Building a Bankroll

[CIncyHR]

First post on 2+2, if there is a better section for this, let me know.

OK, so I've been playing Hold 'Em for about a year and a half. At this point in time I am a consistent winner in both my home and dorm games (both a $25 buy-in NL with .25/50 blinds). I have also had fairl good success online, although recently I took a big down swing that demolished my bankroll becuase I was playing stakes too high for what I had (started with $20, got it up to about $250 playing $25 and $50 NL on PP, but then started playing $30 + 3 SnGs and lost it all).

I made about $1500 last year, mostly in the $25 NL home games, but I never intended to build a bankroll for anyhting mroe serious, so I spent most of the cash. I have about $300 left to start a new bankroll with. This time I AM looking to build it so that I can take a step up in the limits I am playing.

Assuming I have $300 to put only on Poker Stars here are my questions:

1. What is the best game to play? I am considering either .50/$1 (would that be the best limit game for my bankroll?), the $25 NL tables, and the $15 + 1 Turbo SnGs. Which game has the best potential for profit?

2. How often do you move up a level of stakes, and how fast can you expect it to happen?

3. Ive read Super System, Carson's book, and parts of HFAP. TOP is my next purchase. Any other must reads?

Any other adivce is appreciated.

[playerfl]

online is probably a lot harder than your dorm games, except at micro-limits, so keep that in mind.

[sin808]

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1. What is the best game to play? I am considering either .50/$1 (would that be the best limit game for my bankroll?), the $25 NL tables, and the $15 + 1 Turbo SnGs. Which game has the best potential for profit?

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I don't know about the SnG's, never played them. I'd say either .50/1 or the $25NL is just fine for your bankroll.

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2. How often do you move up a level of stakes, and how fast can you expect it to happen?

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You can move up anytime you like it. But convential wisdom says when you've reached a 300BB BR for the limit you're moving to, and have at least 10k hands at your current limit. As for how long, it depends on how well you do, and how many hours you put in. I would have moved up to 1/2 after about 5 months of play (I don't get alot of hours in), but some ill prepared heads up play on my part, and my girl playing on my account (grrr!) sort of crippled my BR temporarily.

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3. Ive read Super System, Carson's book, and parts of HFAP. TOP is my next purchase. Any other must reads?


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Ed's new book SSHE. Inside the poker mind is also very good as is psychology of poker... pretty much most of the 2+2 library would be money well spent, IMO. Super/System 2 is supposed to be out later this year, though I'll wait until I see some reviews before I decide if it's worth buying.

[Peter Harris]

0) i only play party, so other sites may be better, seek out a site with a nice deposit bonus and soft plump fishies.

1) what are you best at? it's possible one of the reasons you dumped your first bankroll is that despite $25/$50NL and SNGs being same NL Hold 'Em, there is a world of difference between NL ring and NL tourney play.

If you like limit, then play limit, if you like NL ring, play that. if you are a tourney player, play them. Don't assume they are all similar because they are "Poker".

2) i moved up from 5+1 to 10+1 SNGs in 2 months because of the vig. i have not yet played a 20+2 in 7 months. I am a slow learner. likewise, i am a .5/1 limit player, moved up recently to take shots at 1/2 party bad beat as they are soft.

overconfidence and overstretched bankrolls are an online risk. don't move up because you have the BR, it may have been a hot streak. move because you can beat the games. some make it to 5/10 or $200NL in a year. I expect it to take 5-7. Because i'm 21 and have the luxury of time /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

3) HPFAP isn't useful at micros to a great extent. TOP is a must. Ed Miller's new book is good, as is Ciaffone/Brier's "Middle Limit" for play above 1/2 to 5/10 [debatable], then HPFAP must come into its own. The anti-lee jones camp exists over here, ed miller will knock spots off it.

If you want to play SNGs, then tournament poker for advanced players is a must. It'll help in multis too.

Posting on all the relevant forums (NL, 1-table, Micros) will be necessary, post hands that you are mightily confused about the right course of action. Also, offer your comments, if you're out of line, people will tell you and you'll improve, don't take it as a diss.

There's a lot to do. Let's hope you do it well.

Welcome, and best regards,
Pete Harris