how can moving up one level be so bad for my br?

[Rocketwadster 0]

I moved up to $0.50/$1 from $0.25/0.50 a week or so ago. Started out the first 400 hands even steven. Another 300 hands later, and I'm down $40. My play hasn't changed one iota, and the skill level of the players definately isn't hugely greater (many of the players I played against on 0.25/0.50). I've received some bad rivers that cost me more than a few big pots, but I am not convinced that it is just variance. Granted, 700 hands isnt that many, but how long should I stick it out with the losing streak before I give up and go back down a level (and more than likely build my BR back up again?) :cry:

[DKE_XP120 0]

If you are playing at .5/1 i'm assuming your BR is $300, at least it should be... Stick with it until you drop down to $150-200 if that happens, its probobly your playing, not just luck... 700 hands is relativily nothing, dont sweat $40, swings happen

[Petoria 0]

Rocket, I've played at your tables, and you have a better understanding of the game than most. I wouldnt be too worried about dropping $40. Sometimes I fall into the trap of saying that since im up at the table I can afford to make a few more calls. I think you might be doing that just a bit. You have large swings at your table. You're up 25 BB, then you're down 10. Maybe playing a bit too loose. Work on that, and I'm sure you'll turn into a winning player.

[Rocketwadster 0]

Rocket, I've played at your tables, and you have a better understanding of the game than most.  I wouldnt be too worried about dropping $40.  Sometimes I fall into the trap of saying that since im up at the table  I can afford to make a few more calls.  I think you might be doing that just a bit.  You have large swings at your table.  You're up 25 BB, then you're down 10.  Maybe playing a bit too loose.  Work on that, and I'm sure you'll turn into a winning player.

seems more like im down 25, then up ten, then down 25...i know what you mean though. I have been playing real tight since yesterday (may have been a bit loose from the button or CO), but results are still the same - getting killed by the river or overplaying top pair.

[Vade 0]

Hang in there!I just went from 10 NL to 25 NL and it's tough (I'm down about a buyin over 9 days)However I'm mostly happy with how my play has gone, except for the first two days where I had been a bit tentative :?

[EastofElvis 0]

I am trying to move from .25/.5 to .5/1 over the last month or so. I didn't find the play much different, and over the last couple weeks things have been positive. I think one thing that bothered me more than I expected was the increased size of the money swings and how it effected my roll. It has taken some time to get used to it. Dropping $15 - $20 at the lower limit was a big deal, but now that same drop is $30 - $40. Keep your play consistent and things will work out. If a session was going bad, rather than try and grind it out, I would bail and go back to the lower table for awhile just to feel more comfortable. After a few good hands, I'm back at the higher level again. After a few weeks I'm much more comfortable, and my roll is up $100+ to show for it. Hopefully it wont head the other direction any time soon.

[justblaze 0]

700 HANDS. this is nothing. its like 3 hours of multitabling. drop down if you are still losing after 5k.

[Jeff 0]

you guys really think you need 300X the BB as a BR? I was thinking 100X is OK. I play 3-6 at the casinos with about 50X and usually am either up or down $100

[justblaze 0]

you guys really think you need 300X the BB as a BR?  I was thinking 100X is OK.  I play 3-6 at the casinos with about 50X ans usually am either up or down $100

bankroll: all the money available for gambling. stake: the money you put into play in a particular session.a 50bb stake in each game is fine, but can you go get more if you lose? if so, then your bankroll is much bigger than 50bb. If not, call us when you're broke.

[Jeff 0]

I don't mean to sound snobby, but my bank roll is excessive. I've never calculated it. I have never lost a session stake in an avg. session of 10-12 hours. Game are usually 3-6 kill. Is this good? I've been thinking about 10-20 now.

[Briguy 0]

You play on Stars, right? Sometimes the table selection is difficult on Stars at 0.50-1.00. Most of the 10-seaters will have %flops of less than 30%. At 0.25-0.50, there are almost always at least four tables with >40% flopperoonies. If you are playing at non-peak times, you may want to stick around the 0.25-0.50 limits (which seems painful, I agree) until the action on 0.50-1.00 starts to pick up (later in the evening, here). Or, you might want to pick a couple of tight 0.50-1.00 tables and play like a maniac for a couple of passes of the button, to loosen them up. It's healthier for your BR to just drop back when table conditions suck, IMO, but choose whatever approach works.

[BIGSLICKSTER 0]

I don't mean to sound snobby, but my bank roll is excessive.  I've never calculated it.  I have never lost a session stake in an avg. session of 10-12 hours.  Game are usually 3-6 kill.   Is this good?  I've been thinking about 10-20 now.

You have never lost a session and you want to know if that is good? ok ? Also I probably should have my boots on bc the sh*t is getting deep. If you never lose and you BR is "excessive". F it go to 10-20 NL if you never lose.

[Rocketwadster 0]

You play on Stars, right?  Sometimes the table selection is difficult on Stars at 0.50-1.00.  Most of the 10-seaters will have %flops of less than 30%.  At 0.25-0.50, there are almost always at least four tables with >40% flopperoonies.  If you are playing at non-peak times, you may want to stick around the 0.25-0.50 limits (which seems painful, I agree) until the action on 0.50-1.00 starts to pick up (later in the evening, here).  Or, you might want to pick a couple of tight 0.50-1.00 tables and play like a maniac for a couple of passes of the button, to loosen them up.  It's healthier for your BR to just drop back when table conditions suck, IMO, but choose whatever approach works.

not anymore, i just recently cashed out on stars (trying to clear my bonus on UB...still got a few hands to play before it is cleared).

[Jeff 0]

I don't mean to sound snobby, but my bank roll is excessive.  I've never calculated it.  I have never lost a session stake in an avg. session of 10-12 hours.  Game are usually 3-6 kill.   Is this good?  I've been thinking about 10-20 now.

You have never lost a session and you want to know if that is good? ok ? Also I probably should have my boots on bc the sh*t is getting deep. If you never lose and you BR is "excessive". F it go to 10-20 NL if you never lose.

I guess I should qualify. I would say my BR is $1,000. I play $3-6 with 50x the BB and win or lose 10-20X the BB. I feel comfortable moving up to $4-8 first I guess and see how it goes..

[amarillotg 0]

to the OP:a 40 BB is a normal swing and u should just chalk it up to variance. the first time i moved up to .50-1.00 i lost 80 BB in about 500 hands. 3 weeks later and im now playing 1-2.just hang in there and be patient.

[BeanGW 0]

I guess I should qualify. I would say my BR is $1' date='000. I play $3-6 with 50x the BB and win or lose 10-20X the BB. I feel comfortable moving up to $4-8 first I guess and see how it goes..[/quote']Dude... if you never lose then you may as well take out a loan and play 3,000-6,000 with Ivey in Vegas. Either you are being honest (unlikely) in which case what is the purpose of asking us whether or not it is OK to move up from 3-6 to 4-8... Or you are lying, which serves absolutely no purpose because no one here gives a rats a$$ how poor a poker player you really are.

[justblaze 0]

I don't mean to sound snobby, but my bank roll is excessive. I've never calculated it. I have never lost a session stake in an avg. session of 10-12 hours. Game are usually 3-6 kill. Is this good? I've been thinking about 10-20 now.

You have never lost a session and you want to know if that is good? ok ? Also I probably should have my boots on bc the sh*t is getting deep. If you never lose and you BR is "excessive". F it go to 10-20 NL if you never lose.

I guess I should qualify. I would say my BR is $1,000. I play $3-6 with 50x the BB and win or lose 10-20X the BB. I feel comfortable moving up to $4-8 first I guess and see how it goes..

hmm, so lets see. your 'excessive' bankroll is actually relatively short ~175bb. You usually play for 10 hours and make an average of 15bb, which is an hourly rate of 1.5bb. Assuming you never lose (which is patently untrue), you are averaging 1.5bb/hr at microlimits, which is decent, but far from crushing the game. Throw in a couple losing sessions, and you are only a marginal winner. Let us know when you go broke at 10-20. I play 3-6, with a 3k roll.

[DKE_XP120 0]

I guess I should qualify. I would say my BR is $1,000. I play $3-6 with 50x the BB and win or lose 10-20X the BB. I feel comfortable moving up to $4-8 first I guess and see how it goes..you should clarify actualy 8) .... but anyway, your bankroll should be 1800 to play at 3/6.... playing 3/6 with a kill it should be a little higher i'd assume.. If you play 4/8 with a 1000 bankroll, good luck you're going to be broke after your first downswing

[CheckisGood 0]

Its all in the variance man... i recently moved up to .50/1 and in my first day i made $110 in 4 hours... over the next 6 hours i lost 60.... ive gotten back the money i lost and then some but man just play well and u can tear up these tables. GL

[Jeff 0]

I never said I never lose. I said I have never lost my session stake and my session stake to date has been about 50X BB. If I lose, I lose no more than 20X BB. I play in a casino once a month. I am content losing 20X BB/ month and don't see that has a hit to my bankroll. In that sense, I don't have a defined bankroll. It is my disposal income, or my entertainment allottment, or however else you want to define it. I guess you guys are talking about putting in 40+ hrs. a week which I don't do. Since I never lose more than 20X BB, and more often than not I win about 20X BB, I feel comfortable moving up. I think it is easier to win at the bigger limits. The lower limits, too many people are in to see the flop. While it is true that this produces big pots, I would rather have a few people in at higher limits, than the whole table in on lower limits. My AA never seem to hold up in lower limits because too many people chase.

[guinevar 0]

You should read SSHE by Sklansky. He talks about how the mental philosophy that "If only I were playing against BETTER players then they'd respect my raises and I'd win more" is incorrect and will surely lead to the destruction of your bankroll. Spend the 15 bucks to buy the book to understand this or spend the rest of your bankroll getting it through your skull. But, if you're wanting to give money away, maybe you can just transfer your bankroll to me on Stars and I'll put it to good use.

[justblaze 0]

I never said I never lose. I said I have never lost my session stake and my session stake to date has been about 50X BB. If I lose, I lose no more than 20X BB. I play in a casino once a month. I am content losing 20X BB/ month and don't see that has a hit to my bankroll. In that sense, I don't have a defined bankroll. It is my disposal income, or my entertainment allottment, or however else you want to define it. I guess you guys are talking about putting in 40+ hrs. a week which I don't do. Since I never lose more than 20X BB, and more often than not I win about 20X BB, I feel comfortable moving up. I think it is easier to win at the bigger limits. The lower limits, too many people are in to see the flop. While it is true that this produces big pots, I would rather have a few people in at higher limits, than the whole table in on lower limits. My AA never seem to hold up in lower limits because too many people chase.

by this logic, you should play as high as possible. I hear $4000-$8000 is super soft, theres usually only two players in the pot by the flop!

[dms26 3]

I never said I never lose. I said I have never lost my session stake and my session stake to date has been about 50X BB. If I lose, I lose no more than 20X BB. I play in a casino once a month. I am content losing 20X BB/ month and don't see that has a hit to my bankroll. In that sense, I don't have a defined bankroll. It is my disposal income, or my entertainment allottment, or however else you want to define it. I guess you guys are talking about putting in 40+ hrs. a week which I don't do. Since I never lose more than 20X BB, and more often than not I win about 20X BB, I feel comfortable moving up. I think it is easier to win at the bigger limits. The lower limits, too many people are in to see the flop. While it is true that this produces big pots, I would rather have a few people in at higher limits, than the whole table in on lower limits. My AA never seem to hold up in lower limits because too many people chase.

That logic is totally backwards. Less people in the hands preflop means they most likely have good hands, which even if you have a good hand doesn't give you much of an edge. Plus higher limits play much better postflop which is where you make most of your money.

[Jeff 0]

I don't have a bankroll. I don't know what a bankroll is. How do you guys define a bankroll? what do you do when it is gone? Is it time based? I play poker and have a number in mind that I am comfortable losing. I never come close to it, but that is not to say that I don't lose. When I win, I don't add the money to a bankroll. I spend it. When I want to play again, I take money out of my checking account. I don't ever see stopping playing poker, and I don't ever see making a living at it.

[justblaze 0]

I don't have a bankroll. I don't know what a bankroll is. How do you guys define a bankroll? what do you do when it is gone? Is it time based? I play poker and have a number in mind that I am comfortable losing. I never come close to it, but that is not to say that I don't lose. When I win, I don't add the money to a bankroll. I spend it. When I want to play again, I take money out of my checking account. I don't ever see stopping playing poker, and I don't ever see making a living at it.

a bankroll is all the money you have for poker. it has nothing to do with time. when it is gone, you stop playing.