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cloud_strife007 · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 12:13 pm Post subject: moving up from $2 to $5

I am currently a winning player at $2 non-turbo SNGs, but whenever I've tried to move up to $5, I get knocked out pretty early. I play fairly straight forward poker, as the $2 people wouldn't notice if I tried to play tricky anyway. I've only tried to step up a few time, so it could be variance, but I don't feel like it is. Are there any adjustments I should be making to my game between the 2 and 5 dollar sit and gos?

nilgiri · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 1:22 pm Post subject:

You really shouldn't be adjusting your game much at all IMHO. Just play tight ABC poker. Your losses are probably partly psychological. I.e., you probably are giving the $5 players too much credit or are afraid to be aggressive because it is more money.

Post a couple of the hands you are talking about where you got knocked out and/or lost a fair amount, and maybe we can give you some more specific advice.

cloud_strife007 · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 2:42 pm Post subject:

I am starting to think it is largly psycological. Most of what I've read says that the lower limits can be beaten using ABC(which I use successfully at $2). Its also a large jump in stakes. Not that $3 is huge, but when you look at it that it is a 150% increase in buy in and pay out, it is a large jump. My bankroll isn't at the level to play $5 right now anyway. I was when I tried, but took a downswing in variance and am about $40 bucks short of where I want to be to play $5. Anyway, when I do get back to that level, I might come back and post some hands.

nilgiri · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 3:53 pm Post subject:

$2 to $5 is definitely a big jump. Actually, any jump is a big jump. The thing is, psychologically I think we play against the level, not the players. What happened to me eventually is that the different levels began to blend together enough that now I pretty much play against the players, not the level. I have a general sense of how players will react based on the level, but it turns out players pretty much behave the same way in all levels. Or rather, they give away their hands in the same ways. Now I can jump between levels without really needing that "adjustment" that I used to. It sure took a while to get there, though!

cubbies760 · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 8:56 pm Post subject:

In short, I find the $2 games to still be a bit donkish, and the $5 games to have significantly more quality players.

Sand Wedge_100 · Full House Joined: 27 Sep 2007 Posts: 203

I've had the same problem. Am back into the $5 games now and thinking about moving up again. Kinda agree with cubbies but qualify it with there are SOME better players at this level. Especially when they get near the money.

Starvingwriter · Full House Joined: 03 May 2008 Posts: 174

I've personally found the poker at the $5 to be a fair jump. People are much more likely to play their best poker. Note that this doesn't mean there are fewer donks, it's just that the kind of stupid pushes you will see are people chasing flushes when they shouldn't, betting on gutshot straight draws, people ignoring pot odds, etc.

What you'll see a lot less of is people shoving with T3s preflop because "it's only $2."

Note that a lot of my observation comes from the differences in single tabe SnGs, as I play those far more often, but it's held true in the MTTs I've tried, as well.

mvee99 · Pair Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 21

Starvingwriter · Full House Joined: 03 May 2008 Posts: 174

Lord Xail · High Card Joined: 19 Feb 2008 Posts: 19

I find 5$ really a lot different from the 2$ ones...

In 2$ i'm great with a very god ROI..in 5$ they kick my a** repetealy..

zamkin · Pair Joined: 21 Jan 2007 Posts: 35 Location: Erie, PA

This is odd that I have the opposite view of the lvl of play from 2 to 5. I think the $2 players are better on average. I find that most new players and bad players do not know how to mange a bankroll, when they go to play a game they see 9 dollars and some change as first place and do not think that is worth playing for so they dont even play them.

Many players sticking to $2 games are at least good enough to stay within their bankroll, and many are building their way up. Now thats not going to account for the good players who are just simply at the $5 dollar stakes, these players may be just as good or most likely better than the positive $2 dollar players.

I still think you find more newbies at 5 and even more at 10-11. I know for a fact all 7 of the local friends i have turned on to online poker went straight to 5 and 10 with their first deposit and no poker experience, even after getting my advice about bankroll management. I myself did the same thing back when i first started.

zamkin · Pair Joined: 21 Jan 2007 Posts: 35 Location: Erie, PA

I guess i should also answer your question :p

I do think its mostly in your head when moving up. I have the same hard time as you moving up, and I am still really in the $2 stakes. The problem is you can have the same downswings you are used to but you are not used to seeing yourself down so much money because it really is a large jump in buy in.

I have found that for me $300 is enough for me to play at the $5 dollar limits. I used to move up every time I got over $200 and when u go down 40 bucks you have to stop. Even if I am over 300 if i start to get close to $300 bucks again i will drop back down. I still play mostly 2 and $3 tourneys and SNG's with the occasional $5 if I feel I am playing well. If you feel like you are not on top of your game just play 2 dollar stakes that day.

I think I will be more comfortable playing $5 consistantly when i get over $500. I think you need to find the amount you feel comfortable with seeing a 40 to 100 dollar downswing and still keep at it. This may be less than 500 for you but thats where i feel comfortable.

The funny thing is i have done tons of these when I first started and lost money like crazy Razz

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