Stopped playing Micro Cash Games Last Year

[pocketacesbeast]

I think I got discouraged as a beginner. I got too obsessed with my profit margin instead of just grinding and getting experience. The more I learned, the worse I got. Poker Tracker seemed to make me worse! Anyone had similar experience?

 

[Flyer35]

100% exactly the same. I'm usually a BIG proponent of education, but where poker is concerned it always seemed to work against me. Same thing with Poker Tracker - the more info I had, the worse I got. I think the problem is every hand is different. Throw the element of luck in and it all comes down to 'feel'.

 

[Igor G]

I stopped playing cash games a long time ago because they brought me only disappointment. Instead, I started playing freerolls and buy-in tournaments. Gradually, my results started to please me, my bankroll started to grow and I started to play better, more patiently and disciplined.

 

[Sunz of Beaches]

Cash games are tougher than tournaments because it's the real poker and every decision will count towards winrate.

If u learn correctly and dedicate urself to something u should normally get better at it.

 

[WrongUsername]

glad u stopped playing the micros and paying rake for the sites, smart decision.

 

[Sunz of Beaches]

glad u stopped playing the micros and paying rake for the sites, smart decision.

There are decent winrates possible on micro limits despite the high rake.

But I know I know: Just ur usual "I randomly hate on sites." 😄

 

[Mario7]

Interesting. My impression is quite oposite. In cash games (NL2) I have managed to improve and even slightly beat the rake. In tournaments I find it much harder - they are much more random, usually stacks get shallow too fast, I find the variance getting crazy much more often

 

[Flyer35]

Interesting. My impression is quite oposite. In cash games (NL2) I have managed to improve and even slightly beat the rake. In tournaments I find it much harder - they are much more random, usually stacks get shallow too fast, I find the variance getting crazy much more often

Been there, but then realized (for me anyway) that grinding away at cash tables was a LOT of work for relatively little return. The starting chips and blind setup for the Cardschat tourneys at Replay are very conducive to relaxed play.

 

[Mario7]

Been there, but then realized (for me anyway) that grinding away at cash tables was a LOT of work for relatively little return. The starting chips and blind setup for the Cardschat tourneys at Replay are very conducive to relaxed play.

Well, I put it this way: I grind in cash games, to loose in tourneys. At least so far it looks like this. I realize there is a potential in tourneys, though. I also find them quite fun.

 

[Flyer35]

Well, I put it this way: I grind in cash games, to loose in tourneys. At least so far it looks like this. I realize there is a potential in tourneys, though. I also find them quite fun.

Exactly what I used to do! Now I skip the 'grind in cash games' step.

 

[Mario7]

Exactly what I used to do! Now I skip the 'grind in cash games' step.

I will consider it as soon as I start winning in tourneys

 

[fullorfold]

I think I got discouraged as a beginner. I got too obsessed with my profit margin instead of just grinding and getting experience. The more I learned, the worse I got. Poker Tracker seemed to make me worse! Anyone had similar experience?

I think when you get a software that logs how you play and measure all hands it can be like something "you have to do" and that makes playing poker just..... playing poker? Sometimes i feel like im just siting there like some human shell just clicking, thinking about all info but i dont feel its so fun anymore if i do it to much, then i lose focus, then i lose pots, and at the end of the day did i just do it so i could log some volume in PT4?

I think that could be a cause why you feel you play worse with PT because it comes with pressure to play?

 

[Tadi]

It's all gambling and the luck factor often prevails, at least my impression is that.

 

[Margo17]

No, I've never experienced that. I think you were in a very good phase, and you got a bad variation and it affected you and you dealt with it. I think that could have been it, evolving will always have a return.

 

[fundiver199]

I dont really understand, how learning more strategy or using a tracker can be a problem. But if u dont have the drive to play, there are many other things, u can do with your time. You could also try tournaments and see, if you like them more.

 

[WinnersCircle]

You're not alone, I've coached many people who went through the same process. The tools don't make you worse, they show you how much you don't know, and all of the things you may not be considering. Poker is one of those things where the more you learn, the more you realize how much you don't know. Be open to the tools, make sure you do the slow learning stuff away from the tables where you're carefully weighting each component.

Someone else also alluded to making sure that you try different games and formats. Most people are just naturally more suited to certain formats.

 

[thedarkman]

I think I got discouraged as a beginner. I got too obsessed with my profit margin instead of just grinding and getting experience. The more I learned, the worse I got. Poker Tracker seemed to make me worse! Anyone had similar experience?

Cash games are a loss. At microstakes, the rake will eat you.

 

[fundiver199]

Cash games are a loss. At microstakes, the rake will eat you.

At microstakes the games are generally very soft, so its possible to overcome a relatively high rake. In my experience the real problem come, when you try to move up. Because at low stakes (25-50NL), games are much tougher already, and the rake is still just as high, as it is in the micros. A good rakeback program can help a lot though.

 

[Poker Orifice]

100% exactly the same. I'm usually a BIG proponent of education, but where poker is concerned it always seemed to work against me. Same thing with Poker Tracker - the more info I had, the worse I got. I think the problem is every hand is different. Throw the element of luck in and it all comes down to 'feel'.

the more info. you had, the worse you got? OMG Dude... you're killin' me.

Nice troll... you almost got me

 

[Sunz of Beaches]

the more info. you had, the worse you got? OMG Dude... you're killin' me.

Nice troll... you almost got me

Maybe he did not know how to use that new info, all those numbers, and started to play worse in certain Spots because of the Tracker?

Just a thought.

 

[Pavelmiyah]

Yes i also stop cash table. When i have good hand i cant earned but when bad i lost everything

 

[Poker Orifice]

Maybe he did not know how to use that new info, all those numbers, and started to play worse in certain Spots because of the Tracker?

Just a thought.

I suppose you're probably right.
One could just start by observing VP$IP and could go from there... perhaps read a paragraph or two on what 'the main numbers' represent (I would also assume that one is attempting to do something similar without having any numbers to look at... classifying players as certain types, or ones that are capable of certain things, aware of certain things (ie. ICM aware) right down to the most basic, 'loose or tight', 'passive or aggressive', etc. etc. etc.
The 'numbers' help us to adjust to players,... hopefully to help us to exploit their tendencies & weakness

 

[WrongUsername]

good choice micro cash games are your enemy.

 

[fundiver199]

I suppose you're probably right.
One could just start by observing VP$IP and could go from there... perhaps read a paragraph or two on what 'the main numbers' represent (I would also assume that one is attempting to do something similar without having any numbers to look at... classifying players as certain types, or ones that are capable of certain things, aware of certain things (ie. ICM aware) right down to the most basic, 'loose or tight', 'passive or aggressive', etc. etc. etc.
The 'numbers' help us to adjust to players,... hopefully to help us to exploit their tendencies & weakness

Exactly. It can definitely be overwhelming to have to much information on a HUD, and it can lead to bad decisions based on stats, that are still not accurate given the sample size. For instance we do not want to auto C-bet the flop, just because someone has folded to a flop C-bet 100% of the time, if its 1 out of 1 or 2 out of 2.

But if someone is new to using a HUD, then they can just begin with the simplest possible layout like maybe Player name, number of hands, stack size in BB, VPIP and PFR. And then once they have learned to use that, gradually add more stats. I have been using a HUD for many years, and I still prefer to keep it simply with just two lines.

 

[hardongear]

Cash games are a loss. At microstakes, the rake will eat you.

Idk I've found it pretty easy to go from $50 and 2nl full-ring to $500 and 10nl full-ring(takes 3-5+ months depending on ones volume). One is 100x better starting with $50 playing 2nl full-ring then they are playing freerolls and trying to go to $500. And if one can't afford to deposit and potentially $50 then they can't afford, don't have the mindset to be a winning player and should never be playing poker.

Not saying this is you it's not. I know you're a decent player and that you play mostly MTT's/SnG's. But sadly the majority of players cash players play 6 max to get more volume/number of hands per/hour. But that volume that get way high variance(then full-ring) and that then tilts them. Then they lose. Game selection when it comes to winning matters as much as anything else when it comes to poker.

I also double table.

When I play mainly cash I play mainly on pokerstars only. Site selection matters too.

PS....Op's problem seems to be he doesn't know how to adjust his play based on the HUD stats or he doesn't know how and what the HUD is really telling him so struggles to adjust his play.

Cheers!!!