Desired Bank Roll
 

I play at Stars and I'm currently playing on the $0.10/$0.20 tables. I usually play three tables at a time and I want to move up to the $0.25/$0.50 tables. What is a good starting bankroll for that level to play three tables? 400xbb? 500xbb? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

As per the FAQ at the top of the page, the recommended minimum roll is 300 BB's. If that seems too small, then there is nothing wrong with waiting until you have a 500 BB roll. Waiting too long, however, is -EV, because you're winning less than you could be winning. OTOH, you don't want to move up too early and blow your roll against the tougher opposition. Make sure you're comfortable with both your skills and your roll.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

Thanks wookie. I saw that in the FAQ, but I was wondering if you're playing 3 tables at the limit, what a good cushion over the 300 bb's would be. I'm comfortable with my skills, just don't want to jump up too early and have to drop back down when a bad streak hits because I didn't have enough BR to cover three tables. Would a decent formula be 300xbb for one table and then 100xbb for each additional table you play?

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

That's not really necessary. Playing more tables does not increase variance. It only increases the number of hands per hour. This means you can drop more BB in less time, but you can also drop just as many BB over more time (but same # of hands) if you single table. I tend to sit w/ 50 BB, so I couldn't play more than 6 tables w/ that roll, but it's not a higher variance move to do that.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

Thanks for the info Wookie. Really appreciate it.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

Is there any reason (read: advantage) for sitting with 50BB as opposed to the 25 that Partypoker picks by default when you pick a seat?

Steve

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

Waiting until you are comfortable is never -EV. But yeah, at 500 BB unless you have a really good reason not to move up, it is time to move on up.

To the east side.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

[ QUOTE ]
Is there any reason (read: advantage) for sitting with 50BB as opposed to the 25 that Partypoker picks by default when you pick a seat?

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Buying in short/big at limit is a debatable advantage/disadvantage at best. Only at the extremes does it seem to affect your tablemates' behavior: a 200 BB stack might cause some opponents to tighten up against you, and a 10 BB stack might cause them to play you more aggressively.

At Party I usually just do the default 25 BB, and rebuy in the rare event that I get down to 12 BB.

The default amount varies between sites - at Stars the default it's unrealistically low (10 BB, I think) for some reason, and at UB it's 50 BB.

(Edit in bold) [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

I have about 4000BB of 1/2 where I was playing the past 3days

being rediculously overrolled is soo fun .. as is overlagging the game, and still destroying it

I think comfort levels are more important that raw #s of bb, considering how fast you can build a roll, if you are a hardcore bonuswhore

bankroll grows faster than skill level .. also assuming you will be a winner(and at the same rate) at the next level can really be a mistake, each new level has its own nuances and getting used to that takes some time.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

I need to try this bonus whoring stuff, anybody know where the best ones are right now? Right now I have about $160 on Partypoker (obviously not enough to get maximum value out of bonuses, but I got what I got).

Steve

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

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I need to try this bonus whoring stuff, anybody know where the best ones are right now?

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I was about to direct you to the FAQ, when I noticed that Wookie's micro-bonus-whoring guide for newbies isn't listed there.

But the search function still works.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

[ QUOTE ]
being rediculously overrolled is soo fun .. I think comfort levels are more important that raw #s of bb, considering how fast you can build a roll, if you are a hardcore bonuswhore


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Well said, Bottomset. I play 0,5/1 with a 4700 BB roll because thats what I'm comfortable with.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

If you study here on 2+2 and dont be stupid I think 300bb is fine.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

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Playing more tables does not increase variance.

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Agreed. Except that playing a new, higher limit at your normal number of tables (in the OPs case, three) may result in a much lower win rate. It's not strictly varience, but it's not pleasant, either. I advocate decreasing the number of tables you play when first moving up.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

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At Party I usually just do the default 25 BB, and rebuy in the rare event that I get down to 12 BB .

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bold text mine.

This is a good point for newcomers: at sites that don't allow unlimited raising HU, 12 BB should be your absolute floor, because it's the amount of money you need to avoid ever being all in on a particular hand. It happens to posters here infrequently, but still too often. For me, it also serves as a useful level to double check table conditions and my play.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

Once you have 300BB, you can move up if desired.
But there is no requirement to do so.

I'm playing $2/4 with a total bankroll of 1500BB because I absolutely destroy those games while only being a moderate winner at $3/6 and $5/10.

Move up until you stop making money, then move down one level and spend a ton of time building your bankroll and plugging leaks. Then move up again if you feel like it.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

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Is there any reason (read: advantage) for sitting with 50BB as opposed to the 25 that Partypoker picks by default when you pick a seat?

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I always buy in for 50 because I'm multitabling and I don't want to have to worry about rebuying. That's the only reason. Otherwise I don't think it matters.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

If you are unsure of the new limit having extra BBs is nice, but you can also single table the .25/.50 and double table the .10/.20. I 3 table .25/.50 on Party and when I get a table running bad will switch it to .15/.30 usually ending up 4 tabling two of each with a "rich" side and "cheap" side of the monitor.

My 45 days of "beginner" is going to run out soon on Party and I'll have to figure out if I'm ready for the .50/1 game or go to a different site for the lower limit. Is .50/1 the lowest regular game they spread on Party or am I missing some room in the menu someplace?

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

$.50/1 is the lowest non-beginner table level at Party.

They have lower at Paradise and Stars.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

Are you rolled for 0.50/1? If so, play your last few days as a beginner at 0.50/1 and find out.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

Assuming things don't change too drastically, and really, what could go wrong, I should be able to get my BR up to 300BB by then, 400 if I don't pull some money out at the end of the month. I have an unrealistic 4 or 5 BB/100 winrate over 14k hands but am still a little worried about the switch. Especially now that I'm seeing variance and instead of 40 to 100 BB up days I'm seeing 30BB losing sessions being covered by 50BB winning ones for smaller daily wins.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

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I always buy in for 50 because I'm multitabling and I don't want to have to worry about rebuying.

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I do this as well. I usually keep it topped off as well, every time I drop about 10BB. I don't like to constantly worry about having enough money in there.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

[ QUOTE ]
My 45 days of "beginner" is going to run out soon on Party and I'll have to figure out if I'm ready for the .50/1 game or go to a different site for the lower limit. Is .50/1 the lowest regular game they spread on Party or am I missing some room in the menu someplace?

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First of all, if you're winning at your current level then $0.50/1 is going to make no difference at the Party beginner tables. Really. I cannot believe there are worse players out there. Table selection is not even all that important at that level. They're just plain awful for the most part.

I've found the $1/2 tables there are also just as soft, though table selection is far more important at that level. You can be on a table filled with sub 20% VP$IP players or have a table average of over 50% - find the latter and reap the rewards.

As someone said, your skill level increases at a slower rate than your roll thanks to whoring, but I'm going to take a pop at $2/4 soon enough, and see where that leaves me.

So my advice is try the higher limits now, while you still have the chance at the beginner tables. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

Don't try and work your way up; clear bonuses instead.

Re: Desired Bank Roll
 

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Don't try and work your way up; clear bonuses instead.

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Although I understand what you probably meant to say, as written this is bad advice.

You absolutely should take advantage of bonuses to pad your roll - free money is free money, and you should take it anytime you can get it, no matter what level you're playing at - but at the lower limits, the point of your poker play should be to improve your poker play.

It's important to move up as you feel comfortable and are winning at the level you're at, and when you're bankrolled to your satisfaction for the next level.

And at the end of the day, you will have more money playing winning poker at 1/2 with a $150 deposit bonus than you will playing .5/1 with the same bonus.

Edit: not to mention that bonuses won't clear very fast, if at all, at .05/.10.