Is it time to move up yet?

I've been playing $6 SnG at Party for a few weeks. I play 8 to 10 STTs of an evening, losing at first but now beginning to profit - averaging around $12 profit per evening. My bankroll is currently $240.

Should I move up to the $11 SnG range? Or stay where I am for a while to gain a better grounding?

Are the $11 games much different in difficulty level to $6 games?

Steve

That is not enough bankroll for $11 - Variance could easily wipe you out in 2 nights. Out of curiousity, how long (weeks, months, years?) is your string of positive ROI?

I'm not a newcomer to poker, playing on and off occasionaly in casinos and a few fun home games. I also played online a few years ago mainly bonus-whoring $1/$2 Limit games on the Cryptologic sites. Now, I'm starting again and trying to take the game more seriously. :-)

I've been playing at Party for six weeks, settling into these STTs three weeks ago and 'winning' for the last 10 days.'

Uh-oh, I think I can predict what you're about to say. I'm a clueless beginner, aren't I? The thing is, I don't feel like I'm a clueless beginner and I'm chomping at the bit! :-) I'm mainly worried if the $11 SnG's are going to be a big step up in difficulty. Or if my current winning is misleading me into thinking I can play the game. Or something like that.

Steve

Nobody is implying that you are any sort of newb to the game. Media's question was a very valid one.

With a BR of $240, you are only rolled for 21 games at the #11 level. While the difficulty is not severely grater than the $6 games, you will be facing more reg's and therefore your winrate will drop.

With this in mind, the question of how many games is your sample size becomes very important. If it is in the 200-500 range, then you should just continue at your current level, maybe adding more tables. For some reason I doubt you have more than 1K SNG's at that level under your belt at this point, (judging by your own admission of 8-10 per day for a few weeks) so IMO I would not advise you to move up yet.


If you are making a steady profit at your current level, add more tables to increase your winrate. Moving up with only 21 or so buy-ins is not a good idea, especially with the variance in Turbo format.

In the end you have to decide what is good for you, but I'm sure the general consensus you will get is that you should continue where you are at for a good while longer before you move up.

What's the hurry? Honestly it doesn't sound like you've played that much volume so I think you'd be wayyyyyy better off to stay were you're at (besides the fact that you're not rolled for the $11's).
I've never played on that site.

Thanks for the advice guys, it seems the opinion is that I should stay where I am for a while; and frankly, I'm indeed not really sure why I want to move up - except it just seems the thing to aim for.

Anyway, what the general feeling about the bankroll I should have to move up to the $11 Sngs?

Steve

I agree with staying at your $6 level. I am at the $1 and $3 myself.

I would say if you have the patience, wait until you hit $500 before moving up a level. It is important that your time pays for itself, so I can understand the logic of wanting to move up a level.

If you do not have the patience, then I would play the $11 level and if your bankroll falls below $100, then it would be a clear answer what needs to be done(return back down to your bread and butter $6 game).

You should play within 30 to 50 buy-ins. So that would be $330 - $550 for the 11s.
I would wait for the 500, as you could hit a bad swing as soon as you move up, which will cripple you sooner. This just happened to me when I moved up to the $6 from the $3 tables, and now have to play at the $1.50s

Never play outside of your BR, even if you know you're a better player than most you will face or if you're on a great streak. Stay within your BR, make slow-steady profit, be happy

At least 50 buyins, personally I'd want more like 100. Which means I wouldn't even be playing $6 games with your roll. Maybe that makes me a nit IDK.

yeah me too - $250 in bank and still playing $1 - 45man - waiting to hit $300 to move up. Probably more like $330

Well, I listened to your advice guys and I'm glad I did! I stuck at $6 and for several days I had a downturn and lost around 10% of my bankroll. A nice wake-up call.

I'm not sure if I got a little cocky and started playing sloppy or if it was simply variance. I've looked through some Hand Histories but haven't seen anything yet to suggest my play has changed.

A promotion and some cleared bonuses have brought me back up to $245 but without these I'd be down to $220. These bonuses will run out soon and I'll be on my own. :-(

So its $6 for me until I can get a bit more solid and a lot more bankroll!

Thanks all,

Steve

Certainly a wake-up call, not so sure about it being nice.

Some good advice was given, and fortunately followed.
So I guess you will now sit tight until the 500.

Patience is a virtue, and hopefully you wont be in such a hurry.
When you are rolled for moving though, why not continue with the bread and butter and just experiment and dabble with a few at first gradually moving up, instead of just leaping.

So much for moving up. I think I should move down! Last night I played 10 SnGs and apart from a single third place, the highest I managed was 7th.

I was so depressed I was on tilt for the last two. I was card-dead, outdrawn, unlucky, ganged up on, colluded against, the game was fixed and the site was crooked.

I went to bed in disgust after having kicked the dog - after all it WAS his fault; he just lay there doing nothing while I lost and lost and lost.

;-(

Steve

But you didn't play badly right?

I really hope the last part about kicking the dog isn't true.

Of course not (to both)

Steve