5/10 Initial Impressions

SirFWALGMan · #1 11-22-04, 04:48 PM

I have now been playing 5/10 for over a week and I find it kind of frustrating. Some of it is because of my attitude probably. However I have only posted one win in the past week. I am up 20BB for the whole week. I am not too dissapointed. It could be worse.

Most nights at 5/10 seem to be huge swings. If you think about it this makes sense. For some reason it just looks weird. If I am playing 1 hand at 5/10 and I have $250 on the table it takes at least $40 to play it passively, and maybe up to two or three times that to play it aggressive. For instance last night. KK dealt to me. I Raise pre-flop ($10). I bet out on the flop ($5), bet the turn ($10) and the river which is raised and I call (maybe a mistake) ($20). So and average hand is 1/5 of my stack. My KK was beaten by a 69 straight which was made on the river.

So if I get sucked out 2-3 times I am basically out a buyin. Or close to it. At the 5/10 level I find this bothers me more. In addition the past week has been really bad and I have had swings of $500 down and up. Really hard to adjust to.

The 5/10 level seems to be much more aggresive and into bluffs. I started out being all huffy and saying "I will not allow myself to be bluffed". I think this is the wrong way to be. Play tight. Bet your good hands. Fold your garbage even if you think it is winning. Who cares if you fold you blinds to an attempted steal too much. Is this too much in the other direction?

I think in my last session, which was the one that put me up, I found my inner self and played a decent game. If the flop was coordinated and I had overcards then I folded. No chasing. I did do my share of bluffing, but not a huge amount. I did make a few mistakes. One of the worse was then the flop gave me 2nd pair and two to a flush. Three people in, and everyone is raising. I did not let this go. It ended up that the first guy had AK of my J high flush, and the other guy lucked into 9-10. I thought they might have both been on the flush draw. However it was too much money to continue on with 2nd pair. I should have folded when I said to myself "You should fold".

So if you go up realize there is much bluffing and gnashing of teeth. Wait your turn. Do not lose your patients. There are TONS of fish at 5/10. I do not care what anyone says. If you consistantly play every hand you are a fish. If you play A3 with a raise in EP you are being a fish. 5/10 is infested with fish. It is also alot more aggressive so just realize this, and stick to what has gotten you there. I am sure that there are adjustments that need to be made in order to win huge at this level. I will figure them out and experiment somewhat, but my game is decent and I cannot let myself get off my game because people around me play differently.

In a bunch more hands I am sure I will have a different viewpoint into the game. Hopefully I start beating it regularly. I will keep you posted on my progress.

Talking Poker · #2 11-22-04, 06:36 PM

Just wanted to make a few comments, in no particulr order (keep in mind 95% of my play is 5/10 and higher).

-Try thinking of your bankroll in terms of chips and bets, not $. If you do this, you will see that it's basically the same as playing at any other level. Yes, 2-3 big suckouts can cost you a good chunk of your buy-in, but tht's true at any level if you buy in for the recommended amount.

-Lose that whole "I will not let myself get bluffed" attitude. It WILL cost you a fortune. Just play your best game. Let go of your blinds to steal attempts if you don't have a hand worth playing. If you do, play back at the guy and reraise.

-Especialy against multiple oppenents, be really careful chasing when you could be drawing dead. This is true for any level of play, of course.

-There are indeed tons and tons and tons of fish at the 5/10 level.

-Stop playing A3. Early position? Raise? Forget that - stop playing it all together. It is a trash hand. Of course you can raise with it from the button if everyone folds to you, but you could raise with almost anything in that position, right? Certainly never, ever call a raise with it from any position - not even th BB. All it's going to do is get you in trouble.

Hopefully this will help a litle bit. Keep playing a solid game and keep your head and you'll win. I look forward to reading more of your progress reports, and hopefully playing with you sometime down the road...

Tilter · #3 11-22-04, 07:01 PM

Im slowly building my bankroll on PP. I have enough to support 1/2, possibly 2/4. hopefully ill keep moving up! Maybe 5/10 will be in my reach soon

Defendant · #4 11-22-04, 09:24 PM

Is it me or does 250 seem very low for a buyin at 5-10? I like to give myself at LEAST 100 big blinds to buy into a game, so that would be 500$ buyin at that game.

Defendant

BrianSwa · #5 11-22-04, 09:58 PM

yea 250 seems real low I dont even take less then $300 with me to a 3/6 table but good luck at that 5/10!!!

Aequitas58 · #6 11-22-04, 10:51 PM

This was discussed on RSB a while ago. (Many times, actually.) Do you need 100 BB to *comfortably* sit at a limit game? No. I think 250 is certainly adequate, unless you are a really loose/aggressive player. Or a maniac.

Aequitas58 · #7 11-22-04, 10:53 PM

Ok, I find this so unreasonable. You don't sit with LESS than $300 for a $3/6 table? Are you talking about No Limit!?

$300 for a limit 3/6 game. LOL.

ChipFish · #8 11-22-04, 10:55 PM

$250 should be more than adequate.
I was buying in for $300 at the CNE Casino in Toronto.
I never had to touch $200 of it at any point.
Mind you that game is just a joke. Think Party Poker but takes longer.

Talking Poker · #9 11-22-04, 11:10 PM

Sit with whatever you want. The standard ($250) is fine as long as you are prepared to reload if you drop below $100 or so... That's what I always do. Some guys sit with their entire bankroll, but I think that's a tell.

BrianSwa · #10 11-22-04, 11:49 PM

i dont sit in with 300 in chips i just like to have 300 when i go to the game so that if i hit bad run i can rebuy in comfortabley and not play with short stack if you missunderstood sorry!

BrianSwa · #11 11-22-04, 11:50 PM

i usually buy in with $100 in the limit game and have the extra $200 in bankroll sorry i wasnt more clear about that!

Aequitas58 · #12 11-22-04, 11:52 PM

Don't sorry about it man. Misunderstanding.

BrianSwa · #13 11-23-04, 12:08 AM

i must admit sitting down at a 3/6 with $300 dollars worth of chips is just silly i can see it now at live table with all white chips lol

drewjax · #14 11-23-04, 03:34 AM

Just a clarification question, when I see people referring to BB, I always thought this was BIG BETS i.e. $10 @ stakes of $5/$10. Are most of you talking about it as Big Blinds, or $5 at those same tables. I usually try to sit with 40-50 big bets, or 80-100 big blinds, in a limit ring game.

Is there a universal code for BB, or are we all talking about 2 different things.
Thanks.

ChipFish · #15 11-23-04, 08:45 AM

BB= Big bet.

SirFWALGMan · #16 11-23-04, 09:31 AM

I think you might be right. However in the lower levels I hardly ever busted out with the initial buyin. Lately in the higher level of 5/10 I seem to do it more often. Instead of thinking of it as a huge problem, I should just be ready to buyin one more time and win it back. It would be nice to have a night where I start out ahead! Maybe tonight is the one!

Talking Poker · #17 11-23-04, 10:41 AM

Correct.