Bankroll to Get Started at 2-4 LHE
I have spent many years away from live poker and have mostly been playing online micro-stakes No-Limit Hold'em. I used to be an avid Limit Hold'em player back in the day and I am thinking about transitioning from playing online No-Limit to live Limit. My bankroll has about $1000 right now so I know that I am nowhere near where I would need to be to play No-Limit live but was wondering if this would be enough to get things going at 2-4 Limit Hold'em. It equals out to 200 big bets.
Also, side question, if anyone know an online site (accessible to USA) where I could play some micro-stakes Limit Hold'em, I'd appreciate it if you point me in that direction. Everything is so focused on No-Limit. I miss the old days where you could actually find other games.
11 Replies
These small stakes games are very hard to beat with rake structure. So if you can shot take higher do it. My general advice for a long term bankroll is 300x the big blind
Totally agree with NFS. My local takes 4+2 so I can barely beat 4/8. The 3/6 is pretty unbeatable.
I would try 4/8 if available, 10 BI swings happen, so would try to have $2.5-3k BR to start. I think 300x4(4/8 BB)=1.2k is too risky may result in scared money. If you are running bad you can't drop down in stakes like the wizards here playing 20/40+, where the 300 BB rule probably makes more sense.
Thanks for the replies. What you both have said makes a lot of sense. I thought about the rake as a barrier, so you both reinforced that for me. I guess, I'll just have to keep grinding the micro's to build up bankroll. I may be running into the same rake issues there though, so it may be more realistic for me to just save up money from my job till I have more money to take a shot with.
I ignored the advice and played some $2-4 over the weekend. The rake was outrageous as was commented. It was $2 on the flop, and $1 when the pot was $20, $30, $40, and $50. Left down like $33, but would have probably been a winner if the rake was lower. Wanted to post a comment to reinforce the advice that was given incase another player stumbles along and finds this thread and thinks "How bad could it be?". Let me tell you it is, so just follow the advice that was given and move along now...hahaha.
Totally agree with NFS. My local takes 4+2 so I can barely beat 4/8. The 3/6 is pretty unbeatable. I would try 4/8 if available, 10 BI swings happen, so would try to have $2.5-3k BR to start. I think 300x4(4/8 BB)=1.2k is too risky may result in scared money. If you are running bad you can't drop down in stakes like the wizards here playing 20/40+, where the 300 BB rule proba
As I understand it, the 300 BB rule refers to 300 big bets, not 300 big blinds.
Also, I'm not sure it's helpful to talk about 10 BI swings in a limit game without defining a buy-in. At 4/8 the minimum buy-in is $40, most players buy in for $100 (one rack of $1 chips), but some buy in for more or less than that.
I agree that $4/$8 is likely the lowest live limit stake that is still beatable with a $4 + $2 drop.
I ignored the advice and played some $2-4 over the weekend. The rake was outrageous as was commented. It was $2 on the flop, and $1 when the pot was $20, $30, $40, and $50. Left down like $33, but would have probably been a winner if the rake was lower. Wanted to post a comment to reinforce the advice that was given incase another player stumbles along and finds this thread and
I mean, I think it’s fine to play just so you can get used to the flow of playing live limit, with the expectation that you’re going to get screwed over by the rake. I would just quickly graduate to 4/8 or preferably 8/16. I think that 8/16 is probably the lowest game worth playing for limit, and there’s plenty of edge to be had at that level with moderate game selection.
Not so much worried about players outplaying you, but rather pot size being too small when people play tight. Five players to a flop on most pots is a good rule of thumb for a decent game.
Yeah, I have been thinking about continuing to play. The game was just so soft especially with people chasing a high hand jack pot. There would be 5-6 limpers, and then I would raise with a good hand on the button, and everyone would sign and just call. Won a few big pots when everyone missed their draws. Although the rake is high, I think that there is a lot of dead money in each pot to sort of counteract the effect. At least that's what I hope. I am just tired of playing online and looking at my screen. It is so much more enjoyable to sit at a table and experience the atmosphere. My goal is to build up to $4-8 as quick as possible. I haven't really seen anyone games offered higher in my area. At that point I may have to make the transition over to No-Limit.
Edit: I think I played well overall, but I definitely made a few errors that cost me some money. For example, I completely missed a 3 to a strait on the board and didn't take it into consideration, and I may have pushed it a little far with playing tired because on one of the last hands of the night I thought I had a pair of Queens with a King kicker, when I actually had KJ in the hole and didn't even have a pair, whoops...lol.
you need an infinite bankroll because the game is unbeatable with rake. even 4/8 is probably not beatable for more than $2 an hour, so when you factor in gas money its a waste of time.
I HAVE NEVER!!!!!! UNDERSTOOD THIS IDIOTIC THINKING????? THE RAKE, THE RAKE....IF YOU PLAY CORRECTLY THE RAKE HAS NO REAL SIGNIFICANCE! IF UR CONSTANTLY PLAYING 5-9 HANDED RAISED POTS!! AND AS FOR THE RAKE DRAINING THE MONEY OFF THE TABLE.....THERE IS A LIST...A LITERAL LINE OF PEOPLE WAITING TO COME AND SIT DOWN AT THE TABLE WITH NEW MONEY....AS OP NOTED...THERE IS A LOT OF DEADMONEY IN THESE GAMES PEOPLE LIMPING WITH GARBAGE AND THEN PLAYING BADLY AFTERWARDS....4/8 IS BEATABLE.
Yes, it was just said that 4/8 is beatable even with the rake, but that 2/4 probably isn't.
What place is spreading a 2/4 LHE now anyway? I haven't seen anything that low for many years.
