Is it OK to be content to bonus chase and play no higher than 2/4?

[djcolts]

I'm not going pro (I have a full-time job) - and I've made decent money for a "hobby." Is there anything wrong with just bonus chasing and playing at smaller-limits (playing at a level that is efficient for clearing the bonus, depending on the site)? What are the pros and cons of this? I don't have much of a desire to move up to higher limits - I certainly don't see myself ever playing at 15/30 or anything like that.

[MediaPA]

Dumb question, why wouldn't it be alright? If you are content, it's all good. Not everyone has to strive to be a pro.

[Tosh]

Nothing wrong with that at all, you may find as you play more you get bored and decide to move up gradually but seriously what could be wrong with what you are suggesting?

[djcolts]

Sometime I need to ask a dumb question to check my sanity.

[ElSapo]

I understand your question, and it isn't really a bad one. It's really a question about goals and challenges and priorities and the like, not really about moving up.

Yes, it's fine. Don't let others define success for you, or set your goals. If you are content and happy to play, and hopefully win, at small limit hold'em then this is fine.

No one says you have to move up.

ElSapo

[dogmeat]

Well put, Elsapo.

Players (posters) should not need the input of other players (posters) to define themselves. You are your own person. If you are happy, great!


FWIW, I played six months longer at $2/$4 and $3/$6 than I really needed to (with regard to my bankroll), but I was making decent money and had a higher than average aversion to losing my bankroll. I was not worried that other people would think there was something wrong with me.

Did my slow move up the ladder of limits cost me money? Probably, but if I had busted out I would have been back at a regular job. Who knows what would have happened if I had tried to move up quicker and played poorly due to a fear of getting busted?

Dogmeat /images/graemlins/spade.gif

[nolanfan34]

I think this is a great question/post. This pretty much applies for me as well. I work full time, and I only play maybe 5-7 hours per week online in the evenings. I've been feeling this inadaquacy somewhat since I'm still basically just doing bonuses and playing $1/$2 and $2/$4.

But recently I decided that I just don't care about moving up any further right now. I don't have the time or energy to datamine, analyze Poker Tracker, figure out how to use the Game Time window, etc. I mean, when I can sit down an work on a bonus, I might only get an hour or two to play. I just sit at the first four tables possible and go for it.

So I'm going to just keep doing that. Am I limiting my earn rate by not moving up further? It's possible. But I think I've hit a comfortable spot where I make a nice little side income bonus whoring and playing $1/$2 and $2/$4, and that's fine with me.

[IndieMatty]

If you don't move up, how the hell will you be able to open up your winery!?

Yeah, it's fine, it's easy to feel inadequate here. I don't even think I could possibly 4 table.

[nolanfan34]

[ QUOTE ]
If you don't move up, how the hell will you be able to open up your winery!?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll have to count on the career for that. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[droolie]

I swear I'll continue to play some .50/1 until I stop playing, regardless of my skills level. I will certainly attempt to make a higher limit my regular game at some point but slogging around at .50/1 and crushing terrible players easily is fun. There is no stress whatsoever and if I decide to get shitfaced and LAG it up with some 2+2 friends it won'tbreak my BR.

The higher the limits the greater the potential profit but the more psychologically damaging the short term variance can be. One night recently I dropped $180 playing 3/6 against awful competition at Pacific (don't laugh) and had trouble sleeping that night. I only entered 10 pots but lost them all. I just kept replaying the session over and over in my head. Even though I realized while it was happening that it was only 30BB and that I have these 30BB downswings at .50/1 all the time and never even notice them but there was just something about losing that much money that quickly that really was a shock to my system. My BR was plenty big enough to play that level but I guess my aversion to losing money is too strong to overcome right now. I'll never understand how you guys who play 15/30 can drop 1K and above and not get really upset. You guys probably lose $180 in one hand and not think twice about it.

[Thomsen]

no its not ok - quit playing right away