Moving Up Levels

What are people's thoughts about when you should move up a level?

I've been practicing the idea of going up a level every once in a while to see if I got what it takes when you're consistently winning the level you're at (within the bankroll of course). That is until I found it very expensive trying to move up from the $33s to the $55s.

Is there a ROI rate that I should look for or something entirely different? I know that people play differently and I try to adjust to it and all, but I don't know if I just haven't tried it enough or if I'm just not ready.

[Freudian]

I think three factors are important here.

1) You are happy with the way you play poker. You feel you are making correct decisons most of the time.

2) You are a winning player at your current level.

3) You are not intimidated by the amounts at the new level. If you are used to losing $33*whatever numbers of buyins you drop it will probably take some time adjusting to the swings at the $55s. If you are not mentally able to treat each buyin the same way, it is better to stay at your current limit.

[Sciolist]

I am only really used to moving up limits in ring games. My SNG career has been short so far. What I'd do then was play my 3 or 4x tables at the old limit, and one at the new limit. It helped me get used to the changes in blinds, and I can concentrate on that game to analyse any differences.

Obviously it isn't going to give me any kind of useful long term figures on the game, but it'll get me feeling more confident about it.

In the SNG, I simply moved up when I hit 100x buyins. I've been doing that for the $33s now, except I keep losing there... So I go back down to the $22s, win up to $3k, and give it another shot til I hit ~$2500 again.

This has proved very beneficial to my game, as I've spotted a few bubble leaks where I'm getting overzealous with small aces and with somewhat stronger hands but with a raise beforehand.

I'm pretty sure I'm simply on a poor run in the $33s, but it's still good to do it this way, as the money can never mean anything to me still. As mentioned above, if the money means a lot to you, you should be stepping down a limit until you're immune.

[Degen]

take shots when you're running well and confident

Guess I just have to keep trying once in a while.

The buyin change affected me when I tried out the $22s. Being down only a couple bi's would be very disheartening.

Yea...that's why it actually becomes so emotionally hard to even try. I'd have my usual run for a week at the $33s only to lose all my winnings in 2 days trying the $55s. This happened twice so far, and now I've totally lost the whole "happy with my play" idea when it comes to trying the $55s, even though it's proven almost as a guaranteed fact that I'm a winning player at the $33). I guess I should wait a few more weeks before I try again.