How far have you moved up at no-limit ring games?

[Hans Gruber]

I started playing for play money on PokerStars about 3 months ago. About a month later, I deposited $50 into my account, and started playing .5/.10. Since then, I've read 3 books, eventually built my bankroll up to about $150, and then moved up to .10/.25. For the first 2 weeks at this level, I was very frustrated, struggling to break even. But after learning that POSITION IS EVERYTHING in poker, and a few other things, everything has started to click for me in the last few weeks.

I've made about $300 in the last week playing .10/.25, and I also made $80 recently finishing 11th in a $10 buy-in NL tourney. Now that my bankroll is up to $500, I'm considering a move to .25/.50. But I think for now, I'll just stick with hammering away at .10/.25 until I feel confident enough to move up.

[Jonny]

My story is somewhat different in that I never played in the play money games. I'm in college and had played some small stakes NL with them before I started playing online. We played in the neighborhood of $50 buyins most of the time. I wanted to crush the live game I was in and came to 2+2. Then I realized that everyone was posting hands from online. I took one look at some of the players online and knew it would be a gold mine.

I started 11 months ago.
I bought in $50 a few times on paradise, and played their NL50. This was their lowest NL game back then. I was basically just breaking even for a while. Then I got pokertracker. THE BEST $55 YOU WILL EVER SPEND. That really let my game take off. I moved up to NL100 on paradise, then NL200 rather quickly. I now crush this game on a consistent basis. Once my bankroll got big (~$3K), I decided to move a few hundred over to party.

Started at the NL50 6max tables there, and was at the NL100 tables in a matter of days. I've made over 3K on party so far, and I play it less than paradise.

Also, I bought into pokerstars but find it to be too tight for my liking. I'm currently trying to grind out NL50 there, but have been running badly, so I'm around even there.

I tried some 5/10 limit, 5 max at paradise, and lost 3K there a few months back. I've also played anywhere from 1/2 to 5/10 ring limit at party.

In conclusion, I have made roughly $15,000 in just under a year playing poker. Currently I play party NL100 6 max and paradise NL200 ring. 3 table each of them (not at the same time). My hourly rate is $30/hr, in all the hands I've ever played. Right now, I'd say its more like $40-$50, because I am better than I used to be and also play higher stakes.

[BradleyT]

I always cash out instead of moving up limits. Hell I have over $3500 BR right now and am playing $25 NL 6 max. That's mainly because I haven't played much NL yet though. But even in limit HE and o/8 I never played above $2/$4 online even with 1000xBB in my roll. Basically I whore bonuses while playing $1/$2, cashout $500 or $1000 here and there and start again the next month.


It only takes $27 and some change per day to make $10,000 in a year.

[Jonny]

[ QUOTE ]
It only takes $27 and some change per day to make $10,000 in a year.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good point

[AncientPC]

I'm in the same financial situation as Sponger.

I never played Texas HE except for fun (i.e. no money) with some friends and cheapo Bicycle chips a few times out of the year.

Last year I found Texas Calculatem off Suprnova in late July '04 and thought that gave me an advantage.

I got lucky and didn't bust out despite playing 1/2 6-max and some 2/4 6-max with a $100 roll but was about break even.

July to August 2004: Newbie crap, Amoeba referred me to 2+2, 5k hands @ .5/1 limit

September 2004: 20k hands @ .5/1 limit; tried higher limit, shorthanded play, NL, and SNGs; settled on NL 25 (about 15k hands)

October 2004: 25k hands @ NL 25; 5k hands @ Party NL 50 (marginally losing); World of Warcraft

November 2004: World of Warcraft beta ends Nov. 20; 25k hands at NL 25; moved up to .5/1 NL (non-Party, I only play NL 25 on Party & skins)

December 2004: Some casino whoring / sports betting (net -$500); 20k hands @ .5/1 NL; TGC Poker bonus prompted me to move up, 1.5k hands @ 2/4 limit, 2k hands @ 2/4 NL (-$1,000).

January 2005: 1k hands @ 2/4 NL.

Current bankroll (-$2k cashouts for life expenses): $8k.

I'm most comfortable at .5/1 NL at the moment though, and I need to cash out $7k around June to pay off my credit card debt when 0% APR expires. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] I'll give 2/4 NL a shot until I take another serious hit and probably switch to .5/1 NL or 1/2 NL for at least a month.

[Steve Chase]

Hi, Jonny:

How the pokertracker helped you?
Can you be more specific on that?

Thanks

[Raven]

I made a deposit of 50 $ about 1 year and a half ago. I played some small limit for about 6 month before going up to 1/2 limit (holdem and stud). It took me another 6 month before upgrading to 2/4. I confess, I made some withdraw in that year who made my progression more slow.

This autumn some friend convinced me to try the 6 max 50/1 nl at party. After 2000 hands I was up to 1/2 6 max and I now have more than enough to go to the 2/4 after 2 month / 25 K hands in 1/2. Party NL is great. Dont be afraid to move up limits if you are beating the game, 1/2 is not much harder than 50/1. I really dont think Im a great NL player, but when you play against 40 - 80 % VP$P, you really dont need to be.

Now I just need to convince myself to go for the 2/4.

[Firetrap]

I was waiting tables for some cash while at uni - hated it!!

Came across "Poker for Dummies" lol while surfing amazon and bought it. Deposited £100 into William Hill on 13th Feb 2003 playing £1/2 stud - have never had a losing month since!!

After uni I got a job and quickly left it cos i was making far more at poker. 5 months ago i decided to take up n/l holdem, jumped straight into $2/5 and havent looked back.

I guess im "pro" cos i earn my living from it, but in real terms im only a baby - but i wouldnt change my lifestyle for the world, i love it!!

[jjb108]

Poker Tracker does 2 things for me. One it allows me to keep track of who I've played and how they play (how many hands they play) automatically. Second, and more important for me is how well I play certain hands. i.e. my early PP play was horrible. Wouldn't give it up on a bad flop. I concur...If you're up more than $55 get Poker Tracker.

[gomberg]

I was a low-limit (3/6) break-even / slight winner on paradise for 3 years, then the poker boom started, but I started working - so one day about a year ago early december I played in a pokerstars freeroll w/ points I had and won $600. Then I won a $50 NL holdem tourney for $2600, but took most of that off to pay for a trip to Brazil [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Since then, I stopped playing tournies so much and play NL ring exclusively - started at .25/.50 on p-stars and now play 75% 3/6 and 25% 5/10 if the game looks good. I also bonus whore on some other sites (full-tilt, empire, party) and play what I can there.

Still trying to build a big enough bankroll for 5/10 games regularly. I have enough for 3/6 at the moment. Really wish I never took money out, as I'd have a great bankroll right now if I didn't.