Why I can't move up

[chopchoi]

When I play at .5/$1 on party, I look for a table with an $11 average pot, and no more than 3-4 people in the waiting list. The reason why I look for a short list is because I have found that when you join a long list, the fish has usually gone broke by the tim I get my seat, and the table is dead.

So I tried to move up to $1/$2. I looked for a table with a $22 avg pot, and a short list. I've tried about 5 times, but can't seem to find one. There are usually only one or two tables with pots that big, and there are always more than a dozen players waiting to join.

I've since lowered my standards a bit, and have started looking for tables with $19 avg. pots, but still, the wait is always too long. It seems that if I don't want to join a long waiting list, I have to play at tables with a $16 average. I dunno, but it seems to me that I can make a lot more, with much less risk, at a .50/$1 table with $11 pots than I can at a $1/$2 table with $16 pots.

Any thoughts?

[PokerCat69]

I settle for $8 at .5/1. Your 100% correct about the waitlists being filled by sharks who want a seat at the loose table.
The game turns to crap real fast.

With that said, I don't think this should prevent you from moving up. If the game is ultra tight you can steal & bluff more.

[milesdyson]

Naturally as the limit goes higher, the pots get smaller in terms of BBs.

Regardless, get a buddy, sit to his left, and profit. There comes a time when table selection isn't, "Oh cool, this table has big pots." It becomes, "I want to sit to the left of this loose ass guy and to the right of these tight guys so I can isolate the fish and steal the rocks' blinds."

Use your buddy list.

[Aaron W.]

[ QUOTE ]
When I play at .5/$1 on party, I look for a table with an $11 average pot, and no more than 3-4 people in the waiting list. The reason why I look for a short list is because I have found that when you join a long list, the fish has usually gone broke by the tim I get my seat, and the table is dead.

So I tried to move up to $1/$2. I looked for a table with a $22 avg pot, and a short list. I've tried about 5 times, but can't seem to find one. There are usually only one or two tables with pots that big, and there are always more than a dozen players waiting to join.

I've since lowered my standards a bit, and have started looking for tables with $19 avg. pots, but still, the wait is always too long. It seems that if I don't want to join a long waiting list, I have to play at tables with a $16 average. I dunno, but it seems to me that I can make a lot more, with much less risk, at a .50/$1 table with $11 pots than I can at a $1/$2 table with $16 pots.

Any thoughts?

[/ QUOTE ]

1) Don't expect $1/2 to look exactly like $.50/1.
2) Pot size does not always correlate precisely with profit.
3) Risk aversion does not make solid poker.
4) Doubling the stakes means that as long as your win rate doesn't get cut in half, you're making more money.

[teajay]

I don't know about others, but I tend to play tables with smaller avg pots, as long as everyone isn't almost broke. It generally means a more passive table. This leaves you in control of more hands and guessing less often about the maniac who's 3-betting crap hands which just inflates the pots to those large sizes.

Travis

[silkyslim]

skip to 2/4 or play 1/2 6-max

[grjr]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know about others, but I tend to play tables with smaller avg pots, as long as everyone isn't almost broke. It generally means a more passive table. This leaves you in control of more hands and guessing less often about the maniac who's 3-betting crap hands which just inflates the pots to those large sizes.

Travis

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm with you here. I've been doing better lately at Party .50/1 by joining the $8 tables. They seem to fit my game perfectly. I can't handle the wild swings on the really aggressive tables.

[chopchoi]

[ QUOTE ]
Use your buddy list.

[/ QUOTE ]

I should put you on my buddy list, lol.