This is taking too long...

I am multi-tabling on Stars at the $5 tables (staying here because my bankroll is only $75 right now) and I'm winning...but it is taking too damn long! I played last night for about 2 hours and ended up almost doubling up at each table, but that means it took me 2 hours to make about $8!

I don't know how many flops I'm seeing, but I'd wager around 25-30% or so. I'm playing fairly aggressively, I think, but I'm getting out of hands where I miss the flop unless there is a lot of money in the pot or there is no bet or I have overcards on a small board and there is a small bet, etc.

Anyway...I'm sure there are leaks in my game, but I am playing pretty well at least compared to the competition at that level. I'm just frustrated that it is taking so long. Do I need to be more willing to put all my chips in even when I'm not quite sure I have the nuts, but I'm fairly certain that I'm best hand at the moment? Like if I have TPTK with a paired ace on the flop, should I sometimes go all in right there depending on the board, etc.?

You have to grind it out. While it's possible to sustain an impressive /winrate/ at the microstakes, it's never going to be an impressive amount of money. Just keep slowly and steadily building your roll, moving up when appropriate.

When is it appropriate to move up to .05/.10? I see several different theories here anywhere from 10x buyins to 30x buyins. This is NL, btw.

It's going to take me a month to move up at this rate just to try to get to $100, lol. I know, it's a long haul, just seems to take forever. :P

Well, do you have a job? You can deposit more money.

How important is the money in your bankroll? If you're not afraid to bust out you could take a shot in a bigger game, as long as you recognize the extremely high risk of ruin.

The bankroll management guidelines preached on this site and elsewhere operate under the assumption that you do not intend to or are unable to deposit more funds from an outside source if you go bust.

Originally Posted by TylerK

The bankroll management guidelines preached on this site and elsewhere operate under the assumption that you do not intend to or are unable to deposit more funds from an outside source if you go bust.

That pretty much describes me. I don't really want to deposit more at this time. I guess I just gotta grind it, as you say.

30x buyins is way too much. You'd need $150 to play the $5 NL tables? I'd say the 15x is more reasonable, which puts you right where you need to be.

If you were willing to play LIMIT, however, you could play the .05/.10 tables with your $75.

This worked for me.....it is a different way, but for beginning, I think it fit.

I deposited my first $50 and I played the 0.05/0.10 NL tables, w/ $10 max buyin. However, I would sit with only $5. This was because I read in numerous BR mgmt. threads not to risk more than 10% of your BR on any given day. I played very TAg poker, and when I was up a good amount I would call it quits, also when I busted the $5, I was done for the day.

This is a pretty passive way of playing because you are limiting your winnings, but you are also limiting your losses with such a small starting BR.

I was able to gradually build my roll up to $60, $70, $80, and would play $6, $7, $8. I have been able to build my roll to $100+ and can now play poker how its meant to be played. If this fits your style and thinking, I recommend it.

Originally Posted by BobbySalami

This worked for me.....it is a different way, but for beginning, I think it fit.

I deposited my first $50 and I played the 0.05/0.10 NL tables, w/ $10 max buyin. However, I would sit with only $5. This was because I read in numerous BR mgmt. threads not to risk more than 10% of your BR on any given day. I played very TAg poker, and when I was up a good amount I would call it quits, also when I busted the $5, I was done for the day.

This is a pretty passive way of playing because you are limiting your winnings, but you are also limiting your losses with such a small starting BR.

I was able to gradually build my roll up to $60, $70, $80, and would play $6, $7, $8. I have been able to build my roll to $100+ and can now play poker how its meant to be played. If this fits your style and thinking, I recommend it.

That describes how I started as well. Rather than "playing as it's meant to be played", I've continued the small-stack approach and just moved up in stakes faster. There are far more successful players than I who have played like this as well. It's a different style of play, however. Your implied odds with any given hand are vastly reduced.

I deposited my first $50 and got up to $95 really quick, but then started getting raped hardcore and I think it affected me mentally, so I decided to start playing with a smaller chunk of my roll at the smaller limits to see if I could handle it better...

Originally Posted by davus

I deposited my first $50 and got up to $95 really quick, but then started getting raped hardcore and I think it affected me mentally, so I decided to start playing with a smaller chunk of my roll at the smaller limits to see if I could handle it better...

Well, it depends on how you got up to $95 so quickly....if you were playing good poker like is recommended here at FTR, and continued this style of play when your loosing streak hit, then there is nothing to be ashamed of, just learning curve and variance all rolled into one.

Same happened to me I was up to $95, thought I was the shit, Kicked down to $60, slapped myself to play smart poker again, and am back up to about $100 or so again.

But if you won that money playing suckout poker.....then your bound to lose your $$$......but no worries, just stick around here at FTR and youll be fine....

(BTW, I started out with a few weeks of suckout poker.... )

Originally Posted by BobbySalami

(BTW, I started out with a few weeks of suckout poker.... )

I think we all do...Most for 1-2 MONTHS...Till we stumble across FTR