I suggest considering buying in for less than a full stack and playing a game specifically geared for your stack size, then adjusting to "normal" full or deep stack play when you build your stack to that point. There are strategies for playing a 65 bb stack for instance. That would enable you to have ten $200 buyins instead of 7.

I know there is a bias for saying always buy in full. But I think sometimes it makes sense to buy in for less. To me, reducing your risk of ruin if you have to stop playing if you lose your $2000 is one of those times. You can't make any money from poker if you can't afford to play because you busted out; that seems like a lot of "opportunity cost" to me.

I don't think buying in short will reduce variance. Isn't playing short pushing as much as a preflop edge as you can? Therefore you're getting it in a lot more pre and post in marginal spots because our spr will be lower = higher variance? (keep in mind pre flop is where the fish play their hand the best).


As to original question, it's definitely enough to take a shot. I play pretty laggy and have had 2 10BI downswings in the last 600 hours, with a few 3-5 BI downswings. So if you're okay with the ROR and don't mind there being a chance you bust then go for it. Just make sure you have tilt issues down.

yep..

yeah, buying in short is a lot more high-variance than just buying in for full IME.

Also, when I have a regular or deep stack, I am rarely in a position to call or bet more than half of it. So there's that.

Quick answer, it really depends on your skill level and if you are a proven winning player.

Ideally, you want to play at tables with plenty of money on them and lots of action and bonus points if players are talking and drinking it up.

Since your bankroll is $3k, i'd shy away from uncapped tables. Sitting down with $200 when the entire table is at $500+ isn't optimal. So, i'd advise you just go with the $200 capped buy-in and then after you've played a few sessions there and run your roll up to $4k then give the uncapped room a try. When you sit down at an uncapped table, its important you buy-in for the table average. You need to have enough chips to generate fold equity and to matter. Worst thing you can be at an uncapped table is the "little stack that doesn't matter".


http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/17...kroll-1160302/

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/32...hread-1252775/

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/32...hread-1241606/

Why? To me I find that a pretty good spot, you just need to remember that and bluff/cbet in certain spots less.

I'm pretty sure this is wrong. pretty sure you can realize the same edge in this spot as a 40bb stack has at a 100bb table. although to shortstack, buying in at 60bb when everybody else has 250bb seems best off the top of my head.

you're not losing 'potential value', you're capping your winrate at breakeven.

If you're not topping your stack off when it goes well below your $200 buy in, and you're not getting your stack in the center without the nuts, you won't be winning.

lol. Love to be in this game

so, you go allin on the turn with the nut flush against a set and the board pairs? do you get your money back? you can't guarantee yourself a victory every time you are all-in.

One of the reasons buying in short is good for a small BR is that it limits your mistakes, especially if you are unfamiliar with the player pool. 100bb can create some awkward stack-pot sizes which can be tricky to play without reads. 65-75bb seems to be a sweet spot where you can comfortably stack off with your overpairs and tpgk, which are the hands you're trying to make with a shorter stack. Also, big stacks tend not to adjust much to shortstacks which makes it easier to double up when you have a hand.

IIRC from the online days, stats showed that buying in short doesn't decrease monetary swings. In fact, it increased them.

this

BUT, it does minimize the effect of mistakes on your winrate/loserate.
Also, buying in short requires less postflop skill to play optimally b/c you can stack off alot lighter

FWIW, I always buyin for 250bb but I would definatly recomend a beginner starts off by buying in short. Well tbh I recomend a beginner doesnt even start live poker until they can beat nl50 or preferably nl100 online but thats another discussion.

but it misses out on the most profitable and least amount of risk part of poker. da river

One thing I like about playing a 60bb stack is that it makes it very difficult for villains to make plays on me (obviously more of a concern if you are playing with crazy asians than if you are playing with old stations).

lol, crazy Asians.

Any way to keep track of hand histories without being a laptop kid... Don't see it being viable with an iPhone and I don't know the rules about keeping track of hand histories etc in my local card room. Kind of scared to browse 2+2 while there tbh.

I analyse hands on 2+2 while waiting for a seat at my local cardroom or if I am really bored at the table all the time. 2+2 has a good iPhone app and there are no rules against it that I know off.

sick. didn't know this. thanks

Really? 99% of the time I am on my android app. The online website is the nut low and probably drives away alot of the newcomers.

Brag: winning at $42/hour through my first 200 hours of 2/5
Beat: it took 6 months of play to get that volume.

I think I need to focus on living healthier so I can increase my mental endurance. Most of my sessions are 2-5 hours long, which tends to be when I feel like I can't play my best anymore. I need to make the most out of my sessions now, since I'm working 5 days a week.

Feast tonight, fit tomorrow!

Is there more than one app for android?

I find the one I use to be annoying with spoilers and HHs not working

It also tends to crash on me fairly often, some threads it just won't load at all. I actually prefer using the mobile site because of this.