From small stakes to mid-limit and high limit.

RYL · #1 08-12-2004, 05:07 AM

How much money did you guys win in a 1-2, 2-4, or 3-6 table (within in a year or less) before you decided to switch to 10-20, 15-30, or 30-60 tables? $/hr.?
By the way, it's my first post. Excellent site.

ike · #2 08-12-2004, 05:33 AM

I started playing in January with $50.00 at .25/.50 and moved up each time my bankroll hit what would be 200BB at the next level. I moved back down if it ever fell below 100BB and sometimes moved down sooner if I wasn't sure I was playing well enough in the bigger game. These days I play mostly 10/20 but will play as high as 30/60 when the games are good (I play UB so the game selection sucks, I'm working on moving to a new site). I think I moved up faster than most though, probably because of a few things: I'm a student with too much spare time, I had previous experience as a competitive chess and Magic player, and that experience gave me the confidence to move up quickly and play on a somewhat tight bankroll. My advice would be to move up as soon as you have a bankroll you're comfortable with for the next level and feel that you can play better than your opponents. If you do take this approach though, be sure to frequently ask yourself whether you actually are playing better than your opponents and be prepared to decide you're not and move back down once or twice during your general upward trend.

Legian · #3 08-12-2004, 06:23 AM

I set up an account at an online site about 14 months ago for 2k and played 3/6. I ran very good against very bad players over a period of about 100 hours of play. It only took about that long to put my bankroll up to about 5k and at that point I switched to playing the 5/10 6-player tables. Please note again the luck involved. It could easily have gone the other way too.

For the next eight or nine months of playing 2-3 hours a day I stayed at 5/10 though sometimes I'd check out the 10/20 or 15/30 tables but mostly I was happy where I was. I like a really big bankroll in relation to the limit I play but that's just me.

Recently my account surpassed 15k so I felt forced to raise up in limits again. I now play the shorter tables at 15/30 and am so far breaking about even but I don't have many hours at that limit yet so it's hard to tell whether I'll be successful there. I'm getting more confident about the swings so I guess I'll be okay.

Legian

IlliniRyRy · #4 08-12-2004, 10:01 AM

I'm much different than these other two posters. I played 1-2 for over a year and made like 3k before I moved up permanently. I wanted to be confident I was actually beating the game before I risked too much money. I don't think the skill level changes much until you get to 5-10, so anyone that is solidly beating the 1-2 ring games could probably beat 3-6 pretty easily. I've been playing for 3 years now, and I just moved up to 15-30 about 3 weeks ago, playing 4 tables there. 15-30 is much more loose aggressive than 5-10, I think it may take awhile to correctly adjust to it.

RYL · #5 08-12-2004, 05:56 PM

Thanks for the replies. I'd also like to share some good news. From 4:30pm - 5:30pm Eastern time, I nearly doubled my money from 312 to 599 from playing 3 different 2-4 tables (individually... not at the same time) [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img].

bdk3clash · #6 08-13-2004, 11:38 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the replies. I'd also like to share some good news. From 4:30pm - 5:30pm Eastern time, I nearly doubled my money from 312 to 599 from playing 3 different 2-4 tables (individually... not at the same time) [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img].

[/ QUOTE ]

That's cool, but if that's your entire bankroll you're playing too high. You've only got 150 BBs for 2/4--most here would probably agree that with your bankroll you should be at 1/2 for a little while longer.

Boopotts · #7 08-13-2004, 01:47 PM

The 300 BB bankroll is only required for those whose sole source of income is poker, or those who will not be able to reload if they bust out. If you're a winning player, you've probaby got a 95% chance (or higher) of doubling a 150 BB bankroll before you go bust.

Lawrence Ng · #8 08-14-2004, 04:28 AM

I do not play for a living, and I only play live Hold'em gamess (I only play omaha online), but the general criteria is 300 BB if you play for a living + 3 months living expenses to cover you. That should allow you to play comfortably. Of course if you live with mommy and daddy, then all the better.

If you like playing short handed games then make it 1000 BB.

RYL · #9 08-18-2004, 07:19 PM

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately the 600 I had is now down to 100. I plan on playing 1/2 until I get at least 500 or 1000. What does everyone here suggest?

Whistler · #10 08-18-2004, 08:45 PM

I play live mainly, or at least have since I was 21 (in a casino at least), Im 22 now. I have played some type of poker as long as I can remember, but started learning it seriously when I was about 19. I just recently started playing online, as a hobby for now, but will probably, turn
"semi-pro" in mid-january, until I am out of school, which should be in about 2 years. I started Aug 4th, on my "quest", 20k hands at each level, for full ring games, starting @ .5/1 limit, with a 300BB roll. Ill play 30k at each 6-max level. My goal is 625 hands for the ring games, and 1k per day at the 6-max games taking about 1 month for each level (currently at about 8500 hands 4.8bb/100)
Im doing this mainly for statistical purposes, BUT I also believe this is the smartest way to do it, if for the only reason that I am adjusting to online/multi-table (4) play. The 300BB is a guideline, NOT for "pro" players but for the simple fact that you are very likely to avoid the risk of ruin...long-winded but hey you asked [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]