When to move up?

[Khabbi]

I am currently playing the lowest limits possible at Paradise Poker - $2NL (.01/.02). That is where I started and where I am at now.

I had taken my initial $50 deposit and turned it into $100. I then decided to try to play the $5+$1 SNGs and I did pretty well at first and turned $100 into $130. When I was at that level I decided to try to give the $10NL (.05/.10) a try and I did quite well.

Around the same time that I was playing the $10NL, my performance started to suffer in the SNGs and despite losing money in the SNGs, my ring play was able to get my BR up to $150.

Then things just went badly - it was a combination of a downswing along with playing too loosely and then eventually tilt. My BR dropped to $90 playing the $10NL games. I took a breath and realized that I had lost all the progress that I made at the.

I had read the BR Management thread long before any of this happened, but I guess I found myself in a mini-Newbie Circle of Death, which didn't turn out too bad considering.

Anyway, I have leveled off and I have now built my BR back up to $120 playing the $2NL again. I usually 2-table and end up being ahead after almost every session at this level. I can't add another table right now because I don't have a monitor that can do a high enough resolution. I'm getting a 19" that can do 1600x1200 so I might give 4 tables a shot then.

The BR Management thread indicates that I don't want to fall below 15 bui-ins, so I don't want to play $10NL unless I have at least $150 but I would like a cusion so that I am not playing scared. With $150, I am dropping back to $2NL as soon as I lose one buy-in - not a lot of room for variance.

I was just wondering how long I should stick with the $2NLlevel before moving to the $10NL level. I was thinking of building to $170 or $180 before moving up. The only problem with this is that playing at the $2NL is pretty slow - it's only $2 at a time when I'm doubling up on the fish.

Does anyone have any experience in moving up in levels? How much cusion do you want to have?

I am at the right level of BR now for the SNGs but I don't feel that my tournament game is as good as my full ring game. I always seem to be behind in the SNGs and one bad beat cripples me every time.

[bair]

i think $150 is plenty at $10 NL, just dont play scared, play your game. it doesnt matter if you drop a few buyins, keep playing, the reason you have to be properly bankrolled (which you are) is because everyone will drop a few buyins, and you obviously will still have plenty to keep playing.

[CrunchyNuts]

Hello there, similar-boat person! I put in my $50 over at Paradise a couple weeks ago and have also been taking the $2NL tables for all they're worth...I'm up to $125 now. SnGs have been tempting, but I don't want to touch the ones on Paradise...not because of the players there, but because the fee is 20% right off. Pacific is much nicer there...I've been considering taking a chunk out and deposting there and keeping my ring game on Paradise. I haven't sat down at a $10NL on Paradise yet, but just looking at the stats on the tables they don't look overly easy...30-50% seen flops is a bad indicator to me.

Just a point of note, Paradise only allows 3 tables going at the same time.

But hey, jump right on up there...fewer profitable players on the $2NL means more $$ for me

[vqc]

more important than the bank roll aspect of moving up, is the mental aspect of moving up.

ARe you emotionally prepared to drop more money per buyin lost? You can drop 10 buyins at the lower level and feel fine becuase you trust ur game and ur self. If you moved up a level when you drop those 10 buyins, its that much more money. Wil you be ready? Playing with scared money isnt dependant on how big ur bank roll is. You play scared when you are afraid of losing 10 dollars instead of five dollars. That is independant of bankroll. At the end of the day if you see that u have dropped 50 dollars instead of 25, will ur stomache be able to handle it? If not, your not ready to move up regardless of your bankroll.

Do you turst your game, and ur emotional makeup?

[Xanadu]

I've played at paradise for a couple of months now, and have read that it is about the toughest competition out there. You might want to change sites. Aside from that, if you know how to play limit holdem, I have found the .25/50 to be the easiest money there. I've been making 6 or 7 BB/hour/table over about 100 hours. .10/.20 is even easier, but obviously you won't make as much for your time.

[spino1i]

I've played at Paradise for a couple of months now, and have read that it is about the toughest competition out there. You might want to change sites. Aside from that, if you know how to play limit holdem, I have found the .25/50 to be the easiest money there. I've been making 6 or 7 BB/hour/table over about 100 hours. .10/.20 is even easier, but obviously you won't make as much for your time.

Well I played at paradise to bonus whore a couple days ago. I played .05/.10 NL ring games. It was very easy for me, people seemed to be making really dumb mistakes, though I didnt play very well because I hated the interface so much and I could only play 2 tables before my computer came to a grinding halt. Keep in mind though that I normally 7-table .50/1$ NL ring games on Party and they arent the easiest games on the block.