How much should you buy in for at a ring game

[Calmplay]

I always buy in for the half of the max amount of the ring table. Why? Because I'm more comfortable to play when I'm not a short stake or also not the big stake.

[KingBorgo]

There are 2 general schools of thought on how to buyin into a ring game: max or min. Let me explain.

When you buy in for the maximum, you give yourself lots of breathing room. You can play a few more hands, see a few more flops, and just basically stretch out. Also, if you a big hand hits for you, causing a double up, you make that much more $.

When you buyin for the minimum, you limit your variance. If you get a nasty beat, you are not going to lose as much. This is designed for tighter play, but allows you to get all your money in easier when you get that one hand.

Personally, being a more aggressive player, I always buyin for the maximum. I need as many bullets in my gun to take every one out!

[Dunbar]

You should play with the amount you feel comfortable playing with. If you feel comfortable playing with $10, you should play the 10NL full stack rather then 25NL shortstacked.

The reasons are pretty obvious, Borgo already pointed out a big stack gives you more breathing space, while a short stack leaves you limited to the premium hands. That makes you easy to read. If I see a shortstacker shoving everything he has to the pot, I know he either has a premium pocket pair, or has hit the flop bigtime. Easier laydowns for me.

Also, if you observe the play on the table, you see that the bet sizes increases when the hand developes. The preflop bets are like 3 BB's, postflop perhaps 11BB, after the turn 22BB's and the river can be huge.
If you play shortstacked, you can only make profit on the flop and turnbets, and you probably miss all the value the riverbets can give you, because you were already all-in on the turn.

Shortstacking can also INCREASE your variance, because ppl call your all-ins more easy. If you have AA, and I have Ax suited and the flop comes with 2 of my suited cards, and you shove, I am more likely to call a shortstacker then someone with entire buyin in front of him. If I call a potsized bet on the flop, I will probably have to call one the turn. The odds are I miss, so I fold. If you have already shoved your entire stack, the math becomes more easy

My tactic is to buy in with like 70-80% of the maximum. I play a few orbits so I have a good idea wwhat the table looks like. If there is value, I rebuy to full stack.

[KeepBlinkin]

i prefer the max amount.. when you enter with the minimum amount sometimes you rebuy so whats the point doing that.. its better to enter with alot of bullets like kingboro said..