BR for 5NL & 10NL queries.

This is a question ive been pondering the last couple days, so i thought id post it. Im unsure what sort of BR i should have before trying out the 5NL tables. I want to buy a full stack for every table i sit at, which is effectivley 200bb ($10) at the 5NL table, but for the same amount i could sit with a 100bb 'full stack' ($10) stack at a 10NL table. This means that by following BR management and having $200 (20 buy-ins) means i could sit at either table? Does this mean that I should effectivley skip 5NL, as the play is no better then 2NL so im sure i could beat it, and being 'techincally' rolled for it would also mean im 'technically' rolled for 10NL, or as my BR is at $180 now, should i just sit at the 5NL tables for a couple days, let my BR grow to surpass the $200 mark, and make sure im comfortable enough to move up to 10NL.

Opinions are most welcome!

I don't play cash games that much, but I will be moving to cash games next month and imo 18 buy ins is not very good brm, 20 is the minimum imo. I would stay at 2nl if you are following good brm, but if not I would play the 5nl since I like playing deepstacked, why? well to many people are willing to stack off with TPTK at those limits, so if I hit a hand I can fairly easily make some good $.

20 bi's take into account nothing about you. It's a figure ppl pluck out of the air and use as a standard without knowing anything about the individual there giving the advice to.

My advice is this:

Read all the articles + threads re: BRM, there are some good ones
Draw some conclusions about your personality (ie do you tilt easily, how will a d/wing affect you)
Evaluate your playing style - are you loose, tight, aggro
Do you actually have a BRM strategy - are you actually going to stick to it and set yourself some goals. Do you have a move up/move down strat.

Read this

GL.

If you decide 20 BIs is enough or you wait to move whenever, I would skip 5NL all together because so many of your opponents will be buying in for 100bbs ($5) your "deepstack" will go to waste. Now if you can find 5NL table where almost everyone has a 200bb stack I'd say play those, but I'd say those table will be the exception not the rule.

the Cc forums have had a very positive impact on my online tournament game. my assumption is that those of you that post regularly (i read the tournament and SnG threads alot) are taking best practices from your experience and advising players like myself. although i'm still not a profitable player, i'm moving in the right direction due to many of you.

it leads me to a simple question, and i don't know how else to preface it other than by saying that it's just an honest question and i don't mean anything negative by it, but i notice that alot of you play at very small stakes (<$5) and i was wondering, why? hasn't your success enabled you to play even a little higher? is there that much of a difference from $1 to $2 to $5 to $10 that prevents you from moving up and bringing your success with you? i understand the importance of playing within one's bankroll and that many of you are students, and variance is always there to knock you back down. maybe my imagination gets the best of me, but i imagine even a small BR can grow nicely given the quality of analysis and play that i see you guys putting forth on a regular basis.

it sort of leads to "if you guys can't move up, what chance do i have" kind of thing.

is it too naiive to ask - if your strategies are working at $5 but are also valid at the $20 level, why not play at $20?

if there are factors that prevent you from moving up, i'd like to know so i am aware when it comes time for me to make that decision.

hope you understand the spirit of the question.

thanks!

good post dumpy... i would guess that moving up = losing more ... and more variance...and if you have a winning strategy why post it to let the whole world learn?? obviously people post hoping to get positive feedback and to get 50 posts for freeroll! the secret to winning is keeping your methods secret...

I agree with pfb that dumpy's post was a good one. I can't speak for others, but I can tell you why despite soaking up all the advice that all the (alien)geniuses/godly-beings/ChuckTs offer, I'm still stuck playing for coins. The main thing still lies in whether you are effectively able to have the mental discipline to do a lot of these things consistently enough to produce the results.

There's no doubt that most of the people here offer great gems of advice. But to be able to put their theory into practice is another thing. Just like any other sport (say tennis) a coach can tell the student all the secrets to winning - tactics, technique. But if the student doesn't have the physical fitness to carry out the actions they're probably not going to win the Wimbledon.

Exactly. It's easy to read a book about fitness and bodybuilding. It's another thing entirely to implement the techniques and build a body like Arnold.

Also, don't forget that poker players are constantly fighting against the rake. A player has to be significantly better than average to post a consistent profit. And even then, variance and/or bad BRM can set a good player back a long way.

I believe you should play wherever you are comfortable. If you make more in the 10 than the 5 then play the 10. You should always follow the 20 buy in rule. I know i kind of contradicted myself, but if you buy in the 10 for 100 BB then it is sufficient amount to make money and play aggressively. And if you make more in the 10 than the 5 than it would make sense to play the 10. But if for some reason you start to lose a lot and need to drop down a level or two then you should until you feel confident enough to move back up again. Continue to build your bankroll and learn, and that's all that really matters. Gl on the felt.