beginers players w/ bankrolls too large for their skill

I know there are threads about bankroll management, but I had a question about my specific situation.

To re-cap first.... There are a few guidelines I've seen out there for Holdem BRs:

1. Go up a level when your BR reaches 500x BB, and go down if you drop below 300x BB. (This is by far the most common suggestion.)
2. Don't go up unless you've won at least 100BB at that limit.
3. Play for at least 100 hrs (total hrs, meaning multitabling counts cumulatively towards your hrs) at your level before moving up.
4. Your BB/100 should be at least +3 or better.
5. All of the above.

So here's my situation: I came into about $1,500 out of nowhere lately and decided not to buy some new electronic gadgets or something stupid, but to invest it in this new, fun hobby of mine... well at least for now, until I see how things turn out.

I am fairly new to poker (only playing recreationally w/ friends) and have been playing online for a while at mostly at micro limits. I've been winning pretty consistently (def over 3BB/100), since I originally started at the lowest .02-04 limit, and I've been very slow & cautious about at moving up in the micros.

According to suggestion #1 above (the one I've seen most often) I could in theory afford to play $2-$4 right now, but I truly don't think I'm ready for that level and would likely get beaten up. I don't want to see my bankroll disappear quickly, so I'd rather be ultra-cautious and start from the ground up -- without have to necessarily grind it out for what will feel like 100 years.

So my questions is, for someone like me who has a bankroll which probably far exceeds the stakes I'm skilled enough to play at this point, what guidelines should I follow? And if/when I reach the point where I'm playing within that 300 to 500x BB level, how should I proceed from there? Are suggestions #2-4 (above) worth obeying instead? Or perhaps in conjunction with #1 as well? Thanks.

Deposit less?

Just to be clear, you play limit right, not no-limit?

Originally Posted by bjsaust

Just to be clear, you play limit right, not no-limit?

Uuug (blush.) Yes, I was talking about limit -- totally forgot to mention that -- and it's just cash games that I'm playing ... for now. NL is something I plan on playing in the near-ish future, but I know the bankroll guidelines are pretty different for NL.

Just another thing to think about: Bonuses..

If you're adding more to your BR - and you're planning on taking advantage of a bonus then often the micro stakes are harder to clear it.. Where as at 0.20-0.40 you may clear it more easily.. The bonus may actually cover your learning curve..

I went from playing not a huge amount, but reasonably winning game of 25NL on Stars to a Euro site and found the software really bugged me - and affected my game - however despite ending up with slightly losing statistics I came out well ahead due to the bonus..

Just food for thought.

for 1/2 and higher I suggest 1000BB in limit
you wouldn't believe the fucking 300BB downswings you get in limit

4. Your BB/100 should be at least +3 or better.

This probably won't happen atm even with the games as good as they are now at some levels, which increases the bankroll requirements needed.

Originally Posted by spoonitnow

4. Your BB/100 should be at least +3 or better.

This probably won't happen atm even with the games as good as they are now at some levels, which increases the bankroll requirements needed.

What levels we talking about here? >$100nl?

Oh, and thank goodness they fixed the avatars and we didn't have to see gay men in your sig.

Originally Posted by Nutty McMutt

Originally Posted by spoonitnow

4. Your BB/100 should be at least +3 or better.

This probably won't happen atm even with the games as good as they are now at some levels, which increases the bankroll requirements needed.

What levels we talking about here? >$100nl?

Oh, and thank goodness they fixed the avatars and we didn't have to see gay men in your sig.

We're talking limit holdem, not no-limit holdem.

Oh yeah, n/m. Anything over 3bb/100 in LHE is the nuts.

One more question though: Should a beginner like me be playing mostly cash games for now, MTTs, or SnGs? So far I've been playing maybe 85% cash, 15% MTTs, and basically no SnGs -- mostly because SnGs involve short handed & heads-up play, and thus far I haven't read up or practiced much of either. Is that the wrong approach to take?

Whatever you're most comfortable with. Most around here would recommend grinding the cashies I think.