too early to move to $2/4

I've been playing Party .50/1 for about 3 months and took advantage of several bonuses, so my total bankroll is about $1500. I've been beating .50/1 for over 2 months now and was thinking of moving up, since my bankroll would definitely allow it. After browsing through some forums and also according to my PT database, it seems that 1/2 is actually a little tighter than 2/4...maybe because of all the bonus clearing going on at 1/2.
For 2/4, I have a about 400BB, which should be enough, it might just be my lack of long term experience that would not make this a smart move. Should I stay at my current limit, even though my bankroll is larger than that?

[Recliner]

If you want to move up you should just do it. The players at 2/4 aren't somehow magically better than the players at .5/1. There are just a little less of the magically horrible ones at 2/4. The worse thing that can happen to you if you try 2/4 is you could lose some money. Give it a shot and if you don't like it you can always move back down.

[Bluffoon]

Take a shot. Take 50 or 100 bbs and try it. Analyze your sessions carefully with an eye towards adjustments you will have to make to your game. Hopefully you will run well and never look back. IF it doesnt go well take your 1000 bbs or so back to .5/1 and work on your game a little and try again.

For me anyway, there is no faster way to improve my game than to try a higher limit. Playing against better players for more money really accelerates the learning curve.

These are the replies I was hoping to get, thanks. So, Bluffoon, it seems like you would totally skip 1/2, even when moving back?

[lozen]

What moving back Just kick ass and dont look back /images/graemlins/smile.gif

The 2/4's can be wild.

[Bluffoon]

[ QUOTE ]
These are the replies I was hoping to get, thanks. So, Bluffoon, it seems like you would totally skip 1/2, even when moving back?

[/ QUOTE ]

You have a bankroll for 2/4 so I would take my shot there. If it didn't work out I would have a list of skills I needed to work on and adjustments that I needed to make to my game and I would make those where I was comfortable (.5/1) and move up as soon as I thought I was set. If I had the bankroll I would go right back to 2/4.

[SnglMaltScotch]

I would also suggest that you try 1/2 6max. There are many skills around blind play and aggressiveness that you will definitately need as you progress through the ranks.

Good Luck

isn't it a big adjustment though? What adjustments should I make for 6 max?

[MyTurn2Raise]

play the bad beat...though the rake is higher...the play is worse than a straight 2/4.

To find the fish, you have to think like the fish and what else could a fish want but a minimal chance at a large pot.

[ QUOTE ]
play the bad beat...though the rake is higher...the play is worse than a straight 2/4.

[/ QUOTE ]

what exactly do you mean by that...play the bad beat

what adjustments would you make when moving up to 2/4? What PT stats should I analyze etc...

Thanks

[La Brujita]

I didn't read the responses but I wouldn't skip 1-2. Part of poker is getting used to the swings and the jump will be pretty big from .5-1 to 2-4. Just my two cents.

[smartalecc5]

[ QUOTE ]
These are the replies I was hoping to get, thanks. So, Bluffoon, it seems like you would totally skip 1/2, even when moving back?

[/ QUOTE ]

Why ask the question if you already know what you are going to do?

[macdaddy991]

I think you should fo to 1/2 first. It will be a bigger ajustment then you think. Sure you are beating .50/1, but you will have to make some ajustments at 1/2 that you don't have to worry about at .50/1. If you fail to make these ajustments, you will get eaten alive at 2/4.

[MyTurn2Raise]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
play the bad beat...though the rake is higher...the play is worse than a straight 2/4.

[/ QUOTE ]

what exactly do you mean by that...play the bad beat

what adjustments would you make when moving up to 2/4? What PT stats should I analyze etc...

Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

The bad beat tables on party poker are considerably weaker games than the equivalent game in the holdem section. The drop for the bad beat is ~0.77BB/100 hands at the 2/4 level. (Naturally, this number is smaller for the higher levels.)

It's amazing, but the play is actually about 1BB/100 hands worse from the players on the bad beat table. At least, I'm doing 1 BB/100 hands better on bad beat tables with over 20k hands on both set-ups. Take out the 0.77 BB/100 drop and that is a +0.23 BB/100 hands move. Plus, there is always the outside chance of hitting the bad beat, which I did not factor into my calculations.

[Alex/Mugaaz]

I hate to break it to you people, but limits under a certain point have no real change in difficulty. Only Super-Super donators may lessen in quantity.

these adjustments everytone is talking about, what do you think are the main ones when moving up to 2/4? So far I've tightened up a little and put more effort in hand reading...

[Alex/Mugaaz]

[ QUOTE ]
these adjustments everytone is talking about, what do you think are the main ones when moving up to 2/4? So far I've tightened up a little and put more effort in hand reading...

[/ QUOTE ]

"Tightening up" has nothing to do with what level you're playing, it has to do with how you're playing, and the texture of the game and players. Hand reading goes on at any level, but hand reading still isn't that important since a lot of players play so badly they can't be read except general strength/weakness patterns. '

All 2/4 tables are extremely beatable, some are bad only because there are other tables which are muh better. On almost all sites only for 3/6 and above does each step above have any significant change.

well, with tightening up, I meant that I really stick to a tight preflop hand selection, which of course I should do at any level. What do you think is the most significant adjustment one has to make when moving from 0.50/1 to 2/4? You said everything below 3/6 is the same and beatable. That might apply to an experienced player, but I thought that 2/4 is a whole different level for most players.

[Alex/Mugaaz]

This might have more to do with what site you're on. Some sites are tight at this level, most aren't. I'm saying as a general rule, there are no strategy or skill changes needed that are notable between any game 2-4 or lower (excluding games like 2cent/4cent which are pretty much play money tables, these are easier, the only skill here is pumping with equity)

The free card play works more often at these tables, besides that I can't think of anything different. SSHE takes you all the way to beating 5/10, but not crushing.

[Bluffoon]

[ QUOTE ]
these adjustments everytone is talking about, what do you think are the main ones when moving up to 2/4? So far I've tightened up a little and put more effort in hand reading...

[/ QUOTE ]

You will see. Just play for a while and pay attention.

I've played almost 2000 hands at 2/4 and I'm doing pretty good so far making around 2.5 BB/100. I know 2K hands is absolutely no sample size but at least I've experienced 2/4 and I'm glad most you guys told me to move up.
I have about 35K hands from 7K players on file now at PT and it really seems like it is quite a bit looser than 1/2. The average VP$IP is around 28.3 at 2/4. Is that a similar value other people have seen?
What really helped me so far at 2/4 is Poker Ace and MaxPowerPoker's auto input script for the party buddylists. My list contains almost 200 buddies now and it's a huge help when finding good tables.

[Sully]

Does anyone have a link for the "auto import script"?

just check out the software forum. It's the auto input buddies thread

[stillbr]

I cant believe all the bad advice given here. Go to 1-2 for a while, period. Don't skip a level. Even if your good enough to beat 2-4 a $600 downswing might get into your head too much. Go to 1-2. Continue to learn things. Move up after you've played a while at 1-2.