Stepping up to $1 NL holdem. What should I do?

[Cry Me A River]

Online players use the buy-in level to describe limits in NL. This is because almost all sites are 100BB buy-ins. There are a couple exceptions, like True Poker, but they're very rare. So what you are describing is $100NL.

Live buy-in caps are all over the place so it's much more common to refer to the blinds when describing the structure. Since you're doing that I expect you are making the transition from live to online.

If that is the case, there's some things you need to realise.

Online players are much, much better than live players at the same stakes. There are a number of reasons why:

1 - Live, the lowest stakes are $1/$2 NL. Online, the lowest stakes are $.01/$.02 NL. So online the worst players are playing $.01/$.02 NL. Live they're playing $1/$2 NL. Online, $.01/$.02 NL is SIX levels below $1/$2 NL.
2 - Getting into a live game is far more casual than an online game. Live games often have inexperienced players stumble into the game on their way from the blackjack tables to the slots. Online you need to download and install the software, register an account and figure out a way to deposit. Online takes a far greater level of dedication JUST TO GET STARTED.
3 - When a player wants to make more money live, he moves up in stakes. Online, he multi-tables. In this way online players are able to put much more money in play while limiting their exposure in any one hand and avoid playing with better players. Online $.5/$1 NL players can make a nice living out of multi-tabling. There aren't very many live $1/$2 NL pros.
4 - No HUDs or Pokertracker live.
5 - Online players see many more hands per hour, particularly if they multi-table. More hands per hour equals more experience equals better play.
6 - Free alcohol in casinos.



You've come to this website for advice. We've given it to you, it's up to you to decide if you're going to take it or not. You never did post whether or not you were beating $25NL and $50NL or over how many hands. If you're not, or if you've only played a trivial number of hands moving up is a terrible idea. It doesn't get any easier at $100NL believe you me!