NL Cash Is Swingy

Have been sitting the $25NL 6-max at party lately, and through my failure to be found at my normal $0.5/$1 tables, NoSkillz tracked me down and after watching me push a table around for a while sat down.

Thing is, I've always treated NL differently than Limit, because in my mind they're not even the same game. It's like Omaha vs. Stud, neither of which I know how to play properly, but not even the same animal though in the end poker is poker of course. At limit, I typically just play T-A and it works. Nobody pays attention at the micro limits, and the fact that i'm playing 17% of hands raising 10% doesnt click in that hey, he's a f*ckin nut peddler most of the time.

I've found NL to have more players paying attention, though, I can't say they are much better than limit. It's been pretty rare for me to meet someone who changes styles at NL though, I either find the typical TAG tighty or the loose passive. I haven't found many loose aggressive as at NL, that means all their chips all the time. I'm sure there are some out there, and i'll have to buddy list them when I find it, but for the most part people still respect their money enough not to push every hand.

I have adopted a totally new style of play recently, which might have helped greatly at the Degree tourney i previously went on and on about. I still hope I dont look like an idiot on TSN and ESPN when it aires. Anyhoo, I'm playing far more hands, raising lots of hands I wouldnt even play at limit, and doing a lot of post-flop dancing with the opponents. Even to myself i'm not predictable, and it's working so far.

That is not to say that my style of play has not brought about some swings... it certainly has. I can easily be down 2 buy-ins, up 2 buy-ins, down up down up. Took a major suckout yesterday where my KQ ran into an idiot who pushed JJ on a K-x-x flop. I correctly put him on something other than AK,AA,KK but he turned a J to steal my money... meh... that's poker. I find that i'm happy when i get my money in the best of it, even if i did lose a 2-buy-in pot there.

Later, I flopped quads against NoSkillz. Unfortunately for him, he had Aces and I made it appear I had unconnected overcards with my bets. He went broke there, and I dont blame him one bit. To give me credit for a hand, hell, even I can't give me credit for a hand. He did the right thing.

Anyways, the NL battle rages on. My party account balance is growing, so that's good. I might start doing some tournaments shortly as I think I can play that game.

The poker library is on the grow again. Honestly, I havent even had time to read the books I have before I order new ones. I'm currently picking at HoH 2 EndGame but I only went through TOP once so far, I've gone through most of King Yao's limit book, and I currently have HoH 1 and BarryG's new book on order.

Speaking of BarryG, i'm starting to really like what he's all about with poker and his actions away from the table. Pretty neet guy, and I really like that he posts at 2+2 like the rest of us poker geeks.

Now that i've really picked up a love of NL - damn you degree poker tournament for giving me the pleasure of busting people left and right, i'm tempted to try some other poker variants. Hmm... well, perhaps I should stick to hold-em for a bit.