The problem with no limit

I play limit, and I'm decent. But every once in awhile I play a no-limit sit and go for fun. Surprisingly my win rate is about the same as for limit.

The problem I have with NL is the ability of people to bluff all-in with just about anything, or trap all-in. Unless I have a monster hand, AND have them covered, I just don't want to call.

This is a huge block for me. Playing cash games is even worse. You can do great for hours, then someone gets lucky against you and takes a chunk out of your stack. Or just plain takes your stack.

I played live limit for the first time in 2 years yesterday. I could see the NL table from where I was sitting - saw lots of people getting up. I didn't go play there.

I guess I'm a big freaking baby. A scaredy cat.

That being said, I want to switch to NL. I'm reading the Sklansky NL book. Seems like the skill factor is just so much more, and my understanding is the variance can actually be less. I understand the skill factor part, but variance???

When you can lose everything you have at the table, how is that conductive to less variance (I do realize you don't usually have your whole bankroll on the table).

I guess my question is, how do you nullify the effects/advantage of the all in move? The only thing I can think of is having a monster hand.

B

In NL you can control the pot odds that your opp gets at any one time. In limit you cannot since the bet sizes are fixed. In that regard, when playing limit, you can be way ahead and bet, but since your bet is fixed, opp still has the odds to draw, and suckout and increase your variance. This is a very lame example, but should give you the idea.

don't forget that you will stack people as well, and if you are playing good then you will stack many more times than you get stacked.

Variance is bigger in limit because the luck factor is bigger. Limit is a game of showdowns with multiple players seeing the river which equates to a lot of suckouts. In no limit you have a lot more room to move (in cash anyways) and skill is more prevelant. So if you are significantly better than your opponents there is not a ton of variance. It also depends if you multitable, playing one or two tables means more variance, where as 4-6 + tables the long run comes quicker.

As Fnord used to say, NL gives you the tools to knock donks with big hammers.



(something like that, the idea is right).