I've been into poker now for about 6 months. Started with play money for a few months, then on to freerolls. I have been getting better, and most recently came in 2nd at the Rounders Reefer freeroll last week. I have managed to accumulate about $175 at various poker rooms and have not spent it.

My question is, should i next move into small buyin tournaments, or move to small stakes (.01/.02 .05/.10) cash ring games. Or keep grinding and learning at the freerolls?

The few times that i tried a cash game or buyin tournament, I have been crushed. Is there a different strategy for these? What might be a good source of information for me to "step" up my game, besides listening to you guys on the radio ( and hey thanks, i am learning a lot from your shows!)

I've been into poker now for about 6 months. Started with play money for a few months, then on to freerolls. I have been getting better, and most recently came in 2nd at the Rounders Reefer freeroll last week. I have managed to accumulate about $175 at various poker rooms and have not spent it.

My question is, should i next move into small buyin tournaments, or move to small stakes (.01/.02 .05/.10) cash ring games. Or keep grinding and learning at the freerolls?

The few times that i tried a cash game or buyin tournament, I have been crushed. Is there a different strategy for these? What might be a good source of information for me to "step" up my game, besides listening to you guys on the radio ( and hey thanks, i am learning a lot from your shows!)

Well firstly I`d say congratulations because you`ve already got a great handle on one of the most important aspects of poker, bankroll management. So many players win a few $$$ here and there and rush into playing games their bankroll can`t handle and subsequently lose everything. Taking your time and building up that roll is going to pay off in the future for you.

With that roll you could easily afford to start to play $1 and $2 tournies especially if you`re selective about the games you play. I`d suggest playing games with relatively small fields <100. Games of this size give you a much better chance of cashing and a basic TAG style will often get you deep and quite often take you into the money. Also games like the Rounders ones with money added make great value.

Sngs would also be a great option. Again you easily have enough to play $2 games. The great thing about sngs is that you can pretty much play them to a formula and there`s plenty of information out there that will help you get a winning style. They`re also great practice for MTT play, specifically final table play and short-stack play both of which are invaluable skills.

You`re pretty much on the money with your stakes for cash games. There`s no doubt that cash games are one of, if not the most profitable option available. However they`re a very different animal to tournies and to the tables you`ll have sat at when playing play money.


All that being said there would be nothing wrong with continuing to practice your play in the freerolls. Especially if you feel uncomfortable when playing a buy-in. Every player is going to develop at their own rate. That applies not only to skill but to the level that you play at.

In all honesty you`re going to find a lot of the players that frequent the freerolls also play the low buy-ins so whilst I`d say the overall skill level will be higher it shouldn`t be hugely different. A solid strategy should get you deep a lot of the time. You said you were crushed when you played buy-ins. Were you outplayed? Were you nervous and because of that not playing your best? Your mental attitude will affect your play. I think that`s one of the reasons some great tournament players don`t play cash that well. In an MTT you pay your buy-in and know that unless you go deep your money is gone. In a cash game you`ve got a pile of your own money in front of you that you know you can get up and walk away with at any time. I speak from personal experience, I can buy into a $10 MTT or sng and just play my game. If I sit at a NLHE cash table with that same $10 I`m not nearly as comfortable. Same amount of money but it just has a different effect on me mentally.

As for good sources of info, there`s the forum here and there are a ton of other sites that have good strategy articles on them. There are a multitude of great books you could read and quite a few DVDs on the market.

im with you on leaving the freerolls viva la freeroll such a easier more pradictable game

thanks for the feedback dangermouse

Yep U Started Out Great Stay Away From The Cash Games