I just signed up and funded accounts at Poker Stars and Full Tilt Poker. I want to start grinding away, build a bankroll and track and improve my game, then move up limits. I currently make a little more than break even at $1-3 live casino NL games.

What online limit would you suggest I start with? At what limits do the NL players and games start to get tougher and less profitable; i.e. how much tougher do the games get moving from .01/.02NL to .02/.05NL to .05/.10NL to .25/.50NL to .50/1.00NL? Which jump(s) in limits equates with the players and games getting noticeably tougher?

Does the number of tables one can play change your advice much?

Is 6max or full ring better for grinding? How does the variance and win rate differ at 6max .vs FR for a given level?

Thanks -- because I'm out of work and need to pull in some income.

Depends how much you have to invest, how 'good' you think you are and what theory base you have.

I'd suggest stating at 5nl or 10nl with 20bi, that $100 or $200, I'd also suggest buying a tracking program, like pt3 or HEM if you can afford it. If you have the money and think you have enough good grounding not to get pwned, you may even do 30bi for 25n, $750. I wouldn't start any higher than that, unless I knew I coudl beat the games already.

I'd say games only really start getting tougher at 400nl, other than that the games are pretty beatable. However I only play 50nl myself at the mo.

I'd try and get up to 20-24tables as quick as you can, just start at whatever your comfortable with and keep adding them in bit by bit.

Potentially your winrates at max coudl be bigger than FR, but the variance of FR is much less.

Welcome to micro FR.

Read the stickies. At top of forum.

All the best posts are there.

Your first order of business.
1) buy tracking software - pt3 or hem for the hud facilities mainly but also for session reviews and game improvement study.
2) establish what your bankroll is and fit in around a level of 20-30 Buyins.
3) start with no more than 4 tables at once.
4) get into a regular routine of playing when you are alert and fully awake...don't play tired drunk or stressed - as you are trying to build an income source.

And keep read the stickies read them reread them read them reread them.

If you like FR its a good place to start for you as its the place with the lowest variance.


Cheers Dog.

P.S.

READ THE STICKIES

Ilso, I'm wondering -- what VPIP and PFR ranges do you think are appropriate for grinding at these levels?

The stickies for graphs is good place for those questions

Thanks, Digger.

Yes the stickies help. I think another great help is reading the posts of touch hand situations, and really studying those and the respsonses some guys give. I would go back a few pages and look at those as well when you have time. My biggest tip would be know when you are in the mood to play your best.

I have a girlfreind that can be the biggest pain in the ass,and she is really the only thing that can get me playing my worst. it took a few hundred bucks to figure this out, but if you are not just plahying for fun, i would definetly figure out when your best moods are and only play durign them.

Given the first quote, the answer to the second quote is:


Get a job.

Seriously, you are a long, long way from being able to support yourself with poker.

lol^

I'm not trying to be funny.

If OP is seriously hoping to support himself online when he's barely beating live, he's in for a rough ride.

Even in this economy, McDonalds is pretty much always hiring. He'd be much better off.

really really sad but +1 . But you will be in for a tough time. i went from higher stakes live to online and had it rough for about 10 months. So i would suggest playing 1/3nl. you can make a lot more in that game then you will make playing nl50 online because the game is pretty tough not to mention nl100