When am I ready to move up to 2/4?
 

I started playing LHE seriously for the first time 2 weeks ago. I have a 2K bankroll built up from other games, but I decided to start playing at 1/2 so I could play comfortably in a form of poker I considered myself weak at.

Granted, 2 weeks is probably close to nothing, but I've made a lot of progress. I've read most of SSHE, and logged a little under 10K hands and come out around a 1 BB/100 profit. I realize this is very small for a limit that can be crushed by any decent player, but as I was learning I was in the red.

With a 2.3K bankroll, would it be alright to just move up what may seem a little prematurely to 2/4? What were your experiences making the jump to 2/4? How would you compare 1/2 and 2/4 on Party?

Re: When am I ready to move up to 2/4?
 

It's been a while since I've played 1/2, but I remember the difference between 1/2 and 2/4 to be small.

I would recommend staying at 1/2 for another 5k hands or so until you reread SSH a few more times, and it certainly doesn't hurt to stay low.

I just think you're in danger of your bankroll increasing faster than your skill.

I think you'll be fine at 2/4, it would just help to play a little longer at a lower level to plug any leaks.

Re: When am I ready to move up to 2/4?
 

With 2.3k you could play 3/6. If you feel like you have enough of a grasp on the game to move up after only 10k, go for it. Take a shot at 2/4- play one table at a time for an hour and see if you are comfortable. If you are not, move down to 1/2 for some more practice.

1/2 and 2/4 are not drastically different from what I recall but there are some differences that may take some adjustments in your game.

Re: When am I ready to move up to 2/4?
 

1/2, 2/4 are for all intents and purposes the same. However, if you are comfortable playing for so little relative to the size of your roll then stay at 1/2 until YOU are crushing the game. I know what I'd do though haha.

Re: When am I ready to move up to 2/4?
 

I'd definitely stick to 1/2, and if you haven't already, I'd get pokertracker. If you're only beating the 1/2 games for 1BB/100 I'd definitely be worried about trying to move up. 1/2 games are generally looser and less tricky than 2/4 games. I've been beating the party 1/2 games 6 tabling at 8.58BB/100 and don't move up simply because my overall winrate is much higher than at 2/4.

Re: When am I ready to move up to 2/4?
 

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I've been beating the party 1/2 games 6 tabling at 8.58BB/100 and don't move up simply because my overall winrate is much higher than at 2/4.

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8.5BB/100 over how many hands. this is unsustainable.

Re: When am I ready to move up to 2/4?
 

what are u waiting for.

any quote saying someone stays at 1/2 becuz their winrate is drastically higher than at 2/4 is simply not acknowledging the randomness associated with these numbers over a small sample size and 8bbs/100 is simply a heater not a reflection of your true winrate at this level ( and if it were you mine as well play 5 10 if you can crush 1/2 like that you should still significantly beat 5 10 and higher).

If you know you're playing well and better than your opponents move up now your winrate isnt really a factor worth considering over only so many hands. The 2/4 tables will be just as full of just as bad of donks as you are accustomed to so the transition should be a breeze and dont worry that you didnt "crush" 1/2. Definately continue to review SSHE while playing 2 4 you may want to stay there for about 20k hands or so just to improve/ experience the game and until you're overrolled again for 3/6 as it obviously makes you more comfortable since you're playing 1/2 with almost 3x the BR you need not being ultra risk averse at these small stakes.

best of luck as you move up everytime i have i've experienced a downswing so don't be ultra surprised

Re: When am I ready to move up to 2/4?
 

Definitely unsustainable, but a little over 12,000 hands. It helps when maniacal LAGtards play with you for 2 hours one night and drop 200BB, of which you grab about 100.

Re: When am I ready to move up to 2/4?
 

I'm also MAKING .06BBwon/hand from the SB which shows how well I've been running.

Re: When am I ready to move up to 2/4?
 

I think there is a fair difference between 1/2 and 2/4. There is more raising PF, more turn check/raise bluff/semi-bluffs, more post-flop aggression and more blind steals.

I suggest you win at least 500BB at 1/2 over at least 15k hands before you move up. Plus, you should be able to predict the responses to or understand at least 75%+ of the posts in this forum.

Re: When am I ready to move up to 2/4?
 

2/4 was the first game I ever played. Granted that was in B&M's, but the point is that if you're just starting out practicing and getting better at the game should be more important than the money itself.

You really shouldn't think of it in terms of "moving up" per se because this isn't a major income source for you yet (at least it better not be) and you should be prepared to play lower stakes or replenish your roll if the need arises.

Also the question of "how different is 1/2 from 2/4" would be better asked in the micros...once you move up so far the lower levels start to blur. I don't think there's much difference between 2/4 and below but that's because I play 3/6; micro players regularly complain about the jump from .50/1 to 1/2 even though the games probably feel the same to everyone posting in this forum.

Re: When am I ready to move up to 2/4?
 

From what I've seen, it definitely seems like .5/1 is full of loose-passive calling stations, and 1/2 has a lot of tight players (but they have weak, pretty passive postflop play).

I've tested the waters playing a little 2/4 this weekend, figuring the best time to play it would be the weekends when the casual players are on. I found some of the players to be much more aggressive in late position PF, and more aggressive in general postflop.

I'm definitely not intimidated by 2/4. I think Ill make a slow transition and play 1/2 on weekdays, and keep testing the waters at 2/4 on evenings and weekends until Im confident I have the skillset to beat 2/4 well.

Re: When am I ready to move up to 2/4?
 

If you play on Party, you should move up immediately just to save yourself rake. Would you rather pay $0.50 every time the pot reaches $5 or $1 every time it reaches $20?

Re: When am I ready to move up to 2/4?
 

You are ready to move up when:

a) You think you are good enough.
b) You can lose 2x as much money, and say afterward that you felt it was the right decision to move up.

Re: When am I ready to move up to 2/4?
 

move up to 30/60 as soon as you can. seriously.

Re: When am I ready to move up to 2/4?
 

8.5BB/100 is ALL 6 tables right> not per table.

Also - I hate 1/2. I've never done well in it. If I did not move up until I beat 1/2 I would still be there.

I'm playing a lot of 5/10 now and heck - it's easier then 1/2 LOL.

Move up when you feel you can tale the fluctuation. Move down when you get soanked.

Play more then one limit, I play 2/4, 3/6 AND 5/10. Makes no difference.

Re: When am I ready to move up to 2/4?
 

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Also - I hate 1/2. I've never done well in it. If I did not move up until I beat 1/2 I would still be there.


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I'm about to come to the same conclusion. The rake SUCKS at 1/2 and most sites are full of tightwad bonus whores who are content with a winrate of 0 BB/100 or less as long as they profit from bonuses. I've since returned to 2/4 (after a monster downswing) and so far I'm happy I took another shot, rather than waiting for my 1/2 winrate to get up to par.

Re: When am I ready to move up to 2/4?
 

Maybe this will help.