What methods did you use to determine when you were ready to move up limits?
I've been very methodical with poker. I played for play money for months until I could dominate those tables, while occasionally watching the $.50/$1.00 tables at Paradise to get a feel for them. When I felt I could beat the $.50/$1.00 I deposited $50 in mid september, 2003, and beat those stakes very easily, earning about $4.50/hr (often 2 tables) over around 125 hours. After beating that game for a while I began watching $1/$2 tables until I felt I could comfortably move up to them and beat them. I've now been beating those consistently for around $3/hr (considerably more since my move from Paradise to Pacific, but $3 overall) and I am ready to continue to move up.
A method I've been considering is moving up limits when I make 200BB at a certain limit. Then if I lose 50BB or so at the higher limit I will move back down and make that money up at the limit I have proven I can beat. Do you think this is way too slow of a process?
There's no question that I can beat up on weak players, but for some reason I'm always convincing myself that moving up too fast is going to blindside me with players way over my head. I'm not much of a gambler, but I don't consider playing smart poker a gamble. At the same time, I don't 'need' the extra money I hope to gain by moving up limits, but it would be nice to see a little higher return for the amount of hours I put into this hobby.
So back to the point. I'm curious how you knew it was time to step it up.
What all did you take into account?
Are higher limits more of a matter of bankroll than skill?
Am I wasting a lot of potential profits by playing the very low limits when the players at $3/$6 and $5/$10 are not a whole lot different?
I think your pretty much on track here, in fact that is the same thing that I did as well. One thing though, if you are staying on Pacific you will want to get your BR up to 250 to 300BB before moving into the 5/10 or 10/20 territory. The play is really not much better than your average 3/6 game but the bad beats get a bit more expensive.
I never play online poker for real money, and I'm not old enough to go to casinos yet(18) so I never really had the opportunity to start out small like 0.01/0.02 which would have been the smart thing to do. But, after playing poker (primarily hold'em) with my friends/acquaintances 3 to 4x a week for a few months, I recently decided to take my chances at a local game where they play 5/10 and 10/20. It was quite a jump compared to what I was used to but I figured I had to play there to find out if I was ready and if I got crushed, I'd stop going, and improve my game by playing against my friends. Most of the players at these limits are solid, but according to my records I have been beating the game consistently for two months. I don't know how much this well help you, but I would say try experimenting at the 3/6 and 5/10 games you were talking about and ALWAYS keep detailed records of your progress. You will see if you're ready for those limits after playing several times. I hope this helped, good luck.
low limit will make you a bad player.
people will call anything if its under 5 bucks, 72's 96 103 what ever j2 q6 just to see a flop. Higher limit poker makes you play better hands bluff and learn people. seeing more flops doesnt make you better its just luck, you cant win with all 5-9 people at your table in to see a flop cause your ak aa or jj will be killed by a 52 when the flop comes Q52
No offense, but you're crazy if you think you can't win with 5-9 people seeing the flop. And you're equally crazy to think that playing low limits makes you a bad player. If anything it teaches you the very fundamentals of poker and gives you the skills you'll need to expand on to beat the higher limits.
The variance might be greater, but a low limit game is easily beatable for more big bets than a high limit game, assuming the competition changes with the limits.
Your AA will be killed by 52 when the flop comes Q52, you're right. But what about when the flop comes Q52, and 1 person holds QT, one holds T5, one holds A5, and one holds KQ? These fools are calling you down all the way to the river drawing pretty thin with 7 outs collectively. You can't focus only on the times you get handed a beat and then try to draw conclusions from that.
If everyone looked at isolated situations like that, all of a sudden you'd hear people blaming their losses on faulty RNG's. Now what kind of world would that be to live in?
I have to disagree. I dont know what you concider low limit but I try to watch the 15-30 and 30-60 hold'em games at Partypoker when I have the time.
I see alot of guys that doesn't seem to know what they are doing. Calling to the river with bottompair, calling 2 bets cold with gutshots. You know the deal.
Bottom line is that you will find fish at almost any limit you play at. You will get outdrawn by weak hands no matter where you play.
I think you can and should learn alot about playing in lowlimit games ($1-2 - $3-6).
If playing lowlimit doesn't make you a better player I don't know what does.
1. I'm I truly beating the limit I'm playing at now?
2. Do I have a big enough bankroll to move up?
3. Do I feel comfertable playing at this new limit? I don't wanna play scared.
4. Can I handle the swings?
Well for me knowing when to move up, is when I felt comfortable, and when my bankroll afforded it. I started at 2/4 at canterbary, and then slowly moved my way up to 6/12, recently moving to the 8/16 game, and hopefully by the end of summer taking a shot at 15/30.
I dont play ring games online hardly at all, and if i do the 3/6 no limit games and have just started entering multis. Sngs from 10-50 have been a pretty profitably game for me.
I would recommend taking a shot at moving up a level, if you feel comfortable, but obviously dont play with scared money. Give it shot, and find out where your at.
Theres no shame in folding
I definatly have to agree with 3 things that are stated above, when you feel comfortable, when you bankroll is sufficiant, and keeping good records.
I believe keeping good records is the most important thing. One of the things that I do is keep a chart beside me, when I make a bet, raise and call. I also have them divided up into several catagories, such as betting with a lead(at least when I think I am leading, which is not always true), when I am on draws, and bluffs to name a few of my catagories. This keeps me from going overboard with any tendencies or bad play. I usually do not keep track of starting hands because I usually do not vary to much in those.
