Nathan Williams, known as BlackRain79, unveils the realistic win rates for small stakes poker games, providing insights into what players can actually expect to earn and how to measure success in the competitive world of poker.
Nathan Williams: Nathan Williams, also known as BlackRain79, is a professional poker player and one of the highest-winning online poker players at small and micro stakes. He started his poker journey in 2004 with just $60 and has since climbed to the top levels of online poker success. By 2007, Nathan had already secured a five-figure bankroll and left his job to pursue poker full-time. His accomplishments in the game are documented through his blog and his three best-selling poker strategy books, which discuss his proven poker strategies. Nathan has also created the BlackRain79 Elite Poker University, where he teaches players how to crush small and mid-stakes poker games using his strategies. His success has granted him financial freedom and allowed him to travel the world for over a decade. In his YouTube channel, BlackRain79Poker, Nathan shares his insights and strategies in poker, aiming to help others achieve significant success in the game. He is known for his data-driven approach to poker, focusing on win rates and long-term success and is also recognized for his use of tools like HUDs to improve gameplay.
Understanding Good Win Rates: A positive win rate, even if it's marginal, makes you more successful than most poker players, as the majority do not win in the long term.
Win Rate Measurement: Win rates are commonly measured in big blinds won per hundred hands, especially in online poker.
Impact of Player Skill Improvement: Win rates across all levels have dropped over the years due to overall improvements in player skills and the availability of learning resources.
Importance of Table Selection: Achieving top win rates often requires careful table selection to ensure you're playing with less skilled players.
Win Rates at Different Stakes: The expected top win rates range from 15 big blinds per hundred at 2NL to 4 big blinds per hundred at 100NL, reflecting increasing difficulty and player skill.
Realistic Goals: Do not measure your success solely against the highest possible win rates, as being profitable is already better than most players' outcomes.
Skill Level Progression: The skill level and difficulty to beat games increases with stakes, with professional players frequently found at higher levels.
Small Stakes Poker Win Rates: Nathan Williams discusses what he considers to be good win rates for various small stakes online cash games, emphasizing that a positive win rate already places a player above the majority.
Win Rate Realities: He points out that most people do not win at poker in the long term and that a win rate above zero is considered good, putting players in the top 25%.
Win Rate Measurement: Win rates are defined as the amount of big blinds won per hundred hands and can be tracked using tools like Poker Tracker HUD.
Skill Improvement and Game Selection: Nathan advises on the importance of game selection, choosing tables with weaker players to maximize win rates, and suggests that serious study and strategy are required to achieve high win rates.
Skill Levels Across Stakes: He describes the expected top win rates at different cash game levels (2NL, 5NL, 10NL, 25NL, 50NL, 100NL) and notes the increase in skill level and decrease in win rates as you move up in stakes.
Professional Poker: Nathan discusses the presence of professional players in higher stakes games like 25NL and above, and highlights the need for strategic gameplay and serious dedication to succeed.
Win Rate Expectations: He provides a summary of expected top win rates for the best players at each cash game level and mentions that even achieving a positive win rate is a significant accomplishment in poker.
Resources for Improvement: Nathan offers a free poker cheat sheet and additional videos to help players improve their game and work towards achieving higher win rates.
This article is a summary of the video How Much Money Poker Players Make (Finally Revealed!) by BlackRain79Poker published on July 16, 2021 at 12:26:16.
Q: What is considered a good win rate in small stakes poker games? A: A good win rate is any rate above zero, as this already places you in the top 25% of all poker players. Specific numbers vary by stake, but 15BB/100 hands can be a top win rate for 2NL, while 10BB/100 for 5NL, 8BB/100 for 10NL, 6BB/100 for 25NL, 5BB/100 for 50NL, and 4BB/100 for 100NL are achievable for the best players.
Q: Why is it difficult to maintain a winning poker strategy in the long term? A: The majority of poker players do not win in the long term due to the need for consistent adaptation of strategies, the improvement in overall player skill levels, and the challenges in maintaining focus and discipline over extended periods.
Q: How can I adapt to improving skill levels among poker players? A: To adapt to improving skill levels, continually educate yourself on advanced poker strategies, analyze your own play, learn from others, and stay updated with the latest trends and tools in poker.
Q: Why is table selection important in poker? A: Table selection is critical as it allows you to maximize your win rates by choosing to play at tables with weaker opponents. Good table selection involves looking for games with one or more bad players who you can exploit.
Q: How can I remain profitable as I move up to higher stakes like 50NL and 100NL? A: To remain profitable at higher stakes, you need to refine your strategies, embrace advanced poker theories, utilize tools like HUDs effectively, and ensure you're still game selecting to find the most profitable tables.
Q: How do I become proficient with poker tools like HUDs? A: To become proficient with tools like HUDs, spend time learning the functionalities, practice using them in real games, analyze the data post-session, and watch tutorials or seek advice from experienced players.
Q: What’s the best approach to balancing multi-tabling in poker? A: The best approach to balancing multi-tabling is to only play as many tables as you can comfortably handle without sacrificing decision quality. Start with fewer tables and gradually add more as your skills and focus improve.