My Dilemma - Bankroll Related.

[Aequitas58]

I always have a handle on myself in the "poker world" when it comes to discipline, bankroll, etc. I very rarely tilt. And I try, on a daily basis, to improve my play. I have no intentions of going professional, but I do have aspirations of playing mid / high limits and higher buy-in tournaments on a regular basis.

Here's my dilemma.

In roughly 3 weeks I begin working for a law firm. Salary, benefits, percentage agreement, etc. When I'm a working attorney, my poker time should be cut dramatically. If I now play 4-5 hours a day, I might play 1-1.5 hours IF THAT, when I'm working. (I HOPE!)

Anyway, when I do get to play, I won't want to play $1/2 short! I'll be making good money, for the first time in my life, so my bankroll gets an auto-boost. Right now, I'm at ~$550 from a $65 deposit.

Here are my questions for YOU to answer!

(1) If you were me, would you take what I have now and play a little higher? Maybe bump it up to $2/4 instead of $1/2? If you bust out, you can reload when you start working.

(2) Do you think it's necessarily bad to just START OFF at a limit? In other words... If, in 2 months, I deposit $2000 online and start playing $3/6 short. How much of a disadvantage am I at that I didn't build the roll from $1/2?

I kinda have an idea in my head about how I want to proceed with things, but I thought this could entail some good discussion.

[Zybomb]

1) Technically I play above the limits I should be playing at -- and while I do take swings (sometimes big ones) I feel I am a better than average player at the tables I usually sit down at. If you have the money to max buy in and reload if necessary, think you can come up ahead, and are not afraid to put as much in as possible when u have not the nuts but a very strong hand which you believe is best, I say play higher limits -- if you beat them great, if not you can move down

2) You have to start somewhere -- but I may toy with the 2/4's for a bit before moving to 3/6 -- not too long but just enough to get a feel for the game.....wasnt 1/2 a step down for you in stakes because of your lack of roll when you deposited though?

[Aequitas58]

$1/2 is a step down for me. I am comfortable at higher limits, money-wise, I just don't have the roll "right now."

[Quint]

(1) If you were me, would you take what I have now and play a little higher? Maybe bump it up to $2/4 instead of $1/2? If you bust out, you can reload when you start working.

What's more important to you - being able to spend as much time at the tables until you start work but at a lower limit than you feel you are comfortable, or playing at a higher limit where you are comfortable but risking losing your roll and not being able to play until you start working?

Personally, I would probably play at the higher limit unless I fell below a set amount. Then I would drop down just so that I could continue playing.


(2) Do you think it's necessarily bad to just START OFF at a limit? In other words... If, in 2 months, I deposit $2000 online and start playing $3/6 short. How much of a disadvantage am I at that I didn't build the roll from $1/2?

You're a proven player at the limits you want to play right? I don't think jumping in at a higher limit, if it's within your bankroll, is a disadvantage over building your bankroll up at lower limits. For an inexperienced player, yes, but not for someone who's 'been there - done that' and has a shiny new bankroll.

[BlibbityBlabbity]

For #2 I would say as long as you are self-aware enough to move back down to $2/$4 if you are not making it at $3/$6 or $4/$8 then I would not see a problem with jumping a level.....Wait your goiing to be loaded, right? Jump up to $5/$10 and be done with it....

BTW, are you headed to limit $2/$4 or NL? You used to play NL exclusively and recently you have talked about limit, so I was just curious.

[Talking Poker]

1. Yes, I would play higher. Just realize you may bust out and need to reload.

2. No, I do not think there is any problem with that. Again, just be aware that you might be a losing player for a while.

[Aequitas58]

Headed for limit. As I said in another post, I want to be playing limit 6max. I would like to sprinkle the occasional $1/2 NL or $2/4 NL (when I get a NL craving), and I also want to be playing more MTTs.

[Aequitas58]

Comments to Quint above ... in bold.