$10 NL -> $25 NL = No Big Change! Making the first move u
Hey everyone!
I came here about a week ago, singing the bad beat blues from my rough swing at the $10 NL tables. I realized after about a day of cooloff, and after all the helpful discussion from FTR, that only part of the problem was the variance, and most of the fault was my own decisions, namely my ability to assess my own tilt level. Basically, I think I was at the end cycle of the Newbie Circle of Death.
So I bit the bullet, took a breath, and squared off to attempt solid disciplined poker. And it worked! I built my roll back up from just $70 (7 max buys at the $10 tables), which was hardly enough to be comfortable, back up to 20 max buys (I logged alot of hours, hands this week). I took it further and started to eye the $25 tables.
I wasn't fully rolled for $25, only sitting on a $250 roll, but I decided to take a peek at the level of play and, if I thought I was getting the worst of it or the roll went below 15 buyins for the $10 tables, I would go back down and work my way up the proper way. I realize now that this wasn't a strategically smart decision. I could easily have gone card dead, played badly, or gotten bad beats and gotten a bruising in just one session, but there is good news!
As it turns out, the same fish from the $10 tables are at the $25 tables! There were a few TAGs, but usually only one per table, and the high proportion of loose-passive types relaxed me. Actually, I feel I have made some of the first steps to improving my game, because during the sessions at these tables I was able to successfully exploit the behavior of these TAGs by putting myself in their mind and making moves that would either scare them off or induce calls when I wanted. The sessions went incredibly well, especially since I was card dead a moderate amount of time.
So, to sum up, the level of play is almost the same between $10 and $25 NL tables, and because the sessions went well, I am now rolled for the new tables, even by FTR's standards! I'm sure all the FTR regulars and veterans have already experienced this situation, and know exactly what I'm talking about. But to all the other recovering players grinding at the micro-stakes, have faith! You can beat those tables and, when your roll supports, it, beat the next tables too.
- Aerenel
