Limit / No Limit?

[studmuffin]

Here's a general question I'd like everyone's input on: Do you play limit or no limit?

I started playing poker online semi-seriously about 6 months ago purely for bonus whoring purposes after having pretty much exhausted the casino bonuses I could do. I realized that the poker bonuses are more sustainable in the long run than the casinos. So, I looked at the average clearance rates on bonuswhores.com, and talked to some people, and determined that limit was the fastest way to clear the bonuses.

But now, after having played small-stakes limit holdem for a while (and having read the internet boards a lot), I'm beginning if no limit might be a better choice. Here's my reasoning:

According to some, limit holdem was where beginners started out until about 2003. Then no limit kind of exploded and everyone wanted to play that.

So now someone who knows absolutely nothing about poker just automatically goes and plays no limit right away because that's what everyone else seems to be doing.

As a result, the newbies are all playing no limit (in general), and the limit games are mostly filled with NITty bonuswhores, especially around the 1/2 to 3/6 range.

So here's what I want to know:
Do you agree/disagree with my assessment? What do you play and how do you like it?

I really want to make the transition from bonus whore to skilled poker player, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to make my efforts pay off.

[iamkidpoker]

FIrst off, glad to see more people bonus whoring on the poker rooms. If you ever want to know the best poker rooms now to bonus whore and low or high limits, start a thread about what limits you play and i will let you know.
second off, I hope you are always playing with a bonus. even if you have played at every poker rooms for the initial deposit bonus. I know of reload bonuses I can get you that will be enough to never play with out a bonus. And the rake at all of them have to bet .50 or less to count.

For clearing bonuses, limit is much faster because the pace is faster. Also, playing limit for a good player is almost automatic so you can play more tables. THe players at lower limits like 2/4 and lower are really bad at limit on all of the bigger poker rooms. SO playing these you will make more per hour on clearing bonuses by playing more tables and faster play.

Now some poker rooms like ultimate bet, the poker network poker rooms, etc. the higher rake you get the more it goes towards clearing the bonus. So by playing NL tables at 1/2 to 4/8 will clear rake faster than playing limit with more tables at lower limits.

But the key is to learn what game you are the best at and what limit you play the best at. I had a talk with hilbert when i was helping him out and gave him some help on knowing your game and what limit you play the best at. sometimes people make more money at lower limits than higher limits.

[speedealer]

According to some, limit holdem was where beginners started out until about 2003. Then no limit kind of exploded and everyone wanted to play that.

Before the explosion, all casino ring game poker was limit only. Except tournements. The casinoes assumed that big bet poker would dry up the games to quick.


So now someone who knows absolutely nothing about poker just automatically goes and plays no limit right away because that's what everyone else seems to be doing.

Thats what they have seen on tv. Newbies want to be able to say " all in. "


Do you agree/disagree with my assessment? What do you play and how do you like it?

I personally prefer pot limit to anything no limit. I cut my teeth on limit games, so I don't mind these games either.
I play alot of different games, to keep it fresh. Any form of poker can get boring after a while. My favorite games in order are : Seven Card Stud/8, Pot Limit Omaha, Limit Omaha/8, Seven Card Stud.
I do think my earn is cut by not playing more Hold Em, but it is such a boring game to me that usually the only time I play it is in HORSE.

On the net there are always games going 24/7/365, so you can find whatever you are looking for.

I personally think Pot limit Omaha is the game of the future.

speedealer

[hilbert]

personally.. i hate limit.. mainly because i just don't get the strategy and it doesn't work with my style of play.

with regards to bonus whoring.. one thing i found out is omaha is great for it. the pots get so large that you can play at lower limits.. and i think that if you master that game.. you'll make more money than hold'em because overall the players are worse.. but that is just my opinion.

and about what kid said with regards to limits.. i can attest to it. i was playing at .25/.50 limits and was playing scared. scared to make a big raise, scared to push people around and i was losing big pots.. and winning little pots. i played at mansion.. lost my first $50, then deposited another $40 and had it down to $20 when i had a chat with kid about my limits.. so i moved down to .10/.20 and in about 5-6 hours of playing i have turned that 20 into $160. given the players at mansion are really soft.. but.. still.. i am playing a lot better at the lower limits.. i'm also playing smarter.. but i would credit that to being comfortable with risking more money.

anyhow.. if you want to rape bonuses i'd say learn omaha.. if you want to make money playing poker and become a better player, NL is the only answer to me. that is where are the big tournies are.. fame awaits you in NL.

BOL at the tables stud.

[speedealer]

The only reason I would want fame is the free drinks and pussy that come with it, otherwise i would take anonymity over fame, especially at the card table. Why do you think the big name pros don't play under their real names at the internet poker rooms they don't represent?

Limit / No limit, it really comes down to $$, and what the player likes playing. This game is supposed to be fun ? Isn't it.

speedealer

[speedealer]

I really want to make the transition from bonus whore to skilled poker player, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to make my efforts pay off.

I would recommend " The theory of poker " by Sklansky. Only because it makes you think about the reasoning behind the plays that make. But I personally hate his writing style among other things.

speedealer

[speedealer]

No limit is hours upon hours of boredom - Followed by seconds of sheer terror.

Forget who originally made this quote. But it sums it up nicely.

speedealer

[studmuffin]

Originally Posted by speedealer

I would recommend " The theory of poker " by Sklansky. Only because it makes you think about the reasoning behind the plays that make. But I personally hate his writing style among other things.

speedealer

I've got that one on my Christmas list. I'm going to dedicate this Christmas break to improving my game, and part of it is reading books like that and applying the information at the tables.

[hilbert]

Originally Posted by speedealer

No limit is hours upon hours of boredom - Followed by seconds of sheer terror.

Forget who originally made this quote. But it sums it up nicely.

speedealer

i agree with the quote completely. made me chuckle too.

[speedealer]

I've got that one on my Christmas list. I'm going to dedicate this Christmas break to improving my game, and part of it is reading books like that and applying the information at the tables.

Been a long time since i read a Sklansky book. But I think ' Theory Of Poker ' is probably the best poker book I have ever read.

The only No limit book I have ever read though is ' No Limit and Pot limit Poker ' by Stewart Rueben and Bob Ciaffone. I liked it alot because of the multitude of games they went over at the time. But it was kind of meant for a different era of poker, it might be a little outdated now though.

But even now the PLO section is worth it's weight in gold.

speedealer