[Harv72b]

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Psychologically, I know I’m a little timid about the higher dollar amounts. As I said, my bankroll is ripe for higher limits, but my mind may not be.

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It sounds to me like this is probably your biggest problem, and it's not at all unusual. You're going about the move the right way--taking brief shots at the higher limit with a fixed amount of your bankroll, and not trying to chase your losses. But the psychological aspect of playing for much bigger (in dollar terms) pots will definitely take its toll as you get started at a higher limit.

Time (and a few winning sessions) is the best way to cure yourself of this, but another trick I've used in the past is to follow someone from my buddy list up to the higher limit and sit at his table (preferably on his left). This gives me an instant shot of confidence, as I know there is at least one player at the table that I can outplay, and whose style of play I'm familiar with. And believe me, the really bad players jump all over the limits, either chasing recent losses or trying to maximize a "hot streak".

It's been a while since I played below 3/6, so I really can't say if there's a huge difference in the level of play between 1/2 & 2/4 (what site you're playing on also makes a difference). I know that back when I was working my way up, that particular jump didn't seem too severe to me...it was moving up to the 3/6 game that really took some adjustments. It may well be that nowadays the 2/4 game is a lot tougher, though, and if you're playing on Party then the additional monster rake can also affect your results, especially on 2/4.

The standard advice applies: play the hands, review the hands, and if you're unsure about a decision you made in one of them, post it here for a critique & advice. And of course read through others' threads, and don't be afraid to get involved in the discussions therein. The worst that could happen is that you could be dead wrong, and then you'll have the opportunity to learn how & why while you're away from the tables, for free. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

In answer to your broad, overall question...yes, there often is a difference in the opponents from one limit to the next. In the simplest possible terms, each time you move up to a new limit, the average player there is going to be just a bit better than you're used to. There are still going to be godawful fish, all the way up through the high stakes games, and there are still going to be a few very, very good opponents, even down in the microlimits. But the Average Joe in these games is going to be just a tad bit more aggressive, especially postflop, and is going to be just a tad bit better at putting his opponents on hands. You, in turn, also have to improve your game in order to maintain your edge. Or lose money. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Welcome to the forums! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]