Are Micro stakes to low to learn poker?

Hi Rompas,

Great article by Barry a very enjoyable read.

I would advise a new player to start in micro stakes, but I would recommend they don't stay there too long. A true beginner has a lot to learn, initially even basic things that any mediocre player might take for granted seem strange. When I started online play I was not a strict beginner I had live poker experience but even so I felt lost, I believe I benefited from some time in micro stake games.

I would agree with Blom to a certain extent, although the size of the bank-roll and degree of risk need careful consideration. The highs and lows of his play this year certainly show he practices what he preaches. I think everyone has to lose (or spend) some cash while learning, although micro stakes can be a circus I think they can be helpful in controlling how much we lose while gaining experience and exploring new strategies, and of course a great arena in which to learn and master the beast called tilt.

Originally posted by rompas
so are Micro stakes to low to learn poker?

Definitely not. And if indeed they are "so easy you get bored and not motivated" that should mean you are crushing them. And therefore it shouldn't take long at all to build a bankroll and climb up.

I believe that the reason beginner players begin playing at higher stakes is really because of that "they respect my raises there" phylosophy (which of course is very wrong), not really related to motivation.

yeah man gotta jump right into the nl50 pool with the rakeback grinders and lose a few grand

i started my poker journey @ 10nl reg tables and was generally ok winning - i went to 10nl zoom and got crushed stacking off too light. Generally improved alot at zoom and then moved to 25nl

Never really played lower than 10 but i think somewhere around 5nl should be a cool place to start, really depends on your financial circumstances

Folding when it only costs $0.25 to appease your curiosity is tough.
lol, that's my biggest weakness. I'm pretty much a beginner so I stick to the lowest $ risk I can.
That said, I've recently moved up a notch in MTTs and the lower numbers of lotto players makes it easier to concentrate on improving my game.

I'm a big believer in this, simply because the competition is too varied and unskilled. I've seen and experienced a lot of bad beats from players who have called terrible pot odds on the flop with oddball hans that luck out. Maybe myself and those others should have played differently, but its not a reliable environment to 'practice' if people find it cheap enough to not take their own game seriously.