Wow, I am terrible
 

I seem to be having a problem moving up a limit, and I shouldn't be. This is very nano/micro stuff, but it is killing me.

I started my bankroll at $25 on Pokerstars. I have built that up to $120 playing .05/.1 over the course of a few months. I only recently got Poker Tracker, so I only have about 3k hands in there right now. I am at 16bb/100 winrate, which I know is insanely not possible long run. Overall though, I feel I have a good handle on .05/.1 and can beat the limit solidly.

As soon as I move up to .25/.50, I lose it. I become either over aggressive trying to win pots or I become passive, afraid of putting too much money in and losing it, which is poker suicide. I end up calling down when I KNOW I am beat, but I call down anyway. This isn't ALL the time, but I do it enough that I lose money.

I am not playing with money I can't afford to lose, the money is actually inconsequential right now. I eventually would like to build up to play on Party Poker at the .5/1 level and make a few bucks there. But how am I ever gonna be able to handle that when I freak out at .25/.50?

I just don't understand it. Something is wrong with me =P

Re: Wow, I am terrible
 

I am having the exact same problem going from .5/1 to 1/2. I can see my opponents making plenty of mistakes. Problem is, I am making more. My WSD% is creeping up. My cold calling way up. My pre-flop standards are still solid at least.

I don't have any advice. I just feel your pain.

-D

Re: Wow, I am terrible
 

[ QUOTE ]
I am having the exact same problem going from .5/1 to 1/2. I can see my opponents making plenty of mistakes. Problem is, I am making more. My WSD% is creeping up. My cold calling way up. My pre-flop standards are still solid at least.

I don't have any advice. I just feel your pain.

-D

[/ QUOTE ]

I can understand it at the higher levels though..the money is quite substantially more then where I am at. I mean at .25/.50....gah.

Thank you though, as you feel my pain, I feel yours too heh.

Re: Wow, I am terrible
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I am having the exact same problem going from .5/1 to 1/2. I can see my opponents making plenty of mistakes. Problem is, I am making more. My WSD% is creeping up. My cold calling way up. My pre-flop standards are still solid at least.

I don't have any advice. I just feel your pain.

-D

[/ QUOTE ]

I can understand it at the higher levels though..the money is quite substantially more then where I am at. I mean at .25/.50....gah.

Thank you though, as you feel my pain, I feel yours too heh.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not that big a difference for me. I have a steady job and another $600 in my account to burn through before it costs me anything other than my poker profits.

I am playing .5 /1 x 4 tables again. I can tell I haven't lost my touch there. Even though I am up on two tables and down almost exactly the same on the other two.
[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Maybe playing one table is just to slow for me...

Re: Wow, I am terrible
 

I usually 2 table .05/.1 , then when I play .25/.50, I 1 table it.

I tried mixing 1 table .05/.10 and 1 table .25/.50...and that seemed to calm me down a bit on the .25/.50 table, to see my play at the lower limit table at the same time.

Still not where I want to be though...

Re: Wow, I am terrible
 

I've been playing the .25/.50 on stars for about 3 weeks now, started with $150 and been working my roll up. You really have to be disicplined post-flop, a lot of people aren't going to fold for "1 measly" bet if they hold any A in the hand just for an example. I personally 4 table the .25/.50 right now, I have 8 tabled it but my concentration isn't there.

Keep grinding, you'll kill it soon.

G

Re: Wow, I am terrible
 

[ QUOTE ]
I am having the exact same problem going from .5/1 to 1/2. I can see my opponents making plenty of mistakes. Problem is, I am making more. My WSD% is creeping up. My cold calling way up. My pre-flop standards are still solid at least.

I don't have any advice. I just feel your pain.

-D

[/ QUOTE ]

Keep playing. The move from .5/1 to 1/2 can be particularly difficult because players still play bad, but they often show down good hands. Fewer players will suck out on the river, but players will still go in pre-flop with random jank that hits and beats you. My biggest leak when moving from .5/1 to 1/2 was taking medium hands too far. The rake also takes more out compared to the big blind, so you need to be slightly better to win.

Re: Wow, I am terrible
 

it happens to me when I move up, 2/4 was especially tough, since I hit a 100BB downswing early on, and $400 really felt like a ton

I'm playing 3/6 6max now, and its very common to be down 25BB pretty fast, I've ran well so I haven't had the bad side much, but it can be quite frustrating

oh and I have been nice enough to drop down to .5/1 and donate off 150BB this month

Re: Wow, I am terrible
 

I sort of see .5/1 as the end of "solid pre-flop is all you need to win" and 1/2 is where you start to learn how to manage the flop and remaining streets.

Re: Wow, I am terrible
 

[ QUOTE ]
I sort of see .5/1 as the end of "solid pre-flop is all you need to win" and 1/2 is where you start to learn how to manage the flop and remaining streets.

[/ QUOTE ]

you might be able to beat .5/1 by just playing the right starting hands, but you will be close to breakeven

the money in this game is after the flop

Re: Wow, I am terrible
 

[ QUOTE ]
I seem to be having a problem moving up a limit, and I shouldn't be. This is very nano/micro stuff, but it is killing me.

I started my bankroll at $25 on Pokerstars. I have built that up to $120 playing .05/.1 over the course of a few months. I only recently got Poker Tracker, so I only have about 3k hands in there right now. I am at 16bb/100 winrate, which I know is insanely not possible long run. Overall though, I feel I have a good handle on .05/.1 and can beat the limit solidly.

As soon as I move up to .25/.50, I lose it. I become either over aggressive trying to win pots or I become passive, afraid of putting too much money in and losing it, which is poker suicide. I end up calling down when I KNOW I am beat, but I call down anyway. This isn't ALL the time, but I do it enough that I lose money.

I am not playing with money I can't afford to lose, the money is actually inconsequential right now. I eventually would like to build up to play on Party Poker at the .5/1 level and make a few bucks there. But how am I ever gonna be able to handle that when I freak out at .25/.50?

I just don't understand it. Something is wrong with me =P

[/ QUOTE ]

It's normal. I tried and failed 3 times to move from 5/10 ct to 25/50 ct on Stars. It's a huge relative move, so nothing surprising if it's not always successful. Sooner or later you'll crack it.

Re: Wow, I am terrible
 

.05/1 is very different to .25/.50.

i've moved up through the ranks started at .02/.04 and currently sit on top of around $275 and play .25/50

My main problems were(See if you can relate):
"I wanted the pot, it was huge! Maybe if i get lucky i can win it *Call call call*"

"Ah man, Ive lost lots ill just call now i think ill win... *Wins* ahh shoot i could of made more money there".



Anyhow, .25/.50 are alot tighter, You very rarely have the odds to call your gutshots(Atleast on my site), Reads are more vital and you MUST concentrate.

We can't really help you as your PT stats are to low(3k hands is not enough). Its your attitude that YOU must change, i recently moved up to .50/1 god i lost 60BB downswing(To bad beats) and now must move down to 25/.50.

Also your not even at 300BB so i recommend moving up at around 320bb so you have a "downswing barrier" where you have money you dont mind losing before you hit your 300BB.

I find this helps alot, as i dont play scared and can play like i played .05/10 which i crushed.

Good luck,
PH

Re: Wow, I am terrible
 

I know exactly how you feel. I started at .02/.04 on PS and I've now been playing .25/.50 for about a month. It's a lot bigger jump in money than you think, and even if you aren't worried about the money, there is always ego to consider. I was killing .05/.10 for 7.5 BB/100 and I assumed I'd carry on right were I left off when I moved to .25/.50. Well, I can tell you that didn't happen!

For me it was a combination of fear + bad card + bad play with bad cards.

I have found that, when you have a good hand, you have to play it well after the flop to make money on it. You can't just fire away expecting everyone to come along for the ride. Also, I learned about betting and raising when you have a pot equity edge on the flop. That is one way to win some really big pots. There are also fewer players that will bluff with absolutely nothing like they do at .05/.10. That doesn't mean they don't bluff in certain situations, but you actually have to pay attention and use reads a bit more.

After about 6k hands of mostly breakeven, I'm now starting to feel comfortable and I've crept up to 2 BB/100. I know you say that the money doesn't bother you, but assuming you play poker to win, the possibility of losing your bankroll at a new limit instills its own brand of fear that can make you weak-tight. Give it some time, and study the postflop section of SSHE.

Re: Wow, I am terrible
 

[ QUOTE ]
I sort of see .5/1 as the end of "solid pre-flop is all you need to win" and 1/2 is where you start to learn how to manage the flop and remaining streets.

[/ QUOTE ]

Have you played .25/.50 at PokerStars? I would argue that you'll only break even, or show a very small profit if you play the "solid pre-flop is all you need to win" game. That's exactly what I was doing, and only when I starting studying postflop did I begin to show a profit.

In any case, I don't think any of us are playing just to stay afloat, and if you can make money postflop...