Poker \"career\" conundrum
 

I'm sure many others are in a similar situation so I'll share:

My bankroll has far outgrown micro limits, I have almost 300 BB for 3/6 yet I'm currently playing 1/2. Obviously with this roll winning $20 a night at 1/2 doesn't even seem like anything, however I do not have the emotional fortitude to handle the big 2/4 or 3/6 pots

if I'm sitting there once pot cracks $60-$70 I get all panicky and my heart starts pumping and I'm like "I gotta win this pot!" and I'm horribly disappointed if I don't.

The question is should I continue grinding low limits and slowly padding my roll or go ahead and move up and just learn to do with it?

I think a good idea would be a mod for the PP skin, such that it knows what limit ou are playing and all chips used are .5 and 1 chips. That way the pot says like "8" instead of $32 (if you were playing 2/4 for example).

Re: Poker \"career\" conundrum
 

how about take out some of the excess BR buy something nice

and move up when you are ready

Re: Poker \"career\" conundrum
 

move up when you're ready not when your bankroll is ready or both will suffer.

Re: Poker \"career\" conundrum
 

[ QUOTE ]
I think a good idea would be a mod for the PP skin, such that it knows what limit ou are playing and all chips used are .5 and 1 chips. That way the pot says like "8" instead of $32 (if you were playing 2/4 for example).

[/ QUOTE ]

That would be so awesome!!!

Re: Poker \"career\" conundrum
 

I like this line, sounds like you may be ready, gradually, and i mean very gradually try to get into it.
cdl

Re: Poker \"career\" conundrum
 

buy something. keep playing. buy more. when your ready to move up, then do so. cease buying things.

Re: Poker \"career\" conundrum
 

[ QUOTE ]
move up when you're ready not when your bankroll is ready or both will suffer.

[/ QUOTE ]

definitely.
i was way overolled for 5/10 when i was playing 1/2.
with bonuses, bankroll grows way faster than skill for most people.

i used to be the same way with big pots...i still am at 3/6 sometimes.

try counting pots sizes out loud (if possible) in bets. say "small bets" or "big bets" each time, with each limp or raise...it desensitizes you (or did for me a little bit). just be sure you are by yourself [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

to avoid the pressure to "move up" faster, i withdrew most of my roll except for 250bb and it forced me to focus more when i moved up.

but if you don't want to move up, don't...

Re: Poker \"career\" conundrum
 

[ QUOTE ]
how about take out some of the excess BR buy something nice

and move up when you are ready

[/ QUOTE ]

And If you don't wanna buy yourself something nice my BR could use padding or I could use something nice.

I agree with the masses don't rush yourself just cause your bankroll is big enough. I would say put some toes in the water every now and then till you get used to the pot sizes, maybe just play 2/4 for 100 hands a week or so till you get accustomed but don't rush yourself because of BR.

Re: Poker \"career\" conundrum
 

It's true that if you move up when you aren't ready emotionally, you'll play poorly. But I think that it's also true that if you just sit back indefinitely waiting for your mind to make itself ok with the new level, it may never get there.

I think that poker is good for you, in many ways. (I've thought of writing a PB dissertation on this) One way its good for you is by helping you to learn how to march right in to dark tunnels, even when you have trepedation about what's in there. There is a mystique about playing a higher level, like the players there are all much better than the level you're at now. You might feel like you will be the only one at the table playing with your cards face up. Everyone will know what your'e doing, and will outplay you by a wide margain at every opportunity. The fact that the bets are much bigger exaggerates this. It makes you especially afraid to make a mistake.

I can assure you from personal experience that it just isn't so. The opponents at 2/4 are terrible, just like at .5/1. You don't give yourself enough credit. You're good enough to beat 2/4.

Here's a practical suggestion. Set aside some small ammount of money, say $200, and take it to 2/4 expecting to lose every dime. Don't care how you lose it, just expect that you will. There won't be any internal pressure to play 'even better' than you normally do, and ironically, you'll end up playing the best you can. If you break your 2/4 roll, go rebuild it at your normal level and take another shot, expecting to lose the whole thing again. You'll crack it eventually. And 10k hands later, it will occur to you that 2/4 is now 'your level', and you won't have even noticed the shift.

Re: Poker \"career\" conundrum
 

300BB isnt that much imo.

but its interesting, i think it depends on how much you need the money as well. if cash isnt a problem and a few hundred dollars is not a big deal, it is much easier to think of the pot in terms of BB. i had like 5000BB at the micros and i still couldnt play right at higher levels. then i got a job and stopped thinking of poker as income...and it was easy to move to 3/6 and 5/10. imo, the games arent that much harder in SS, a lot of the problems will be in your head. id wait till you are comfortable, and take occasional shots until you are.