I've been playing at nl25 6 max tables on ftp. Using pokertracker I see my vpip is about 33 and my preflop raise is around 20. This last week I've had a string of 2 and 3 outer bad beats that have cut my roll in half.

I'm trying to improve my game so I can actually withstand these beats. I'm not sure if 33/20 is too loose for this limit but in general what are some winning nl25 players stats for this and other variables?

Thanks.

This will be my first post on these forums so i'll try to make a helpful first impression :-)

The general consensus that i've heard/read among these forums is that a TAG, ABC approach is the most profitable strategy for playing NL 25.

Most people playing typical "TAG" stats would be somewhere in the range of ~22/18 give or take a few %'s each way. So, by stat ranges alone you may be playing too loose than what is generally reccomended.

However, on the flipside, play at NL 25 tables tends to be very weak/poor, so it behooves you as a good player to play more hands (esp. in position) versus these bad opponents to increase your overall profit. So, in this regard, if you feel you're in control and playing good poker, there's nothing wrong with playing a looser 33/20 game if your opponents continue to pay you off.

In terms of withstanding bad beats, that's much more an issue of bankroll management and variance than anything else. 'Standard' management calls for having about 20 times the max buy in for the limit you are playing, so a few bad beats don't throw your bankroll out of whack. At the NL 25 level that would be 400$. Thus, your issue may be less of adjusting your game, but just understanding that you're playing above your bankroll at NL 25.

In terms of improving your game, I strongly suggest going through the Micro Stakes forum's Master Sticky, as it has a wealth of knowledge specifically designed for NL 25/NL 50 play. Many of its articles address the exact issues you discuss here.

I hope some of this helps,

Cabe

i will continue to browse that.
i got stacked about 7 times when i was at least a 75% favorite on the turn. i was at 375 and dropped to about 175, then held around 225. i feel like bad beats aside i was a barely winning player. maybe if those hands held up i wouldn't have been posting.

anyways, good first post. thanks.

I don't have something valuable to add here, but I just wanted to make a correction to Cabe's reply. Max buyin on NL25 is 25$, and 20 buyins are 500$, not 400$...

A couple of things:

1) Haha yes my mistake, a 'proper' bankroll for NL 25 would be 500 not 400.

2) If you feel you are a marginally winning player Reemas and are playing a 33/20 game, I'd recommend tightening up. The real advantage to playing more hands involves knowing how to extract maximum value with every hand you play. That's why some of the world's top pros can get away with playing relative 'trash' (all else aside). However for many of us, hands like A9o, K10s, 54o etc out of position will constantly be losers. My best advice would be to tighten up your hand selection and try to stick to either high percentage or big implied value situations. A lot of what this means is tightening up in early position, and in blind defending hands.

While I could try to ramble on about such topics, I believe veteran posters have done MUCH better justice to these topics than I could ever do in their articles. I'd definitely start there in trying to plug leaks in your game.

In regards to getting stacked when ahead - That is unfortunate, but also part of poker. Though it stings, it is inevitable. If the money lost is affecting your playing decision, consider temporarily dropping down to NL 10 to regain confidence.

Again, I hope some of this helps,
Cabe

thanks cabe. will try tightening up. i dont think i'm capable of holding down a looser style yet. noticed at nl25 tight players usually make the most money anwyays.

If you're struggling to play a looser style due to boredom, try playing 2 tables at once. Twice as many hands per hour, so you'll ideally get to play as many hands as you would playing 33/20, but can be more selective about what you play.