is it always correct to move up?

[jaydoggie]

Ive been playing $5 sngs on stars for a long time. I only recently started keeping stats again. I logged 300 in February/March with a 42% ROIC. Recently I've completed only 75 tournaments with an ROIC of 62.6%. Before you flame me zephyr, i understand my ROIC is maybe not sustainable with only 375 logged, but I do have confidence I am beating this level.

Now, is it always correct to move up? I'm confident I can beat what I'm at, my acct is up from 90 to 360 in my 75 sngs, so my balance is equipt for a $10 level. I've played a few $10 in leisure time and the skill level isnt much different, if anything the players are a little tighter and makes it easier to steal. The 3 conditions of moving up are met, I can beat my current level, Im adquately BR, and Im confident I can win at the higher level.

The only reason I ask this question is because I'm really not a wealthy person, I'm often unemployed, I have debts, and so on. $100 is alot of money to me. My BR is only $360 because I cash out so frequently usually needing money in my personal life. When I started logging again I told myself I would stop cashing out, build my BR and move up, hopefully start being the $20 or $30 level eventually and perhaps money would stop being such an issue as I'd have a good supplement in poker but now that I have almost $400 again Im starting to have doubts. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

[spentrent]

You are losing money by not playing the 10s. I think that the difference in play from the 5s to the 10s is only in your imagination -- and while 300 games won't reflect true and sustainable ROI, it at least reflects that you are most likely a long-term winner.

If you go on a bad streak, drop to the 5s if your roll drops below $200.

[jaydoggie]

maybe it is as simple as that. sometimes other things talk me out of it like the money at the time, and not in the long term.

[rjamesd]

I'm in almost the exact same situation and think you are on the right track. I did a quick spreadsheet analysis looking at hourly rate and ROI and decided I couldn't afford not to build up my BR and move up. I plan to move up to the next level when my BR is 40 times the higher table buy-in then move back down if I drop below 30. i.e., I will move up to $20 S&Gs when my BR is $800 and then back down of I loose and drop below $600. The idea is that at some point I will move up high enough that I can't beat the game, but at least I know what my limits are and I can maximize my hourly rate. A good poker buddy of mine worked his way up to $200 tables this way and says he makes over $50 per hour now. Good luck!

[jccookjr]

I assume PS is like PP with 5-1 and 10-1 tournaments. You will be paying 10% fees as opposed to 20%. The play would probably not be as wild "all in" type play at the 10s.

[Rasputin]

[ QUOTE ]
I assume PS is like PP with 5-1 and 10-1 tournaments. You will be paying 10% fees as opposed to 20%. The play would probably not be as wild "all in" type play at the 10s.

[/ QUOTE ]

Stars is actually 5/.5

[zephyr]

[ QUOTE ]
Before you flame me zephyr, i understand my ROIC is maybe not sustainable with only 375 logged

[/ QUOTE ]

Why would you think I would flame you /images/graemlins/confused.gif I always thought I was a nice boy.

You're clearly a winning player at the $5's. I can't imagine that you're not at the 10's as well, and likely the 20's too. Don't cash out, and move up to the 10's. I'm so confident that you could beat them that I'd be willing to back you financially.

Zephyr

[EnderFFX]

It sounds like you are a winning poker player at the $5 Level so I would definitly move to to the $10 level. A quick suggestion I have (Especially if you are a Poker Stars player) try and cash out $600 and leave that in a bank account somewhere. When Poker Stars has one of their promotions (the next one being qualifying for the WSoP I assume) with a 20% bonus, buy in for $600 (the maximum). Play till you earn your bonus and then cash out the $600 for next time. It's like an increase in your ROI of 20% for that series of tourneys.

Good luck bud, I'm in the same situation, money is tight and I have a bit of a bankroll so I'm playing SnG as well to try and slowly build up.

[spentrent]

You just need to pick a working bankroll (relative to a number of buy-ins) that you can live with -- and realize that it's not verboten to drop to a lower buy-in after you make a withdrawal.

In fact, that's probably exactly how you need to think about it. When you need the money, BY ALL MEANS withdraw it! But don't feel locked in to a higher buy-in after a withdrawal when you're not comfortably bankrolled for it.

[hurlyburly]

Try making a run at a $10 every time you finish 1st in a $5. You won't hurt your game or your bankroll and your confidence will be high. Stay at the $10 until you feel uncomfortable and then slip back to the $5. Then it's just rinse/repeat until you feel comfortable in the 10s.

Since you're tracking stats, keep track of your performances after a win compared to cold starts and see if you should start with $5 and move up from there every session. That will let you practice plays you learn at the higher level, and keep your BR intact.

[jaydoggie]

thanks for the other options. i played 11 of them today with little success. KK vs AA 3 times. also had j5 in the BB and checked around til the turn where the board was AKQT 2 spades. i pushed, and was called by 43s. needless to say i wouldnt be saying little success if i won this pot.

also the cards just werent there in a few others, and i finished overall 1st twice and split one heads up because my mouse came unplugged. 9 times out of the money, including a span of 5 out of the money, and have decided to build my BR a little more before making the jump. i didnt like seeing my acct suffer $55. not a very big swing for most, but might have become a disaster for me.

see you at the bottom, atleast for a little while.