When can i move up limits?

jrockhaf

I play 3-6 on stars and am wondering how i no when im ready to move up a limit.I started last Mayand had 3 really great months ,making about 1k per month.I had a downfall in oct,nov ,basically breaking even ,but struggled through it,of course with the help of poker forum .ca, and now am starting to make around 2-400 per week again i have 1800 online and im wondering how i will no when i can play 5-10.I no i should have 3k for the 5-10,so is it best to cash out nothing , half of what i make, or what?Anyways i hope this all makes sense and thanks for any feedback.

djw

Be careful about moving up in limits too quickly, and certainly not if your bankroll doesn't support the move. Also, you seem to be doing well at the 3/6 level, so the question is, why are you moving up?

I would carefully track my results for a good year before making the move up, and I would certainly make sure I had the bankroll. If you do make the move, make sure you track your results carefully so that you can gauge how you are actually doing at that level, and possibly make some shifts in your game to fit the playing style of that level.

Good luck!

BBC Z

Also, you seem to be doing well at the 3/6 level, so the question is, why are you moving up?

Because its more profitable to beat the bigger games.

I would carefully track my results for a good year before making the move up

I love good conservative thinking but a year to move from 3/6 to 5/10? Thats a bit much.

I think the key to this question is what site jrock plays at.. I'd really hate to see someone move from 3/6 pacific to 5/10 stars. They'd get killed... but a move from 3/6 pacific to 5/10 pacific probably wouldnt even be noticible.

RAM_Eh

BBC Z wrote:

I think the key to this question is what site jrock plays at.. I'd really hate to see someone move from 3/6 pacific to 5/10 stars. They'd get killed... but a move from 3/6 pacific to 5/10 pacific probably wouldnt even be noticible.

I agree with BBC, stay with the site you are on. I noticed a big difference in the way 5/10 is played at stars and PP. You will have wild swings in your bankrool. Get comfortable at pacific first.

Rob.

pkrfce9

If you ask your mother, she'll tell you, "Never!"

The general guideline is 300xBB. I think you'll need this much to feel comfortable with the inevitable swings you'll experience.

Having said this, at 200xBB, I think you can give it a shot. If you are comfortable, by all means go for it.

I agree with the logic on site selection. When you go to a new site, for sure you should start out at a low limit until you are comfortable with the software and the play.

Good luck!

Dave Scharf

My advice is based upon what I perceive to be functional, as opposed to what math wonks will tell you about bankroll. Having said that, the math wonks are right. You will need about 300 big bets to withstand the natural fluctuations of the game -- even if you are a winning player.

But... that's hard to do. So, do this.

Play for 100 hour as any given level. If you can show a one BB/hour win rate after 100 hours go ahead and take a shot at the higher level. But, do not stay at the higher level until you are broke. No no no.

Suppsoe you play 100 hours of $3-6 and make your 1 BB/hour (profit $600). Take a $300 shot at $5-10. If you fail, step back down to $3-6 for another 100 hours.

THis method, I think, is more reasonable than expecting players to actually build BRs of 300 BB to play. Gosh, to go from $1-2 to $2-4 will take 600 hours!?!? At 40 hours a week that will be 15 weeks. I doubt anyone can stand 15 weeks before even trying a higher level.

So... take a shot now and then. But, don't stay in the saddle long enough that you get completely broke. If you are a winning player at the new level then before too long your "$300 shot" will turn into the $3000 BR that you require.

magithighs

This is definatley not the way to do things, but I'll talk about how I have moved up in limits. So it's not really advice, just some insight into my bizarre methods.

I always had the goal of building up 300BB of the next limit. Unfortunately, I got stuck on 1/2 and everytime I tried 2/4 I would get killed and have to move back down. One day while I was tilting because I was treading water at 1/2 I decided to skip 2/4 and try 3/6. Voila. Success. After a good session, I had the discipline to move back down until I could build my roll. However, it was amazing how much of a confidence boost that was and how much easier it was to build my bankroll. So, I built it to about 100BB for 3/6 and moved up to 3/6. I went through the same cycle and while on tilt, I moved up to 5/10. Voila, success. This time I didn't have the discipline to move back down and build. Voila, bankroll gone. I walked away for 3 months, deposited $50 bucks and worked my way back to 5/10. That's where I'm playing now and I did have a tilt session where I went and played 30/60 -- I made 20BB in 20 minutes and got the hell out while I was still alive. I did go back and lost 10BB. The key, is that I now have much more discipline when it comes to the game.

IMO, the key to moving up in limits is discipline. Being able to walk away after losing 20BB or winning 20BB and assessing how you did is very important. If you don't have the discipline, it's very easy to wipe out your bankroll at the higher limit.

Cheers
Magi

Dave Scharf

I many many many times stepped up, went broke and started over. Magi's advice is good. You can go ahead and "take a shot" but only do so if you know you can back out before bringing disaster upon yourself.

SirWatts

I have been trying the following: When I get to 125xBB of the next limit I move up to it as long as I feel confident in my skills taking a shot. Then I play and stay at that limit unless (until) I drop below 100xBB of that limit. Then I drop back down and play until I get back to 125xBB then take another shot. I know you're supposed to have 300xBB but I feel as long as you can ignore your ego and move down when you need to this is fine for low limits.

Adam**

Another key element when moving up, is NOT TO COUNT THE MONEY. Play the game you feel is best for you. Learn, there is always a trick or two at higher levels that aren't there at lower limits. But if you start thinking, man that pot cost me 20BB at 1-2 then your in trouble before you start the next hand. You cannot play scared. Play with the intention that you know you can lose the set amount you play with at this new level.

Just my thoughts.