Originally posted by Donkey111
I find hypocritical to post on PokerStrategy that mid-stacking sucks. If you don't like mid-stacking, don't support PS by writing on their forum and giving them some of your rake. After all, this site supports short/midstack so OP is perfectly right to post here. He is at the right place. Go learn how to play against mid stack instead of complaining.
It's not like PS is all about MSS and SSS, there's actually way more videos and articles for poker players. And I have pokerstrategy to thank for my poker career.
OP has chosen MSS, which is really high variance, and is posting in a downswing forum, looking for opinions, so I gave mine, which was constructive enough, probably came off a little aggressive because it was intended to.
I'm not hating on MSS in a MSS startegy forum, those people are doomed already. And I'm certainly not complaining about not being able to beat MSers, I listed the reasons why I don't like playing against them in my last post, so I encourage you to read that.
I used to use a mid stack strategy when I was playing 200NL live (loose soft field) due to a small bankroll. Just know that you have to expect a smaller win rate by midstacking.
Totally different game, it's like something between 10nl-25nl online skill wise, so I'm sure those are beatable, but you're still way better off playing fullstacked or deeper.
@ragney: Lol, I doubt regs are going to be able to exploit a pro MSS'er. If you don't call, you have alot less postflop spots, so majority of it is going to be preflop, therefore a pro MSS'er is going to have alot more experience and be alot better in preflop spots.
Lol, of course regs are able to exploit any MSS'er. The winning ones anyway. First of all, regs are almost on the same level as far as preflop stacking off ranges go, better preflop overall, beccause we're capable to adjust our ranges depending on table conditions, MSers generally aren't or don't do it well enough. Regs win money from MSers pre by stealing they're blinds because they're incapable of adjusting. It's even easier vs a guy like OP who never ever coldcalls pre.
As much as MS'ers try to avoid playing poker (playing postflop), we can still coldcall them and then they're completely lost because they can't actually play postflop, so regs win money there. A pro MSer's slight advantage in preflop stacking off spots is completely outweighed by the fact that they can't play poker if they don't get it in pre or on the flop.
So obviously MS'ing is -EV vs regs and MSers can only beat small stakes and higher with rakeback.
@OP: I think the downswing is probably standard, but I don't think MSS is as profitable as SSS or BSS from what i've seen. Stacks just seem to make things pretty awkward. I think decisions are more clear cut when you play SSS or BSS. Also whilst it may be a standard downswing, you gotta realise that you shouldn't have big downswings often and that perhaps you have some leaks in your game.
Of course the downswing is standard when you're most likely a loser long term and catch some bad variance from time to time. And, yes, donswings can happen pretty often. I think never coldcalling pre might already be one of the obvious leaks.