Ready for higher stakes?

[Mangatang]

I've been playing low limit Hold'em ($3-6, $4-8) for several years. I only get to play about once a month though. When I do play, I play for 10+ hours at a time and usually end up only slightly ahead or break even. I'm wondering if my style of play is better suited for higher stakes games ($10-20, etc).

I'm a tight/aggressive player. I've read (and reread) several books on Hold'em strategy and try to adhere to their principles (David Skalansky, Lee Jones, etc.) Most of the tables I play have 7-9 players seeing the flop each hand, while I only call to see about 20% of the flops. It's frustrating to play against people who call to see the flop with any two cards, and usually stay to the river with any draw. It seems that my top pair or trips constantly gets beaten by someone who turns over a 8-5 off-suit for the backdoor straight, even though I've been betting/raising to try to get them out.

I know that type of play is not profitable for any one person, but I'm not playing against one person. I'm playing against nine players who are all going for the big draw. My one opponent (the other nine players) has dozens of outs each hand.

Is it possible that I would do better at higher stakes games, or do I need to be able to adjust my play and dominate lower limits first before graduating up to the higher limit games?

[Jeffage]

If you are slightly ahead or break even at lower limits, you will be decimated at the higher limits. Trust me, I learned this the expensive way. This argument (I can't beat these fish bc they play so bad) is repeated often on this board, but my question to you is if you can barely beat people who make many costly mistakes, how will you beat people who make fewer mistakes and are much more properly aggressive? My guess is that you are playing a semi solid game but do not make the adjustments necessary to beat loose low limit games...I'd read the sections in Hold Em For Advanced Players on Loose games, and as importantly, start posting hands here from every session you play...you will learn a lot.

Jeff

[Dynasty]

If you are only slightly ahead at best with that many opponents taking the flop, then you certainly aren't playing optimally in the low-limit games. You should be crushing that game.

Do you think you will do better at higher limits because your opponents will "respect your raises"? If so, I think you are approaching the game incorectly. You usually don't want opponents to respect your raises. You usually want themt to call your raises.

[Jeffage]

Wow Dyno, that was eerie =).

Jeff

[AceHigh]

It's possible you would do better at higher stakes, but very unlikely. You really have to master low limit play before you move up to the higher limits.

"Most of the tables I play have 7-9 players seeing the flop each hand, while I only call to see about 20% of the flops."

Are you sure you are playing well? The looser the games are the more you should loosen up and play preflop, especially in late position. Do you play tight after the flop? You could be tight preflop and (too) loose post flop, that's also a bad combination in loose games.

[Dynasty]

Aieeeyaaaaaaaaah!