i have been a "low limit" player for about a year and a half now. i am not ashamed to admit most of my tournaments and SnG's fall in the $5 - $20 range. in cash games i stick to the lower buy-n NL games (.5-1) and i still bonus whore at the 1/2 limit tables. my bankroll grows steadily, and im focused on learning the game thru books and other sources.

<SPAN>questions:</SPAN>
- can playing too much low limit/buy-in games cause you to pick-up bad habits?

- can you ever be a great player if you dont play the big (at least bigger) money games?

- can constantly playing against inexperienced players make a me a bad player? (who can, oddly enough, slowly still make a little money)

i recently started playing in the <SPAN>P5's Poker League</SPAN> that supermoves set-up. so far it has been a great learning experience. i am also finding out that my play is not quite up to the level of alot of the fellow P5 league members.

it seems the style that pays me off at low buy-in games doesnt work well against them. i know i've made moves that have made these guys think i am a donkey.

<SPAN>last night for instances:</SPAN> (blinds are low), I raise early with AA, and it folds around to BB who reraises. i go ahead and push all in for what is a MASSIVE overbet. he folds. this move works fine in $5/$10 SnG's, but here i looked the fool. i had him isolated and i blew him out of the pot. (he had AK .. doh!!)

in low buy-in games suck-outs are a constant threat. i've become "paranoid" of them to the point that i find it very hard to extract chips with a good hand, because i just "know" it will get nailed on a later street. i routinely make pot-sized raises with the nuts, just to take the pot down now. i rarely bluff at good bluffable boards because i "know" someone will call down who probably shouldnt. i am also highly focused on my cards and have a knack for bluffing (when i do) into opponents with great hands. all this comes from my low buy-in experience.

in other words, i am playing bad poker ....

<SPAN>bottom line:</SPAN>
- is it mandatory to move-up (in limits/buy-ins) to be any good?

- do i need to have my ass handed to me at larger buy-ins to take my game to the next level?

<SPAN>side note:</SPAN>
<SPAN>thanks again to supermoves for setting up the league. i enjoy learning from the better players and hopefully i can look less like a fish outta water the more i play with all of you</SPAN>.

Great post; am curious to hear the responses as I'm in a similar boat.

I'm a winning low stakes player as well and I try very desperately while I'm playing to recognize a move I'm making because I know the other person is a fish and deliniate it from a move I'd make against a stronger opponent; but unfortunately the move I'd "typically" make isn't one that happens very often because of the weak opponents I normally play with.

For me, and I hope I'm right, you just always want to adapt to the players at the table you're at. Even at the low buy-ins there are a pretty wide array of players from super-fish up to pretty solid. So the moves you're making should be tailored to the particular opponent(s). If there aren't any solid players at all at your tables, I want to know where you're playing :)

Hopefully you aren't in a habit of assuming everyone is a fish because most of the people are fish. this assumption is profitable if you're playing with mostly fish, because usually you're right about your "read", but you're also losing a lot of money that you shouldn't because you ignore the fact that one or two of the people at your table are actually pretty good. Get in the habit of identifying who's who even at your fishy tables and it'll serve you when you play at tables where higher and higher percentages of the people are strong players.

That said, I'm sure there's some truth to the thought that you just have to dive in to the next level to learn. The progression that seems typical is learn to beat the stakes your playing at consistently and build a bankroll which is comfortable for the next level up and then start playing that. You'll take your lumps but since you've built a big enough bank roll you'll have time to learn it. rinse and repeat.

GL!
Bill

Hey rejact..I actually think the Leauge is about the best thing that could happen for low limit players and here is why. Although the league buy-ins are not expensive, most of the members play MUCH higher limits. I routinly see people like BigGunX in $50 and $100 tourneys, Muchaka plays a lot too and that is probably the smallest he plays...the reason that they play in the league is that it is a fun, friendly atmosphere. So for very little money, you are able to play with very skilled players, who you otherwise would have to put up much more $$ to play with. Now, this is not true for ALL the league members of course, but for quite a few. Just something to keep in mind!

thanks for the great replies guys .... if your interested in talkin lower buy-in poker and moving up.....

my AIM: <span>rushpoker
</span>email:<span> rushpoker@bluebottle.com

</span>i guess i am at a cross roads because my bankroll is big enough to play higher buy-ins, i just have to gear myself up to take my lumps. it took awhile to accumulate a roll but i want to get better and play better players.

well timed aggression is the key. unfortunetly, the "well timed" part is giving me the most trouble.

taking shots or chances at appropriate moments is somthing i have to work on. i remeber reading a qoute in card player that makes alot of sense to me now:

<span>"a good poker player has to have a healthy disregard for money"
</span>
originally this quote sounded wrong to me, but i think the meaning behind it is that worring about the amount of money on the table will only stand in the way of making the proper moves to make the most profit off a hand.