Move up, to force myself to improve?

mack848 · #1 03-11-2005, 10:34 AM

I currently play 2/4 and believe that I am a small winner ~ 1-1.5 BB/100 (I've played 10k of 50/1, 1/2 and 15k of 2/4). I know that I am not great, but I'm better than most 2/4 opponents. I am definately not a 3BB/100 guy.

Problem is, I am not a naturally driven person. I feel that it is quite likely the I am in a comfort zone at 2/4, where I am gradually increasing my BR with a combination of winnings and bonuses. For instance, I have realised that I usually only replay my hands after a big losing session - even though I know that I should examine my play on winning nights too.

So I have the idea of moving to 3/6 and forcing myself to put in more effort and improve - as I hate losing. I have about 330BB for 3/6 and I am prepared to risk much of it - paying for my education if you like.

Clearly, moving up once you are confident of beating a new level is the optimum way to go - but I feel that this option might be a way of avoiding stagnation - at the possible cost of a chunk of my BR. Of course, I might find that this is above the ceiling of my ability.

Any thought/advice would be appreciated.

Mack

Bluffoon · #2 03-11-2005, 10:43 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I currently play 2/4 and believe that I am a small winner ~ 1-1.5 BB/100 (I've played 10k of 50/1, 1/2 and 15k of 2/4). I know that I am not great, but I'm better than most 2/4 opponents. I am definately not a 3BB/100 guy.

Problem is, I am not a naturally driven person. I feel that it is quite likely the I am in a comfort zone at 2/4, where I am gradually increasing my BR with a combination of winnings and bonuses. For instance, I have realised that I usually only replay my hands after a big losing session - even though I know that I should examine my play on winning nights too.

So I have the idea of moving to 3/6 and forcing myself to put in more effort and improve - as I hate losing. I have about 330BB for 3/6 and I am prepared to risk much of it - paying for my education if you like.

Clearly, moving up once you are confident of beating a new level is the optimum way to go - but I feel that this option might be a way of avoiding stagnation - at the possible cost of a chunk of my BR. Of course, I might find that this is above the ceiling of my ability.

Any thought/advice would be appreciated.

Mack

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You know yourself best. It seems to me like a costly way to motivate yourself.

mack848 · #3 03-11-2005, 12:32 PM

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It seems to me like a costly way to motivate yourself.

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Question is, if I assume that:
a) I am truly a small winner at 2/4
b) That 3/6 is tougher than 2/4
c) That I'll play 2 tables instead of 3 or 4
d) I improve at a faster rate than currently

How expensive is it likely to be?

I would hope to be no worse than a -1BB/100 player after a few k hands (although I know that variance would have a huge impact on my actual BR at this point.)

CheckFold · #4 03-11-2005, 12:45 PM

I think you know it's impossible for anyone to give you an accurate estimate over a few thousand hands. You could crush the game at a 4bb/100 clip even if you're at a break even skill level. It probably shouldn't be too costly from an EV standpoint. -1BB/100 over a few k is very losing for a full ring game. I personally think you should find some way to motivate yourself and stick with 2/4 until you're crushing the game.

philnewall · #5 03-11-2005, 10:44 AM

3/6 is about the same as 2/4 in way of your opponents playing ability, move up, and tighten up (especially with the 1/3 small blind). You should be fine, other than your swings increasing if you are game selective it isn't a big deal.

adamstewart · #6 03-11-2005, 06:21 PM

[ QUOTE ]
3/6 is about the same as 2/4 in way of your opponents playing ability, move up, and tighten up (especially with the 1/3 small blind). You should be fine, other than your swings increasing if you are game selective it isn't a big deal.

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wow, this sounds like a person who hasn't played much 3/6 lately (or 2/4, whichever is the case).

Adam

LImitPlayer · #7 03-11-2005, 11:16 AM

I would suggest that you stay at 2-4 and improve your game there. With a winrate of 1-1.5bb/100 hands you have some leaks to plug before moving up to 3-6. Plugging those leaks at 2-4 will be a lot less painful then plugging them at 3-6.

A lot of people say there isn't much of a difference
between the 2 levels but I say they are wrong. 2-4 is not 3-6(just my 2 cents)

Posters have said that if you can beat 2-4 you can beat 3-6 and i disagree with that as well. Someone with a winrate of 1 bb/100 hands at 2-4 may not be able to beat the 3-6 game where someone with a winrate of 3BB/100 hands over a sufficient sample size will most definately be able to beat that game

The aggresion factor is noticably turned up a notch or two,

At most tables you will be punished for limping with hands that were limpable in 2-4 and will end up calling 2 bets to see the flop. Yes there are some lose passive tables at 3-6 but that is not the norm.

You will encounter more semi-bluffs, check raises, raising middle pairs etc than you will see at 2-4.

Also you say your winrate is somewhere in the 1-1.5 BB/100 hand range. You should know what this is and not have to guess at it, you may be overstating or understating your winrate

mack848 · #8 03-11-2005, 11:42 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Also you say your winrate is somewhere in the 1-1.5 BB/100 hand range. You should know what this is and not have to guess at it, you may be overstating or understating your winrate

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I do know what my win rate after 15k hands is, but I know that this is unlikely to be my actual win rate. No-one knows their true win rate after these few hands - I am fairly confident that I am a small winner.

I appreciate your other comments.

cookie · #9 03-11-2005, 11:17 AM

"For instance, I have realised that I usually only replay my hands after a big losing session - even though I know that I should examine my play on winning nights too. "

Is it normal to replay your hands? Im asking because I have never done so...

mack848 · #10 03-11-2005, 11:47 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Is it normal to replay your hands? Im asking because I have never done so...

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I wish I had the enthusiasm/time to do so more often.

I had a bad session last night, -35BB. I went through the hands this lunchtime and realised that I had misplayed a couple of big hands, but had been unlucky in many more. On four occasions I had QQ or JJ and lost to turned or rivered Aces. Now, rather than beating myself up about my game, I have regained my confidence and convinced myself that it was mostly variance - not crap play or tilt.