5/150 Regular Discussion

[CrazyLond]

Two of them were flush draws where I was getting the right implied odds vs the players I was against.  The other was a pure suckout where I made 2 pair on the river with AK after my opponent flopped 2 pair with A7 in a heads up pot.  That one, I should have played differently although it was a very tricky hand the way it played out.  Overall, I was actually pretty happy with the way I played that night.  I only lost once on the river when I'd been ahead and seemed to have my head in the right place.  Decent play+good cards=good night for me.  The next night wasn't quite so hot as I ran KK into AA preflop in the first hour and went broke.  That one, I probably should have gone with my gut and folded.  I've only laid down KK preflop twice before in that game but I was right both times.  This time, for whatever reason, I couldn't get off it.

[CrazyLond]

I played this game a bit this morning.  I had one tough hand where I really am not sure if I made the right decision.  There were 2 big blinds and a SB on the button.  I was the first BB.  A couple players limp, I check my option with 66 and the other BB also checks.  Flop comes 865 with 2 hearts.  I bet out $30 into a $20 pot and find one caller, a player I do not know but who seems fairly solid, only showing down reasonable hands thusfar.  Turn comes an offsuit 9.  I checked, he bet $30 and I called.  A blank came on the river, I checked and he bet out $90.  I decided to fold.

I think I should have led out the turn to find out where I was at.  I think if I got raised big I could fold the turn and if small, could draw to a full house.  I think it's unlikely a 7 would slowplay the turn if I had led out considering the hearts and other straight possibilities that could come on the river.  This way, I think I would have had a better idea of where I stood in the hand.

As played, I decided to fold partially because I seem to have been making too many loose calls on the river over the past few months.  However, looking back on it, I am not sure.  $90 seems like a large bet for someone hoping to get paid off with a 7.  Still, large bets generally mean large hands.  He didn't show so I'll have to die not knowing.

Overall, it was a good session; I doubled my buy-in.

[Cake]

Hey guys I just found this board and thought I would stop by and say hello.  I play up at CAZ every once in a while and in the next couple months I plan on playing quite regularly.

Anyways I have a question about being bankrolled to play 5-150.  Namely how much cushion should I allow myself for this game with the variance.

I am a pretty solid player last sat I played for about 7 hours and walked away 1400 up for the day and lost 500 on sunday.  All in all not a bad weekend.  I was thinking 5-6k would be a good starting roll to play this on a regular basis.  Thoughts?

From what I am reading you guys say Fri and Sat nights are the softest nights to play. 

I want to see if I have what it takes to play this game professionally before I up and quit my job.  I plan on trying to play 3-4 days a week on my days off and after work for a few hours to see if i can work up to around 30k.

Looks like you have some great people at this site so I would love some input.

[that_pope]

Hey guys I just found this board and thought I would stop by and say hello.  I play up at CAZ every once in a while and in the next couple months I plan on playing quite regularly.

Anyways I have a question about being bankrolled to play 5-150.  Namely how much cushion should I allow myself for this game with the variance.

I am a pretty solid player last sat I played for about 7 hours and walked away 1400 up for the day and lost 500 on sunday.  All in all not a bad weekend.  I was thinking 5-6k would be a good starting roll to play this on a regular basis.  Thoughts?

From what I am reading you guys say Fri and Sat nights are the softest nights to play. 

I want to see if I have what it takes to play this game professionally before I up and quit my job.  I plan on trying to play 3-4 days a week on my days off and after work for a few hours to see if i can work up to around 30k.

Looks like you have some great people at this site so I would love some input.

Well, I am not going to comment on the bankroll issue, since I am a limit player and have no bankroll advice for a quasi-NL game. 

But I can talk about trying to play professionally.  Yes you might be a solid winning player for the 10-20 hours you put in a week, when you want to play, and are looking forward to it, and are 100% focused, and if a majority of this time comes on the weekend when you have a job.

But now you try to do it full time and maybe put in 40 hours a week.  All of a sudden you are playing at offpeak hours, playing when you aren't at your best so you can put in the hours you need to, and forcing yourself to go even though you aren't completely focused.

So naturally your winrate drops.  Lets say you were making $X in 10 hours a week over a 20 week sample.  You naturally assume that in 40 hours a week you will make $4X, but instead, because of playing not at your best, and against worse lineups some of the time, you only make $2.2X.  These are things you will experience playing full time.

I just think it is best to play semi-professionally, like I do, on the side.  But good luck either way.

[Cake]

Ok, then let me ask you this.  What limit game do you consider to be the most profitable at CAZ?

How do you determine when you should leave and call it a day?  Are there specific dollar amounts you try to hit for the day and then bail?  Do you just play by feel each time you are there?  How long do you sit at a losing session before you roll up and call it a day?  Do you do multiple rebuys in a single day?

Being that I feel comfortable playing poker I know that there are variances to the game and I realy want to learn how to properly manage my bankroll.

Any information you feel like sharing would be a huge help.

[CrazyLond]

I think the most profitable game depends solely own your own skill in the game, psychology and bankroll.  I'm sure the best players at 60/120 are probably the biggest winners in the house but another player might lose at that game while making a steady profit playing 20/40.  I am purely a recreational player so I can't give a lot of advice about playing professionally from personal experience.  Having said that, I've read countless articles, books, blogs and other media about it.

I think most pros would recommend you play as long as the game is profitable for you based on the other players, your own mindset at the time any any other relevant factors.  You should leave whenever it is not or when there is a better opportunity available.  Of course, this is always a subjective judgment but it's important to try and make an honest assessment.  Being multiple buyins deep shouldn't be a reason to leave unless you judge that has generated enough negative emotion that you can no longer play profitably...likewise, you shouldn't quit after being up $X because that is your goal for the day or because you are altering your game not to lose back what you won.  Having a goal like that is always a bad idea because then if you start losing you might end up playing recklessly to get even or reach that goal.  Even as a recreational player, I can recognize times I was not playing well and should have left along with other times I left while I clearly had an edge in the game and should not have.

Making a living at 5/150 doesn't seem likely to me.  There may be a few people who claim they do but most have either some sort of passive income or help from someone else to be able to do only that.  The dynamic of the game changes substantially at different times and days.  If all games were similar to the Fri/Sat night games, it would be more possible but you would probably want at least 30 full buy-ins for your bankroll along with 6+ months of liquid living expenses before you gave it a shot.

If you do, be sure to let us know how it goes.  Good luck.

[Cake]

Well I played both nights after work (Fri and Sat) this week and did pretty good.  Fri was a dry card night and managed to only go -$25 for the night while sat was much better with +$500.

Gonna give it a go for the day shift on Sun and let you know how it goes.

[Xisiqomelir]

Anyone who can soundly beat the 5-150 and wanted to play live as their sole source of income would do better off moving a little North and playing 10/20 at the Bell or Venetian, imo.

[gregski]

5-150 is easy.  I had a guy show me his hand (QQ) on the turn and then call my $150.00 bet on the river on a 444JK Board. I had 45o for the win.  I also cracked his AA with 37o.  It was a good night.

[Cake]

Anyone who can soundly beat the 5-150 and wanted to play live as their sole source of income would do better off moving a little North and playing 10/20 at the Bell or Venetian, imo.

I am nowhere near ready to play poker as my sole source of income as of yet.  I am seriously looking into playing semi-pro untill I can build up my bankroll sufficiently to possibly go full time.  I am intersted in playing games that will build my bankroll the fastest.

So far I had a good week playing 5-150. 

[Cake]

I noticed some holes in my game. I have been talking to some regulars to pick thier brains on ideas on how to stay focused at the table while keeping a relaxed atmosphere. 

I can get loose after a euphoric rush of some big hands that can cause me to loosen my game up more then I should, in effect causing me to bleed chips back that I should not be donating.

I guess most of what I have to learn needs to just come from expierience and self critique.  I am always open for critique of my game play if you ever play against me.  I would love some feedback both positive or neg.

See you guys on Fri.

[Xisiqomelir]

I noticed some holes in my game. I have been talking to some regulars to pick thier brains on ideas on how to stay focused at the table while keeping a relaxed atmosphere. 

I can get loose after a euphoric rush of some big hands that can cause me to loosen my game up more then I should, in effect causing me to bleed chips back that I should not be donating.

I guess most of what I have to learn needs to just come from expierience and self critique.  I am always open for critique of my game play if you ever play against me.  I would love some feedback both positive or neg.

See you guys on Fri.

I'm the unshaved degen in the world's ugliest hoody! I think I'm going to play 3-9 Fri/Sat this weekend unless my friend calls me.

[DGK1186]

Does anyone else think these games are getting nittier?  Maybe it was just my tables but the last 2 weekends players have been so tight/passive!

[Cake]

I had a horrible weekend due to my own faults.  Friday I had a Royal Flush shoved up my ass, though I got away cheap as I only had Broadway.  I played well up till the very end when I tried to chase a flush draw down to 5Th street causing me to lose $300.  Nobody to blame but me on that stupidity.  Tried to justify it to my self by thinking I should end the night with a big positive and I was pure ego that bit me in the ass when I damn well knew better then to go chasing it.

Sun was good as I made ~800 on Sunday.  Then Monday I lost my mind trying to stay to long and proceded to lose 1100 throwing good money after bad trying to get back to even before I left....


I was sick the next day, as I knew I had now screwed myself out of playing for the next 6 weeks.  I guess its a less I wont soon forget.

[DGK1186]

Why for 6 weeks?  Looks like you only lost $600 for the weekend which is less than 2 buy-ins.  I can see why the $1100 loss would slow you down a bit but you had a good day on Sunday!  Don't get too down on yourself, everyone has made mistakes like that!