Thinking about money stops me moving up?

[sweeng8]

I recently feel that I am starting to get way better than the limits I am accustomed to playing, but I feel that im not giving myself a chance to progress due to my valuation of the money im playing. A little personal backround- im a student with enough money to live. I dont have a lot but not in need of a lot to live. I dont really need poker money to get by, but it is still a lot compared to my real life earnings.
Anyway, I feel like I can build a bankroll at 1/2 and 2/4 quite easily but when I get to $6k or so in my bankroll I get stuck. The excitment of 1/2 and 2/4 loses its appeal, so I move up for a bit. Recently I decided to have a go at the highest levels i could afford to play. I played 5/10 and 10/20 heads up just as a test to see how i get on. I am amazed at how crazy these players are! They push on any draw or any pair. Anyway, the point is even when I have the bankroll to lose a fair bit, it hurts when I lose a lot of money (as I define it in real life). Having just played at these higher level games I am shocked at how poor these players are, but I cant get over the money at risk. I am writing this coming off the back of dropping 2k to 2 chasers who both hit and I feel horrible. It means little to me in a poker sense- i was right both times and im sure i will make it back- but in real life money i feel sick losing that much.
Is this a problem for anyone else? Is there anyway I can remedy this or is it just a case of waiting until i have a secure job to play these higher limits?

[nanamar05]

The players aren't poor in those levels, instead they are playing metagame rather than their cards.

You will crushed in the long run in those limits with your mindset.

[ycjason]

chances are the higher the limit, the better the player, if you think differently, it's either short term variance (you were lucky to be playing against a fish) or you do not quite understand the game at that level yet. Remember, a few hands does not mean anything in the long run. btw, skipping a few level with a super short bankroll (3x buyin on 10/20?) is almost certainly not a good idea.

[erac22]

I'd recommend an account of at least 40k and a total "poker worth" of about 100k in order to play 10/20nl. With 6k you should be playing no higher than 1/2nl and maybe taking shots at 2/4nl.

[aaokwitme]

[ QUOTE ]
The players aren't poor in those levels, instead they are playing metagame rather than their cards.

You will crushed in the long run in those limits with your mindset.

[/ QUOTE ]
"You will crushed in". learn to write, stupid.

[johnnylovescandy]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The players aren't poor in those levels, instead they are playing metagame rather than their cards.

You will crushed in the long run in those limits with your mindset.

[/ QUOTE ]
"You will crushed in". learn to write, stupid.

[/ QUOTE ]

olo...

[revots33]

Everyone has a psychological bankroll that may be very different from their actual bankroll. When you play above your psychological bankroll, you start making slight adjustments to your play (you might not even realize it while you're doing it) out of fear of losing a large amount.

This is why all the "rules of thumb" about bankroll sizes for different limits don't fit everyone. I have a good job and can easily reload if I go busto. There's nothing to stop me from playing much higher limits than I do now. But I am not comfortable risking that much of the money I work hard all week to earn, and it would likely effect my play negatively.

Also (and this is not a trivial point) - as you move up in limits the players get much better and much more aggressive. This increases your variance even more, making it that much tougher if you're playing above your psychological bankroll.

Bottom line you need to be honest w/ yourself about how much real world $$ you are comfortable losing during a single session or a prolonged downswing, and adjust your limits accordingly. There is no law that you have to move up when your bankroll hits a certain amount. The goal is to make as much money as possible - sometimes staying at a lower limit accomplishes that goal more than moving up would.

[sethypooh21]

Also, it's a mistake to change the form you are playing while moving up. HU is a different beast, and combine that with the dramtically higher stakes, and of course you're going to feel like a fish out of water (pun somewhat intended).

On the other hand, you've basically hit on the hardest part of moving up - once you reach a certain level, the "actual dollars" you are playing before becomes a sticking point, where you feel like you can't push marginally advantages because "that's a lot of money". There's no way around this besides experience and having a BR to cope. Maybe try playing more tables of 1/2 and, when properly rolled (~15k or so), 2/4 to keep it challenging and build your roll faster, and then take some occasional shots.

[Dallas Dru]

[ QUOTE ]
Everyone has a psychological bankroll that may be very different from their actual bankroll. When you play above your psychological bankroll, you start making slight adjustments to your play (you might not even realize it while you're doing it) out of fear of losing a large amount.

[/ QUOTE ]

learn to know what you are comfortable at and then every once in awhile take shots as you grow more confident in your game. slowly but surely you will gain more confidence and both your psychological and actually bankroll will grow.

[Shizzle12345]

yeah i have this too now.. You just gotta play tight at first and get used to the money. Once you won and lost a couple stacks you get used to it and can play way looser without the money affecting your game. You just gotta get through a barrier.