A rough start
I'm writing this as a call for help but also as a slight log for myself to look back on when I get through this rough patch in my life.

I discovered professional poker a couple years ago and would religiously watch YouTube videos watching pros make big hands/decisions and just enjoy the thrill of it all.
I tried to learn but information overload made it hard so I just stuck to entertainment.

Not long after that I discovered myself trying below average free chip poker apps, but not long after playing through those and sinking money into them, I noticed it doesn't play like the real thing. I decided to download and put money into ACR (measley $35) and try it out. Thus venture ending rather suddenly as I discovered I am very poor in poker skill (attempted cash games 2nl and just found myself punting too hard and then regretting it)

From that big loss I took a break for a couple years and focused on something else. Fast forward to today and I am back in the beginning of the cycle but this time only punted $20 in 2nl. However, I stopped before going further and decided to find help.
AND NO I'm not looking for gambling recovery. This is obviously money I have been able to save up to burn at my leisure.
However, I am realizing no matter how hard I try, I cannot keep a reliable bankroll nor regulate my own poker play enough to try and make consistent profit over consistent loss. Tale as old as time, my profits from good hands were rather small and losses/punts rather big.

A dumb idea
I did the desperate/dumb thing and asked a poker streamer how to get staking. (As I thought ignorantly, this is how to have a maintained bankroll as a beginner) Only to quickly find out that no one wants someone in my shoes nor do anyone strangers online want to help me financially. I can understand that as I cannot support anyone myself either.
I started talking to a chat member and they directed me to this forum to find help. They DID NOT suggest I beg for money here which is not the aim of this post.

What I am ultimately looking for is a poker+financial coach to help me discover a reliable bankroll/strategy to play at the micro stakes. Maybe some way to have fun while also at least breaking even. I tried youtube but at some point they start talking gibberish or talking too deeply into a hand for me to understand it. I cannot use their information to apply to my own hands on my account as I cannot follow them.

Any suggestions outside of YouTube or expensive coaches accepted! I really want to enjoy this game without punting funds aimlessly into it.

Feel free to ask ANY questions you may have about me and I'll answer them. I need help/support.

Hand histories, stats, graphs, thought process would all help. You don’t need a coach at these stakes. Get involved in the micro no limit thread and put in some volume.

ACR maybe not the best site to go but it’s fine. You will need to get a tracker, almost any serious player will have one.

If you want a free resource you can find the book, The Grinders Manual, online. It’s a good start. For YouTube I would suggest spamming through some creators until you find one that you vibe with or speak the same language as and then stick with them for a bit to build up a base knowledge.

There’s a lot of good threads on this forum so not a bad idea to spend some time reading the legendary ones and poking around in general.

Good luck

No financial strategy will help you if you're a losing player, so your first priority is to learn how to play.

As for ANY questions, here's a simple one to see where you're at:

Without looking at any resources, what do you think UTG 6 max RFI looks like, what do you think BTN 6 max RFI looks like and what do you think BB calling range looks like against both of those? Post your reply without cheating and I'll give you another question after.

What are you talking about?.dafuk is rfi? This isn't some "tell me where I am skill wise" I am looking for financial coach to maintain a bankroll on my current situation.
Learning to play as well (poker coach) so I understand what spots are trying to say and what I need to do where.

Btn 6 max is the button in a 6 player table.
Utg 6 max is first to act pre in a 6 player table.
That's what those look like.
BB is big blind. Calling range? I think blinds are wider than usual but not sure. I go off a general 25-30% range of hands (any seat) that are supposed premiums and just play those in any position unless I think it's too pricey to go OOP with the holding I have.

Creators in YouTube don't want to reliably teach beginners poker strategy. It all feels too high level and not really simple enough or correlating enough. I can't find similar spots I have cause I don't have their thought process and they don't teach that part which is crucial.

Thought process. Who teaches that reliable for beginners cause IDK where to find this.

What site should I use for micro stakes as I beginner who has some idea of range I should be playing

No financial coach can help you maintain a bankroll, at your current skill level you need a budget, and you need to learn how to play poker.

If you don't know what RFI is then I'd start by googling that. As for "I think blinds are wider than usual but not sure", you need to learn at a more precise level before you can hope to be a winning player. Go do some googling, then answer my question and maybe there will be some hope for you.

EDIT: Adding - maybe buy this or download a pdf online https://www.amazon.com/Grinders-Manu.../dp/B01GBFF890. It's not perfect but it's good enough for a beginner to get started on all the basics.

**** you. dont make it sound like im hopeless. I was asking for help. "some hope for you" get off your high horse.
either be a positive reinforcement or leave me be. im not looking for someone to shoot down the things I am searching for or believe I need. I know how to play poker but the basic strategy (when to bet, how much, against whom) is still not there really. if you want to coach me in poker just say so. one off "go do this" makes me feel stupid and really puts me down.

Look man, you asked for help, I offered you some help, and then you go "dafuq! Why you try to figure out where I'm at?!" Why? Because you gave very little detail about your skill level and in replying to my question I was able to gather a lot of info about your skill level, so it was very effective.

Based on that info, I then offered you some more pointed suggestions and now you're hurt? Chill out, man. Poker is frequently way more brutal than someone replying to you on a forum, and I'd honestly suggest based on your replies here that you don't pursue poker any further.

"I need help but it makes me feel stupid when you give me help"

You said that you are looking for a "poker+financial coach to help me discover a reliable bankroll/strategy to play at the micro stakes". I don't think you're really in a spot where you need to be paying for coaching just yet. I'll try and answer some of your questions.

Bankroll: Currently, you are a losing player - every player on this forum was a losing player at some point. A general definition of a bankroll is an amount of money set aside to use on poker, and is big enough to withstand variance if you are a winning player (usually 20 buy ins is the minimum you want to have). However, because currently you are losing, you need a budget. Until you become a winning player, you need to ask yourself how much can you afford to lose per week/month on Poker and allot money accordingly. The idea is even if you deposit $100 it won't be enough because your expected win rate is negative.

Strategy for Microstakes: I saw a guy on reddit with a similar grievance as you - except he was just complaining that online is rigged and there is no "algorithm" to win - you are looking to learn so you are already far ahead of a lot of people in your current situation. The "algorithm" to win here is just GTO(game theory optimal - if you've ever played chess it's like the engine/stockfish).

First, I would memorize some pre-flop RFI (raise first in) ranges, as these are free on sites sites as GTOWizard and Pokertrainer.se. Additionally, when I was just starting out some of my favorite content creators for strategy were BlackRain79 (Who explains some pretty basic stuff, and although it isn't really optimal strategy due to its simplicity, it served me well as a place to start. Also his language makes sense). I also really liked Jonathan Little's videos. I will link a really good article for a complete beginner below, as well as Little's channel.

Other than that put some volume in, review hands where you make big mistakes, and you'll grow over time. I'm only a 25NL reg so you can take my advice with a grain of salt but I still have my losing microstakes experience fresh in my mind. If I were you I would also seek to join a more personal community as that really motivated me to get better and I wouldn't be making the progress I am now without all of my poker friends. This is my 2 cents but you have access to a lot of people on this forum who have been playing for years and who play higher stakes regularily who empathize with you and were in the same situation as you once. Best of luck grinding.



https://www.blackrain79.com/2024/07/poker-tips.html

https://www.youtube.com/@PokerCoaching

I think you owe PJA an apology. His comment was fair and his advice was good whether you liked it or not.

Viidocq above gave you better advice then you deserve based on how you treated PJA.

You can also Google "MyPokerCoaching" that's Jonathan Little's coaching site. He has a good 6 max free beginners section there if you'd rather read it. I don't know if it's the same info as the video link. I'd personally go with Upswing Poker over Blackrain(too each their own). Upswing like Jonathon Little's site have a free 6 max section. If you don't have a HUD get one. I use Poker tracker 4.

FWIW I'm a 20+ year winning player from 2nl-50nl and in MTT's. I prefer full-ring cash as I only play for fun and as a hobby (going to start soon studying 6 max thou). Need a new challenge. You also don't need to wasting money on a coach at this point. In fact I'd go as far to say you don't need a coach till you reach at least 100nl. I didn't go this way yet and likely won't but if you're serious I love Viidocq advice on finding a "personal community" there's many on discord. Good personal coaching can be expensive vs free personal community.


Cheers!!!

Btw you seem little delusional, its true no matter how you manage your money you will end up losing it all if you are a losing player, this is like 2+2=4 and this has nothing to do us wanting you to not success, we all want you to success

Don’t be rude, actually he really offered you real help, he started talking to you as you were some advanced player so you don’t understand, you’re total beginner so its really hard to teach you, first learn some basics, read articles etc play NL2 and only NL2, it will prevent you to lose a lot, once you learn basic stuff then come back to that guy again and he may help you

I will accept help but I'm human not some computer you pump information and advice into. You can give me good advice but do it nicely is all I ask. Don't try and put me down or say "hey, that's just facts" I'm a person with feelings just be nice about it and encourage instead of putting me down. Thanks ��

I'm sorry I bit back at PJA. I just don't like being talked to the way he phrased it. I want help+encouragement not help+discouragement.

What community? Please if you have one recommend it? I want to find that! Having friends to vent to/learn with would help me tremendously! I'm a social guy and that accountability and encouragement from close poker buddies is what I need

Stars is a good place to start- I wouldn’t learn how to play the micros from Blackrain though.

I'm not Viidocq but know theres likely many. You can have a look here(link below) or post there asking for one. Best of luck Hobojoe hope you find a group that suits you.
https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/294/study-groups/


Cheers!!!

If you don't have the discipline to avoid punting your roll off, you will never become a winner regardless of your technical level at the game. Technical skill and poker ability is very learnable, but it sounds like you will also need to do mindset work before you find any sort of success. It's irresponsible bordering on unethical to look for some sort of staking when you aren't able to avoid punting off your roll and maintaining your own discipline when playing for a few bucks at 2nl.

To get anywhere in this game takes time, effort, and a lot of personal accountability. I would have a real think about whether you want to invest yourself in the game and the underlying attitude changes you'll probably need to find success, or whether you're best off as a casual player enjoying the game recreationally and watching the high stakes players battle it out on streams and so on. You won't find success bitching about tone (from people giving you free advice, I might add) instead of putting any effort yourself into learning basic poker strategy.