I guess that was my thinking with the 20 buy-ins. If it's just a gambling hobby, zero buy-ins. If it's a hybrid between a gambling hobby and a side source of income - maybe compromise at 20 buy-ins. But that may be warped thinking, we'll see.

I guess the question I was realy wondering, which I didn't phrase very well and kind of got lost in the shuffle, is this: if my goal is to get as good as I can as fast as I can, am I better served by swinging a heavier bat now against tougher competition, or refining my game and getting lots more reps at the lower levels? Assuming, at the moment, that I can financially tolerate the beatings against the tougher competition. I guess that was my dilema, assuming money is not the main issue, which will get me there faster?

I understand that if I ever really want to play for a living, BR management is vitally important. But I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's harder to get good at poker than to learn good BR mgmt. IE - that can come a little later. Maybe I'm off there, I dunno.