Advice for a noob

Looking for some advice for a relative newcomer.

Have been playing for about six months, just thru a home game with friends/colleagues. Have read an awful lot about the game and developed some skills but simply need to build experience at the table.

Have opened a small bankroll online account at PokerStars.

Have played a couple of sessions at microlimits for mixed succes, playing

solely SNGs. Found it hard to put players on groups of likely hands, wasn't sure if I was being pushed out of some pots I was ahead in - a lot easier to read the home game players that I playe every week and know their style.

My time online is very limited - usually for just a couple of hrs once or twice a week.

What's the best options for me? Are SNGs the best option or should I play STT?

How aggressive/passive are players at the microlimits?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

SnG = STT

passive & bad, don't read villains, play your cards

If you have any feel for the flow of the game play 2NL

Have fun at the home games.

~Swig

First of all, welcome! There's a lot of great peeps at this site who know a helluva lot more than I do...

That being said, here's my 2 cents...

1) Read the posts on Bankroll, and play within those guidelines. It's not just about whether you can add more money if you blow your wad. It's also about being comfortable enough with what you're risking at any given time to be aggressive.
2) I've got 50K hands in at a variety of micro-limit games. And pretty much with all of them, the players are all over the map. But the up side... if you play solid ABC poker, you will be able to beat them.... all of them... over the long haul.
3) I enjoy the SNGs as a break from cash games, but the variance was too much for me. I find I can make (and measure...) a much more regular positive cash flow getting good at the cash games. I also prefer full ring... prolly cause I suck balls at 6max.
4) Started w/ Limit and after around 20K+ hands switched to NL. I don't plan on going back, but that's just my pref....

Other than that, read the stuff here, ask questions, play as much as you have time for... and have fun! Best of luck!

the only way to "get a feel" for the table is to sit and play. you can read, study, post, and it wont do as much for you as playing many, many hands.

i would recommend cash games if you dont have a lot of time. you can sit when you want, and you can get up and leave when you want.

i dont have the time for tourneys much anymore. if you get deep into one, it takes a lot of your time.

start small, and work your way up as you get comfortable. read and re-read the 2nd line of Swigg's post about 100 times, too.