Yeah last night at 2/5 was a perfect example of why being deep is important. Over-setted someone but only had $450 so that's all I won (he had about $1,200). Then stacked two OPs with sets - won much, much more those hands because I was deeper. There were a couple spots earlier in the session where I would have won more too.

Best session ever, but could have been better if I had bought in deeper to begin with.

easy game

What's a set?

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A lot of this advice about whether to buy in deep is just terrible. If the deep stacks are not adjusting properly to a short stack, then starting with a short stack can be more profitable than starting with a max buy in. On the other hand, if the deep stacks are terrible at deep stack play, then you of course should buy in as deep as you can.

In other words, the correct answer to whether you should buy in short or deep is, "it depends."

My advice would be to eschew labels of being a "2/5 player" or a "5/10 player" and simply include them both. 25000 is enough to accommodate min buying 5/10, and you should certainly play it whenever it is the best game in the room.

Stack depth is pretty whatever. Just doesn't matter enough from a winrate perspective in most situations so I'd lean toward what comfort and bankroll limitations dictate. A deeper stack offers diminishing returns of winrate potential and a near linear increase in variance.

isnt nlh so much more fun when the blinds can actually hurt your stack? however buying in for 600 at 10/25 is lol

They were clearly sitting there because it WAS 'a stupid big game.' They obviously have few issues with the variance train and know that there is money to be had even if they are playing short-stack poker...

$5/10 is no different than lower limits in the sense that you are going to have people at the table whose play isn't textbook or GTO. Some are going to be there simply to have fun...just like you have at lower stakes. For some reason, this component of the game gets lost on too many people playing live.

I don't have a wealth of experience at $5/10 but have played in multiple locations when I have been in town and there was a table running. Typically, I wind up being the short stack at a newly opened table only because I am just buying in for between $1K and $1500.00. Sometimes I will buy in for more. But I see a wide variety of skill levels and I see plays that leave me scratching my head on occasion...I use that as a learning experience just as EVERY session at any level will often have something that can be tucked away for future use. Just because something doesn't make sense right off the bat, however, does not make it stupid or bad. Sometimes, playing the way people don't anticipate is precisely the strategy that is going to make money...

You're being way too results oriented

just lost 2 buy ins running bad. but got it in +ev best feeling and session ever.

Insert “fishonaheater” jpg

Last 5/10 I played I GII on Q-J-8dd with JJ against A2dd and 88 and A2 made a terrible call and got there. My part of the pot would have been $1,800; sidepot was almost $6k (88 made it $1,300 otf and A2 called off half his stack and jammed 4d turn).

Fish fried.

Another dynamic I’ve noticed about being deep is some players will set up multi street bluffs. I’ve picked off some 100bb bluffs that don’t exist when you buy in for the minimum.

Most 5/10 games tend to have some very attuned and capable players. You will no longer be able to auto 3b in position and not have to worry about being cold 4b bluffed out of the small blind from a player with no money invested. People will start to use reverse tells and even the OMC will bluff at just the right moment after showing nitty folds and checking it back with trips. So honestly what is poker to you? To many it’s the rush of being the best at a highly competitive game not the EV strictly that drives the addiction. But I think its often more profitable and safer (less variance) to grind juicy and non-stressful 2/5 games, and maybe occasionally when a 5/10 game looks whaletastic shot take 2 $1000 buy-ins. But you have to stop if you lose that obviously. Like it is possible to be a crushing player and just go on a -10BI downswing like that. Happens all the time. But that’s 10K in 5/10 which really puts win amounts in perspective.

Another dynamic is players go for three streets with middle pair in 5/10. Then they overbet their nut flushes pretending to blocker bluff. I’ve lost many 200BB stacks I shouldn’t have risked. But shortstacking only has merit if you can watch pot after pot then fold KQ to a raise and call from the wrong players, fold hands like J10 from early position, fold 89suited type hands etc. And top up because the rake becomes a significant percentage of advantage just eaten up you have to pay. But it’s an even better PLO strategy.

I haven't played at this location before. But best advice I can give is just stick to $2/5nl. From the dozens of different places I have played $2/5nl and $5/10nl there is a big jump in talent in $5/10nl games. Like others have said, work your way into buying in for more. I have been playing for over 10 years, I went from $1/2nl to $2/5nl about 5 years ago. At first I was buying in for $300, but now I am comfortable buying in for $1,000. While I continue and continue to crush $2/5nl, whenever I take a shot at $5/10nl, I feel outplayed. I am happy continuing make decent money playing $2/5nl.

And no offense, but I can guarantee that $90+ an hour will not last. The best players I have ever known, who regularly play in the softest $2/5 games they can find, usually make anywhere from $35-$45 an hour, long term.

I've primarily been sticking to 2/5 where I do feel more comfortable. The 2/5 hourly is down to $60 now btw after 270 hours.

This. A lot of competent villains will adjust to you and test you very frequently and you’ll have to figure it out and re-adjust. Sometimes incorrectly.

I’ve done some arguably -EV countermeasures once I catch on to their game. If you are skiddish about 5/10 keep to 2/5 for now. The skill level is larger than most will admit to on the forums.

The only time I think this goes out the window in my experience is at the wsop where everyone should be playing one stake higher (ymmv) or in Macau where games are softer but you can’t have cold feet.

i would take a shot and if it doesnt work out i would grind until I have enough to actually grind 5/10.

There’s no way you will be able to maintain $92/hour in 2-5. In fact if you move up to 5-10 $50/hr would still be a good win rate. If you were able to maintain $92/hr Vegas pros and others would be moving to your casino until your win rate became similar to a Vegas game. I’m one of the biggest winners at 10-25 in my casino and I’m barely above $100/hr.

Back in 2007 I may have been one of the biggest winners on partpoker. I would literally never get called after three betting pre and barreling every street against decent players. Until people figured it out. I would’nt claim to have a win rate of $1000/hr or something just because I had a line that people hadn’t adjusted too

If the $300 buy ins at 2/5 are working for you at a high hourly, then I don't see why you would change it up. Additionally, if you did want to put in more work to your 200+ bb game, you could start doing so by full buying at 1/3 and staying longer when you are deep in games that are deep. Actually starting with the minimum is a good practice, because you can always top up if you deem conditions to favour deepstack play. Optimal stack size is a function of your opponent's skill levels and their stack sizes. If the fish are all shallow and the tough aggressive regs are deep then it pays to be shallow. Being short is an easier game, and can pay dividends when tough deep stack regs try to level each other and you just sit back and wait for premiums to ship it in with.

Anyway, I think you need at least a few more months at 2/5, and a few more stacks of high society in your bankroll before you start to think about 5/10. Poker is a game of patience, and that includes taking shots and moving up.

You need to hang out with better players. The players you "have known" aren't that great if they are playing in the softest 2/5 games they an find and only make $35-$45/hr.

You basically answered this yourself. I understand there are a lot of bad regs but still your play is going to be so transparent and easy to exploit. Honestly stick and 2/5 and learn to splash around a bit before 5/10. I know your player type and although you don't suck at the game, you suck for the game (I'm not trying to be harsh at all)

No offense taken. It’s more of a compliment than a put-down.