Am I ready to move up?

[MrMoMo]

I've played backgammon for the last 10 yrs or so and have done quite well averaging about 10-15k/yr (usually not less than 8k/yr and made as much as 25k one yr). I have a fairly challenging career and play games mainly for fun and extra pocket money. Anyway local players are drying up so I decided to start learing poker. I went through books by Lee Jones, Carson, Sklansky, Krieger and most recently Ciaffione. I didn't have much success until about 2 months ago when I joined PP. I won about 2k playing NL100 the first month. As I continue to learn from the Ciaffione book, I shifted to 5/10 and made about 4.5k in the last 3 weeks. Perhaps all the other books laid the groundwork for me, but I find Ciaffione to be most insightful.

Anyway I know I should stick with 5/10 for awhile before moving up (to maybe 10/20 or 15/30). I'd appreciate any advise from those who went down this path. Should I start learning and playing more tournaments?

Thanks.

[Kenshin]

Have you tried playing poker in a B&M establishment? I would move up to 10-20 online and remain at a lower limit for the time being at offline games.

[sweetzer]

Since you are not playing for your rent money and have another challenging career, then I would move up to 10-20 or 15-30 and set aside about 100 big bets. A pro wants 300 big bets, but then you have another career. I am in a similiar situation, and I have to play at least 10-20 to make the time spent seem meaningful. I realize that someone should play their best game at any level, but my mind doesn't work that way.

[doublesnapper]

Very nice returns on your play. My story is very similar to yours, except that I have no side income, and started with free $10.00 playing online micro limits about 4 months ago. I'm building my play bankroll slowly (it always seems slowly). IMHO your returns on 5-10 of 4.5 K in 3 weeks are phenomenal. Either you are against very weak opposition, you are extremely good, or lucky, or all three combined.

My personal plan calls to double my limits every time I double my bankroll of 300 BBs. Also If I lose 80 BBs, I go back to my previous lower playing limit till I make it all back. Maybe too conservative, but that's the way I like it.

Best

DoubleSnapper

[MrMoMo]

It's hard to gauge opponents on PP 5/10 as there are so many different players. By and large, I see very weak opponents once in a while, but most players are fairly ok. I tried NL 50 and 100 my first month in PP, and thought that the swings tend to be much larger eventhough there are more maniacs. I find my swing in bankroll is much more steady-eddy playing 5/10. Anyway I'm going to stay at this level for a while and keep studying Ciaffone's middle limit. Maybe in a month or 2 I'll try 10/20.

[nykenny]

[ QUOTE ]
Perhaps all the other books laid the groundwork for me, but I find Ciaffione to be most insightful.


[/ QUOTE ]
i also feel Ciaffione's book is one of the best to my taste.

[ QUOTE ]
Anyway I know I should stick with 5/10 for awhile before moving up (to maybe 10/20 or 15/30). I'd appreciate any advise from those who went down this path. Should I start learning and playing more tournaments?


[/ QUOTE ]
stick to it for a good 6 months or so. build up bankroll (unless you have the roll already) and then attack 10-20 hold'em. 15-30 is a different story. i found it to be the toughest on PP. and by the way, don't play the hold'em games on PokerStars, they are bad.

Kenny