Recently I was having a conversation with a player that asked me at what stage do we have to play a much more advanced poker game at no limit Texas hold’em. I have been watching the games at Lock Poker recently after a tip off from a friend about how soft they were and I can answer that question quite easily. Firstly I think that level is NL100 and this is the level that I refer to as the mid-point in no limit hold’em cash games.

At NL50 then we can certainly make a good solid earn rate by having a very good grasp of the basic fundamentals and nothing else along with a good rakeback deal and getting sign up bonuses. However the game that we need to play and do well at NL50 is atotally different animal to the game that we need to play NL200. So somewhere between NL50 and NL200 there is a huge change of dynamic and that change happens at NL100.

This is the level where the worst NL50 players are getting a rude awakening while only a small number of NL50 players keep their head above water and survive. There are many NL50 players in NL100 or at least NL50 players with the skills of a NL50 player rather than the skills required for a NL100 player with aspirations to move up to NL200. I think that a player can get to NL50 and beat that level being primarily self-taught. However I do believe that in order to beat NL100 and then successfully move on from that level then you really do need outside assistance. This means a good solid coach who has beaten or is beating the level that you are looking to move into….this is vital in my book.