and implement a massive overhaul of your game just becuase you are moving up in levels. you should just focus on playing your personal solid game and let the adjustments you make come "subconsciously" based off your reads on the new player pool (hope that makes sense, cause it was a huge one for me and something i think holds players back from successfully transitioning to a new level)

[/quote]
Not to sound like a prick, but these are basically all of the things I look for. You essentially hit the nail on the head here. In a full ring game I'm looking for players who generally have >25vpip or <15vpip because these are the ones that usually make their tendencies most readily clear. Finding ways to pick on the standard 15/10's is the hard part as they're often capable of adjustments more so than players at the other extremes. However, these players with solid looking stats still generally do have at least one of the leaks described above (as do us all), and it's a focus of mine to decipher which one of these leaks they do possess when I'm logging hands.

Nice question Stan, What limits/games do you play? Sounds like you've got a bit of experience or a lot of aptitude, one of the two.

Generally when I reference studying I am speaking mostly on conversing with someone over IM/MSN and posting/responding to posts in forums. Post hands that interest you, even if you didn't necessarily play it. Attempt to formulate thoughtful responses to others posts, you'll be surprised what you can teach yourself in the process. Analyze what other people write about other posts, you can gain a lot by studying another players' thought processes and use it at the tables. Go through your PT and evaluate your hands. Go through the hands of regulars you play against and look at the way they played big pots they won/lost. See if you can find a tell or a leak there. Players, especially full ring players, tend to play in a systematic fashion that can be absolutely exploited. Bet sizing tells are one of the biggest you'll find at the lower limits. Look at your own hands in PT and ask yourself on every hand what you could have done to win more / lose less. Even if what you would have to do seems -EV re-evaluate to make sure your thinking is clear.

I am adamant about all Poker Books in print being garbage. The people writing them aren't actively involved in the grind more often than not, and they may seem enlightening to a noob but you will gain very little from them that benefits you in the online arena (or most live games for that matter). Keep in mind that just about everyone at a poker table has read some of these books, but hardly any thoroughly read 2p2 posts daily. I am a staunch believer that you can learn the most about this game and your opponents by active forum participation.

Sorry for the novel but I wanted to cover all the bases, which I'm sure I didn't actively do so if you need more clarification or elaboration on something do let me know.

...snip...
Not to sound like a prick,
...snip...

Not at all. Part of it was wondering if you had favorite weaknesses and part was seeing if you thought a particular weakness you look to attack (you know, in case it's one I think I embody).

I play NL200 for the most part now (on Bodog for what it's worth, scale down as you see fit). I've played all the limits below at one time or another this year. I haven't been playing all that long. A little more than a year with any seriousness. I'm also not a high volume player (job, family, etc). I was lucky enough to have an epiphany about the value of the button (and by extension position) early on. That will take you a long way, I think. I was also lucky enough to find myself in a regular live game with 2 or 3 very good players of other people's hands. That was really eye opening at the time.

One more question:

Looking at my game, my earn is probably the worst in the hijack and hijack - 1. Part of that is skewed because I've had a disproportionately large number of coolers in those seats and I haven't played enough hands to see that attenuate completely. More of it, though, is I think I am loosening my range too much prior to the premium LP seats. How do you approach those crossover seats it terms of range and tactics? Man, I hate that friggin' seat.

Alot of this has to do with the table. If the players in the blinds are seeing a lot of flops I'll open up more hands. If not I'll nit it up a little bit. Can't really give you guidelines here because people can play different hand ranges and VPIP's optimally, just focus on stopping yourself from playing one too many hands. Maybe cut out SC's and Ax Suited type hands if youre playing too many of them.

What sorts of things do you make notes on people for?
Also: what shorthand have you found most useful in notetaking?

Thanks,

K

"I understand that I may never reach my potential but I'm not playing to become the best, I'm playing for funds"

What do you plan on doing in the future/where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I take notes on everything. I have at least a paragraph on every regular. I have my own shorthand and I think you should just develop your own because what works for me might confuse you. I literally take notes on everything, I can't really clarify because it's more than you need or want to take its just a bizarre habit I've developed.

I'm applying for a few jobs with the department of State and immigration and hope to have a career in public service at some form of international level. It's possible I'll grind out a few years after school if I don't get some of the better jobs I've applied for. I'm also just now starting to look into investing as I've recently had the good fortune to clear myself of student loan debt.

To answer the question more simply, I will probably ride out being a poker "pro" for as long as I'm making six figures, although with the instability of online poker it seems much more reasonable to pursue a career and be started in one by the time I'm 24 (I'm 21). I just am not a high-risk enough person to really pursue a shot at a stake as high as 10/20 at this point in my life. Maybe it will change.

cool, good luck!

oh, and paying the student loans with poker money is definitely a great feeling.

Why dont you like me?