I know this has been covered in the FAQ but I feel like that was written a while ago. What do you guys think the current best would be?

.01/.02 NL Holdem

you think that's the most profitable?

See, I'm not a complete beginner but I am having a hard time finding an 'identity'. I have dabbled in MTT's, Cash, and even HUSNGS. I don't know which to focus on. If i had to pick one where i have the most expertise, if you will, would be cash games. But the thing is, I feel like I could build a bankroll quicker in another game but I'm unsure. My mindset, and it may be incorrect, is that cash is a grind that will take ALOT longer to build a bigger bankroll and that the general consensus of players taht I have talked to on skype/aim whatever, sayy that cash games are drying up!

Is this the case? That's basically the reason for me posting this question

Everything is profitable. I have seen graphs of players doing well in all stakes in every form of game.

Cash FR, 6-max, HU.

SNG 180s, 45s, HU.

If anything, it is low stakes HU sngs and STTs that I have read about being the least profitable.

Low stakes 180s and cash games are quite profitable for good players from what I have read, so pick one that you like the most, and play that one. That applies to picking NL or Omaha too. Whichever one you are better at.

I have been trying to figure this out for myself and it has really became quite annoying. I recently took off my whole bankroll except 50 dollars because I needed the money buy I'm not sure how to approach it. I was thinking 5NL because i feel like I can make it with 10bis even though itd be risking... Over a small sample size, 20k hands, I was beating 5NL for 16PTbb/100

Live poker in any form.

Every game is getting harder. In general cash games are the best form of poker to grow from imo. And I certainly believe that you should start at the bottom and work your way up.

jared who told you that low stakes hu sng's are the least profitable??... you obviously have not checked out the rankings, guys who play the $6.25 turbos make 1500 a month or more and the $10 guys bringing in 50nl $ with the right volume... imo hu is the easiest game and fastest to build a roll on, will experience losing stretches and winning ones in a shorter period of time which could affect your mental game but those games are uber soft... albeit the most profitable form of poker will be what your edge is highest at, so play the different forms over a okay sample and also choose which one you find more fun as well and stick to it

Sorry I mean the micro stakes HU SNGs, where the rake is like 20% ($1 HUSNGs). You are right, low stakes like 6.25 are good money for good players.

Rake is 10% on many major sites (Such as Stars and FTP) for those $1 husngs. Usually 5% or less starting at the $5 level.

I would suggest NOT playing heads up sngs at the $1 or $2 level if the $6 buyin is out of your comfort zone, as it is very likely other games will be more profitable to you given the 10% rake of the $1-2 buyin husngs.

The answer to your question may not be relevant too. I don't know the answer, but it strikes me as possible that 20% of players may be most profitable playing one game, where as 30% may be more profitable playing another game, and 10% another and so on. But I'm not sure if skill set variation is higher than variables that would make a specific game so much softer for newer players across the board (like rake structure, fish population).

There's also enough in your post to prompt advice like "You may be looking for quick money/easy paths to success in poker, and that should not be your mindset from the start. The profit ceiling on poker is huge, and without a lot of major background requirements like many other professions require, the time it takes to go from noob to pro can be very short. However, none of that means you don't have to work hard. It just means that if you work hard your potential profit can grow pretty quickly."

Also whirley, every game is always getting harder with few exceptions, no? Speaking relatively is best. Many guys make a lot more money today as pros than they did a few years ago as pros. You can find examples that point both ways, but games can both get "tougher" and more profitable at the same time. I would argue that the learning curve for games is often going down, due to more efficient and better quality information being more widely accessible for so many people.

If it's the easiest to learn, then it's probably profitable. Too many players will be playing well.

Try .01/.02 FR PLO.

Yeah good post chicagory thanks

+1 to chicagory

I think you are approaching it backwards.

Find a game you love first. If PLO were the most profitable, but you hated it, you'd either burn out or your win-rate would suffer from your hatred of the game.

You'll be most profitable in a game you love. Then, it is simply a matter of fine tuning the limit to one you can beat.

yeah $1 HU sngs are significantly tougher then $5 HU sngs because the rake is absurd on the $1 games.

+1

STTs are prolly the easiest to learn, you should easily move up the limits if you study the proper way. Cash is harder to master, but the money should also be better if you are any good.

But honestly, just choose the game you enjoy the most, there is money to be made in all games.

start out on fixed limit, get to understand the game and build a roll at the lowest limits, once you feel confident enough move to NL for profit.

As most people play NLHE and you are a beginner I would try and learn another game first or at least together with HE.

SNG at 1.20 and 3.25 on stars are super soft. In my opinion though the most profitable games are tournament with small fields like 180man sng and some micro stakes tourney on Full Tilt.

I'm a beginner and I'm playing sng turbos. I think they are easy to start with cause there is not that much flop play involved -comparing to the regular structure sngs or cash games. You just need to play push/fold poker mostly, based on ranges which is far less complicated imo for a new player to deal with than all the complications of post-flop play. You can work on playing flops better from there on, but don't complicate your life in the beginning.

This makes no sense to me.

LHE and NL play very differently. Limit is not some kind of NL with training wheels.