PLO or NLHE - cash games
Posted by Thant0s
Posted by
Thant0s
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Gen. Poker
PLO or NLHE - cash games
These last weeks i've been playing both plo and nlhe cash games, trying to choose one of those to be my main format as I feel i can improve faster that way. I know everybody says to pick the one you like the most. So let's assume i like both equally: I'd love some input from more experienced players on the subject, as well as the state of the mid/high stakes state of both games. I believe that would help me a lot with my decision.
I've seen people say PLO is a less ''solved'' game, it's more complex and bigger edges are possible. Is this 100% true? Because this is one of the things that attracts me the most about PLO. The prospect of a nice winrate on higher stakes is something that I want to pursue... and not grinding a low winrate for rakeback mostly.
Meanwhile, rake is lower in NLHE, and variance isn't mind blowing. I've recently seen a graph on twoplustwo that was 250k$ under EV for 2014. Yeah. AIEV: 200k$, Profit Pre-RB: -50k$. That scared the hell out of me. One entire year of endless downswinging.
Maybe somebody can help me here with their opinions and views of what will the games be like in the future on both formats, as i'm really undecided here. I hope i created the thread in the right place too.
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I think NLHE would be the best choice for you. I am using an amazing add-on Leak Buster to improve my skill as well as my win-rate also. Study more to improve your skill in NLHE cash games.
Personally I was in the same boat a few months ago, then I opted for PLO at the start of the year since the games are way softer. Still play NLHE occasionally and watching videos; when and if I'll get to higher stakes I would like to be reasonably solid in both games.
If you are afraid of variance. PLO isn't your game and will give you a headache. PLO down swings can last a long time and NLHE ones won't. Some top pro's have had year downswing's in PLO but even worse is monthly down swings but losing 100 buy-ins. I've gone through 100k hand break even stretches.
Maybe some pro's have a high PLO win rate but they also pay for it in headaches and stressful times of the year so it doesn't seem as good as it sounds but I personally prefer PLO because it allows me to use my loose style while NLHE doesn't as much. I can handle the swings and in PLO you want to put in TONS of volume. I think if you are playing like 300k hands a year, it can be rough.
GodLikeRoy - a Huge PLO grinder who grinds the lower stakes said that last year or the year before out of the million hands he played, he had two or three 150k hand down swings or break even stretches. You can be a great player and still have long losing streaks in PLO.
I think NLHE is better for you if you can't handle high variance games. One day you will feel like you're the best player who ever lived and the next day, you may feel like the biggest fish ever. Sometimes those days go on for weeks to months. If you want more security but choose PLO. Have a big bankroll and you will have more security for yourself. 100-250 buy-ins. I feel like 100 buy-ins is a good bankroll but you can also lose 10-20 buy-ins in a single session. Actually I've heard players lose 40 buy-ins in a session but they are obviously playing tons of tables. But that's just an example.
Hope this helps
Thank you all for the help :)
So I thought a lot about it and I think i'll keep playing both and trying to improve and climb limits. I feel like in the long term, it's best to know both games relatively well, than to only know 1 of them (even if I could climb higher playing 1 format only).
I know you want to focus on both but I don't think that will get you to the goals you want to reach. Pick one for awhile and focus all of your energy towards poker one that one format.
Focusing on both will confuse you and won't let you playing amazing at one. Instead, you will play OK at two. You will make less profit because of the same amount of time invested but not enough playing and studying each format to maximize your skill which will maximize your profit.
Focus on one format for a month or two, then switch it up. You will get a great idea of both formats within 6 months and will be able to have an easy decision on which one you want to pursue.
Hope this helps.
PLO is a very high variance game but if you work hard at it will pay off greatly specially at the lower stakes. Especially pre flop, i recommend watching cole souths videos on Ivey league about pre flop play in PLO. It will be stressful at times believe me but i feel that there is just way more to be made then NLHE. Most NL games are getting tougher and tougher with great sites like Run it once and Ivey league offering affordable training.
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