Difference(s) Between $0.50/1.00 and $1/2 Games

I'm new to poker. Took a couple of classes at the local community college on hold'em and then bought a few books. I've been playing on Party Poker for about three months now and am starting to win relatively consistently at the $0.50/1.00 games. So far I've got ~2200 hands played.

I'd like to move up, but I don't quite feel I ready. My bank roll is up to $275. From what I read here on FTR, I need about $600 before I move into the $1/2 games. My plan is to build the bankroll by playing at the $0.5/1.0 limits and not move up until at least this is accomplished.

That aside, my question is this: how much harder will the competition be at the $1/2 level? I've heard rumors that it's essentially the same class of players, while others say there is a definite increase in skill levels of the players. Which is true? What have been the FTR folks' experiences? At what level(s) do the skill levels improve noticeably?

Thanks,
Mark

Maybe I'm missing something but $600 is only 3 buy-ins for 200NL right? I think you need about 20, so $2000..

Originally Posted by jackvance

Maybe I'm missing something but $600 is only 3 buy-ins for 200NL right? I think you need about 20, so $2000..

He is playing limit, I assume, so he wants a 300BB bankroll. Im not too sure what the exact BR requirement is for limit, but that sounds about right.

Now, take my reply with a grain of salt as I dont play limit, but here goes. First, wait until you have the BR to move up, you will feel comfortable then. And second, there will be a skill difference, it just may not be as noticeable because you too will have improved. By the time you grind it out at .5/1 you should be ready for 1/2

yea 300BB is good for limit full ring. I think its 500BB for 6max.

Im not a limit player but Ive heard that 2/4 is where it gets tough.

Also I think most of the Limit players will tell you to switch to 6max. Good players will have more of an edge there but varience is ALOT worse.
If you decide to take the 6max route then stick at 0.5/0.1 but go to 6 max when you are rolled for it.

You are best off talking to the kind folks in the limit forum about that kind of thing though.

play a minimum of 15k hands at each limit (.5/1 then 1/2 etc)
Once you have played 15k hands then move up, providing you have a significant enough br. If you dont, continue to play at current stakes until you do.
If you play 15k hands at .5/1 you only need to run at 2bbs/100 (big bets) to be able to move up after 15k hands. (if my math is right!)
Nice and simple.
If you play 6 max try to look for a bit deeper bankroll, but dont lose sight of moving up as quickly as possible if you are beating the game.
Good luck!

Dammit I agree with Miffed again. That's twice this year...

I'msurprised no one else asked this.,..

College classes on poker?

Yeah, a local professional poker player here in Tucson teaches a 3-week beginners and 3-week long advanced class at the local community college on small-stakes limit hold'em. I took the first class on a whim and got fairly interested in the game. Then went out and bought HOH 1 and 2, Small Stakes Hold'em, and the Theory of Poker. Took the second class and was totally hooked. Then I read Positively Fifth Street and now I'm obsessed by the game. Been playing 1-2 hours a day ever since. My bank roll started at $200 on Party Poker and quickly dropped to $150 in the first few weeks. In the past month, however, my play has gotten stronger and my BR is up to $280 and growing. I'm working on my leaks and finally understanding the power of laying down the second-best hand.

Anyway, I'm a ways off from progressing up from the fifty-cent games to the $1/2 tables, but I wanted to get some input on what to expect when I do make the move.

Thanks for the input...
-Mark

The Limit guys on this forum imo offer some of the best and most insightful advice you can get.

A huge part of online Limit is table selection. You will find fishalicious tables at 1/2 but you will also find hardly profitable/break evenish tables as well.

As you play in tougher games, players tend to call less, raise more (on bluffs, semi-bluffs and marginal hands), fold more and play fewer hands. More pots become 2-3 handed and hence you need to continue with weaker hands than you would in the juicy 4+ way pots.