Want to Up My Game
 

Hello all. I'll start out by saying thank you in advance for your help and advice.

A little background: I've been playing for over 3 yrs now, mostly .50/$1 NL in home games and $1/$2 NL in casinos and clubs, anywhere from .10/$.25 - $2/$4 NL on various internet sites. I consider myself a solid player when I'm clicking on all cylinders and have had great days both off and on-line with profits of over $1000.

Lately, I haven't been playing as much live and have been getting killed online because of trash-playing donks that you can raise up to 50% of their stack pre-flop and they'll still call with garbage hands. Enough ranting.

I want to get moving to higher levels. My next step is 2/4,2/5,5/5 on a consistent basis. I'm not so much concerned with what I need to do except bankroll management.

My current plan has failed over the long haul. I have been trying to slowly build up my roll online by playing in micro limit games and moving up, but I usually need to cash out to repay deposits or I hit a streak that wipes out my roll after doing well for a while.

I'd like to start off with a roll of 10-15 buy-ins for 2/4, but it would take me a while to save $4-6k. I don't want to go back to playing 1/2 because there's truly no respect for money at that level. Not that I think it will be way better at 2/4, 2/5, but at least a little better is an improvement.

Right now, I'd say I have about 1200-1500 to work with. What are your reccomendations?

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

Play .5/1

or go broke, whichever suits you better.

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

yeah play .5/1 and move up once you have 11 buyins at the next level stay at 2/4 nl until you have 12k

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

I might even put in 25k hands of NL 50...beat that game, get confident, experiement,etc. then move up to NL 100 when you hopefully have around $3000-3500. Play a few MTTs when you have cash games going to give your roll a potential shot in the arm in the way of a MTT score.

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

So how much should you risk in 1 day?

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

[ QUOTE ]
So how much should you risk in 1 day?

[/ QUOTE ]

I would probably stop after I lose 5 buyins a day with your roll at NL 50 if it comes down to it.

If you ever fall to around $400-500 I would say go to NL 25 until you get back up to $1000.

Its all about being conservative and not pushing your roll too far or you will end up being broke. Also spend time in the SSNL Forum reviewing hands and stuff. Don't make playing to studying a 10:1 ratio, make it more a 3:1 ratio.

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

play 100 for awhile. see how well you do, your results are based on your play not because donkish players are outdrawing you.

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

what's a good goal for the day? double - triple? Or just keep playing till you startmaking mistakes?

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

[ QUOTE ]
what's a good goal for the day? double - triple? Or just keep playing till you startmaking mistakes?

[/ QUOTE ]

Its a much used term on here but I think you have to definitely have to take "doubling" and "tripling" out of your poker bankroll posts right now. It's more about playing hands correctly, reading right, being more creative preflop against the right regulars,etc. than simply a financial gain.

If you improve you'll steadily win, if you can avoid some unluckiness.

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

[ QUOTE ]
what's a good goal for the day? double - triple? Or just keep playing till you startmaking mistakes?

[/ QUOTE ]

Your goal should be to play as well as you possibly can. for reals

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

Its pretty obvious that you are completely clueless when it comes to poker.
Just play 50NL and learn to beat it. I am sorry that it sounds harsh but its what any pro which is reading this think.
When you win like 20-25buyin at that level, move up and try to repeat, then move up again and raise the cap of won buyin to like 50 before moving up again.

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

Yeah, don't take this the wrong way, but you probably suck at a poker. Hang out in SSNL, learn as much as you can, work your way up.

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

[ QUOTE ]
Its pretty obvious that you are completely clueless when it comes to poker.
Just play 50NL and learn to beat it. I am sorry that it sounds harsh but its what any pro which is reading this think.
When you win like 20-25buyin at that level, move up and try to repeat, then move up again and raise the cap of won buyin to like 50 before moving up again.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've read some of your posts, DMS, and this man is right. Go read all the micro stakes essential reading, then go read all SSNL essential reading, then soak up as much SSNL strategy posts a day as you feel is right. Grind out 50NL until you feel confident enough for 100NL. Move up and repeat until you hit 200NL. Repeat repeat repeat as you hopefully fly up in stakes. If you're a loser at 50NL, move down to 25NL. If you're a loser at 25NL, uhh... reload I guess.

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

Thanks for all the constructive advice folks (sarcasm)

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

ban the troll

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

The advice is good, if you can't take criticism you shouldn't be posting here.

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

[ QUOTE ]
What are your reccomendations?

[/ QUOTE ]

open fold

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

[ QUOTE ]
I might even put in 25k hands of NL 50...beat that game, get confident, experiement,etc. then move up to NL 100 when you hopefully have around $3000-3500. Play a few MTTs when you have cash games going to give your roll a potential shot in the arm in the way of a MTT score.

[/ QUOTE ]

i really like this idea, i used to crush tournies and made so many final tables but never that huge win, i'd love to try this and get a big score.

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

You'll find the advice you want to hear somewhere buddy!

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

[ QUOTE ]


I'd like to start off with a roll of 10-15 buy-ins for 2/4, but it would take me a while to save $4-6k. I don't want to go back to playing 1/2 because there's truly no respect for money at that level. Not that I think it will be way better at 2/4, 2/5, but at least a little better is an improvement.

Right now, I'd say I have about 1200-1500 to work with. What are your reccomendations?

[/ QUOTE ]

as others have posted. Stay in SSNL. 1200-1500 won't get you very far above that.

You should really work your way up gradually, as others have stated. That does 2 things for you, first, you won't have to "save" the money if you win it. Second, it will increase your self confidence in your game, and give you experience, and ultimately allow you to play better, and potentially win.

Your comments on 1/2 NL are way off base. You should "want" to be playing the players that have no respect for money. They are your long term "customers". If you don't realize this, then you have a real fundamental misunderstanding of the game.

You are gravely mistaken if you think your profits will increase at 2/4 and higher. Quite the opposite... the players don't donk off their money because they "do respect money".

The problem for you, is that you won't get their money, you'll probably donk your money off with trouble hands, like KQ into AK, QJ into AQ, JJ into QQ etc.

You should really look at your HH's as well, and really figure out if you're taking bad beats, or if you're setting yourself up for failure, i.e. making loose calls and trapping yourself with trouble hands like AJ, KQ, KJ, QJ, AQ, KT, JJ, etc. you get the idea.

Study up on BR management, stay in low stakes, and work on your fundamentals.

Take it slow, walk before you run [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] GL

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

ok heres the REAL helpful advice: You are clearly an exceptional player, I would play 2/4 nl... your skill is enough to overcome shortterm varience

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

lol yeah 2p2'ers are not exactly the most emotionally supportive group to a new poster, but still provide pretty sound advice. Don't concentrate on how they provide the advice, but try to understand the meaning behind what they're saying.

Taking the low risk of ruin (but mostly boring) path towards poker success is definitely the way to go. Even if you run hot playing WAY above your BR you're gunna go busto sometime because your skills aren't up to par. So go grind it out, and take calculated risks.

Re: Want to Up My Game
 

lol this post is classic.