$10NL Players

I come from playing $50 & 100NL for over a year, but after just 10K hands at $10NL, I've come to the conclusion that many of these players are a completely different breed that deserve to be in a category all by themselves.

I still remember playing $2-$5NL and watching these fish stack-off with just TPTK or even TPWK. Having 2-pair+ was usually golden at these ultra-micro levels. My bankroll grew so fast at these lower levels that I completely passed by $10NL and went straight to $20-25NL. And even then, I probably only played a mere 50K hands before moving up again, permanently. But, I do admit that there was a huge learning curve and I pretty much broke even for about 3 months after before really taking off.

Going back to these $10NL players, I have never seen so many players doing so many different things in my life. I have been Tighty McNit too, not bluffing at many pots but still aggressively taking it down when I think I have the best hand. ABC poker, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Problem is, I can't get a read on these players to save my life! I never know what the hell they're holding, and it's got me completely paranoid. I swear, it was much easier for me to put players on ranges at $100NL than it is $10NL. And I'm only VP$IP about $12% of the time down here, as opposed to almost twice that at $100NL.

I'm not talking about bad beats. I'm not bitching about negative variance. It's like these $10NL players are the breeding grounds for those trying out every freakin' strategy known to man - and they're doing it almost every hand at every table I'm at.

Am I losing my mind? Does anyone have any insight or similar experience as to what the hell is going on down at this level? Must be something in the water...

At any rate, I've gone back to playing SnG's for a bit 'till I get my head screwed back on tight.

I have found preflop you can only put the nits on a range. Even the rather tight players will play some hands that are just garbage at times. And yes I agree TPTK+ is generally golden at 10nl, as they will stack with TPDK,TPWK without hesitation (most of them).

One thing I've learned on Stars at 10nl is that alot of players limp/fold or limp/call,fold to c-bet like it's a religion. And this makes raising marginal hands in the CO/BU with semi-tight blinds almost instinct.

Also if you hit a hand don't worry about figuring out how much would be incorrect for them to call if they were on so and so draw etc. Just pot every street with your big hands, and if they are on a draw and willing to pay any bit they will pay full price to see it.

Well, maybe it's more the site I was at (Cake). I have noticed the players at Stars are more fishy at this level, oddly enough.

While playing $10NL, I don't even try to put players on ranges. I use general betting patterns to determine if I'm ahead. I usually bet 1/2 of the pot on every street. If I'm called, I'm usually ahead with TPTK . If I'm raised, I'm usually behind with TPTK. It's not perfect, but it works pretty good when you don't have any reads.

Originally Posted by poker_pup

While playing $10NL, I don't even try to put players on ranges.

Maybe this is part of the problem. C-betting at awry flops, even in position, has been a nightmare as well. I'm still ahead in terms of bankroll, but it's still a concern because I fully expected to crush this level - mostly because I was crushing $50NL+ for over a year. Eh, back to the daily grind I guess...

Originally Posted by Mezza Morta

C-betting at awry flops, even in position, has been a nightmare as well.

At $10NL, C-betting with air only works if you are OBVIOUSLY ahead at the table.

You were probably crushing $50NL with a good TAG game. My LAG style gets crushed at $50NL, but it creams $10NL.

I havent played higher than 25NL and due to poor bankroll management am currently on the bubble between 5NL and 10NL, but doin it right this time. And I feel you man. I have finally gotten to where I can take down 5NL and build a roll, but every single freaking time I take a shot at 10NL that all goes down the drain. I play my same TAGG game, keep my nose clean and try to get as many reads as I can. But these guys are total loons, lol.

10NL at stars is just killing me. It's like some damn monkey on my back and although your post gives me hope, I am not convinced that I just don't plain suck. Struggling at 10NL is killing my confidence. I tell u what , If I ever do finally play up through to 25NL by beating 10NL lookout. Cause surviving this level seems like a war of attrition more than anything else sometimes

I've played ~9k hands at 10nl and I have found it to be very beatable. What I found is that overpairs are not always good. If a person is like 40/2 or something you're probably good, but against a 9/4 nit on a dry board facing a reraise you're usually not good. Also min check reraises on the flop are certain death and preflop reraises are also death. The games are noticeably easier if you play when the Euro players are on. These people are donkies and will draw to anything and your TPTK is almost always good against these people. Just value bet the hell out of them.