first move up, a big deal for me

[gnads]

Thanks to everyone's help here I've been running at 12ptbb/100 over my first 9k hands at NL10 at Pacific and now through winnings and a bonus have my br up $500.

I have 20 buy-ins for NL25 and want to move up, does anyone think thats a bad idea (and that I should put in a few thousand more hands)? I figure I'll take a shot at it and move back down if I drop 3 buyins.

My overall strategy is based on Renton's beginners guides. I am just value betting my good hands, not going broke with TPTK, and throw in the odd bluff raise HU when I feel someone is weak.

Do I need to make any adjustments for NL25 on Pacific? (I'm going to start there just to clear the rest of my bonus)

[ChrisTheFish]

I play at pacific and have played 1000's of hands at both 10NL and 25NL and honestly both are incredibly easy to beat, if you are skilled in any way you will crush 25NL just as easily as 10NL

[givememyleg]

[donkbee]

If you have the bankroll, definitely move up.

[gnads]

I play at pacific and have played 1000's of hands at both 10NL and 25NL and honestly both are incredibly easy to beat

Man you weren't kidding, they are just as donktastic at 25NL....had my first session tonight and this bad boy was the first hand I entered, a nice little welcome to 25NL:

Pacific Poker
Blinds: $0.12/$0.25
10 players

Stack sizes:
UTG: $24.38
UTG+1: $31.4
UTG+2: $12.2
MP1: $19.65
MP2: $5.68
Hero: $23.76
CO: $33.46
Button: $93.71
SB: $25.7
BB: $23.75

Pre-flop: (10 players) Hero is MP3 with 4d 5d
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, Hero calls, CO folds, Button calls, SB folds, BB checks.

Flop: 7:d 6♠ 3♠
BB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks, MP2 checks, Hero bets $1.5, Button raises to $22.5, 4 folds, Hero calls all-in $22.01, Button calls.

Turn: 9♥

River: Q♣

Results:
Final pot: $46.24
Hero shows 4d 5d
Button shows 4c 2c

[Jimmy Mac]

Look like a good table.

[Halv]

Every time I move up I'm mentally prepared for the villains to be much tougher than they were at the previous level, but I always end up being surprised at the donks I meet.

It really amazes/amuses me.

[jackvance]

Every time I move up I'm mentally prepared for the villains to be much tougher than they were at the previous level, but I always end up being surprised at the donks I meet.

It really amazes/amuses me.

But the play is always different though, and it takes a while to "see" how it works, how people play, what lines mean here etc, atleast for me..

[Genitruc]

Every time I move up I'm mentally prepared for the villains to be much tougher than they were at the previous level, but I always end up being surprised at the donks I meet.

It really amazes/amuses me.

But the play is always different though, and it takes a while to "see" how it works, how people play, what lines mean here etc, atleast for me..

This is a good point

I wonder about that sometimes. I am overolled for current stakes but have only played 20k hands or so at previous 2 limits combined. Not sure if it's best to sit around or just move up and find out "what lines mean" higher up right away...

[gnads]

But the play is always different though, and it takes a while to "see" how it works, how people play, what lines mean here etc, atleast for me..

So is it better to play your standard game when you move up, or tighten up abit until you get a feel for some of the differences?

In my first session I tightened up, c-bet less and was abit more passive than normal, so I left money on the table but it was a big psychological boost to chalk up a winning session on my first one.

[jyms]

Tighten up preflop! Do not tighten up after the flop. I can not tell you how many have moved up got nervous and tightened up, only to lose 3,4 or 10 buy-ins and have to move back down. If you use PT then the only stat that should change from your proven winning game is VP$P and PFR%. Definitly tighten up from OOP till you have some time on the tables. If you change your aggression it will kill you at a higher stake.

[Halv]

Meh, I don't like changing my game when moving up. My advice is to play less tables the first few sessions.

[LimpinAintEZ]

I have 20 buy-ins for NL25 and want to move up, does anyone think thats a bad idea (and that I should put in a few thousand more hands)? I figure I'll take a shot at it and move back down if I drop 3 buyins.

the 3 dropped buy in # is way too small - if your ready to move back down after that little of an experiment, don't move up yet - I think you should move up - If your beating 10NL for that good a rate, you are most likely ready for 25NL - But if 3 buy ins and you wanna go back down, maybe your not ready....mentally - I think you should drop maybe with 6-8 buy ins...even if you do have to drop back down though, it will be good experience...And from the sounds of it, the 25NL games there are super easy - so you should be fine -

also, don't put too much weight into a few donktastic players - Its always nice to win big pots but don't let your head get TOO big - Always want to remember that the good times are good, but don't get all crazy with it - If you do, the down times are probably going to get you really crazy - Try to keep a even keeled temperment about the game - its hard sometimes, when the games are that easy though

[Fnord]

gnads,

Does Pacific still rake uncalled bets? Are you aware that they have the most corrupt and winner-hostile management of any fairly big poker site online?

That being said, the place is a huge fishbowl and you could beat the 25NL there only playing 22-AA.

[LimpinAintEZ]

Are you aware that they have the most corrupt and winner-hostile management of any fairly big poker site online?

uh, i wasn't aware of that...didn't see that in the poker room reviews

[gnads]

the 3 dropped buy in # is way too small - if your ready to move back down after that little of an experiment, don't move up yet - I think you should move up - If your beating 10NL for that good a rate, you are most likely ready for 25NL - But if 3 buy ins and you wanna go back down, maybe your not ready....mentally - I think you should drop maybe with 6-8 buy ins...even if you do have to drop back down though, it will be good experience...And from the sounds of it, the 25NL games there are super easy - so you should be fine -

also, don't put too much weight into a few donktastic players - Its always nice to win big pots but don't let your head get TOO big - Always want to remember that the good times are good, but don't get all crazy with it - If you do, the down times are probably going to get you really crazy - Try to keep a even keeled temperment about the game - its hard sometimes, when the games are that easy though

That's good advice, I'm up 8 buy-ins so far and while I would like to take all the credit it's mostly because I've been hitting alot of flops and have won a few set over set battles. I have to keep it all in perspective for when the cards start to cool off...they can't all be like this:

Pacific Poker
Blinds: $0.12/$0.25

Stack sizes:
UTG: $5.82
hero: $59.28
MP1: $61.15
MP2: $36.37
MP3: $126.64
CO: $24.63
Button: $35.79
SB: $18.75
BB: $19.13

Pre-flop: (9 players) hero is UTG+1 with J♣ J♥
UTG raises to $0.5, hero raises to $1.5, 2 folds, MP3 calls, 3 folds, BB calls, UTG calls.

Flop: 10♥ A♠ 10♣ ($6.12, 4 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, hero checks, MP3 checks.

Turn: Jd ($6.12, 4 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, hero bets $5, MP3 calls, 2 folds.

River: 8♥ ($16.12, 2 players)
hero bets $15, MP3 raises to $30, hero raises all-in $37.78, MP3 calls.

Results:
Final pot: $117.68
hero shows Jc Jh
MP3 shows Js 10s

Are you aware that they have the most corrupt and winner-hostile management of any fairly big poker site online?

umm, yeah definitely wasn't aware of that. I'm just going to clear the rest of my bonus there and start my bonus whoring campaign I think.

[jyms]

Fnord is right, Pacific is the worst of the "big" sites. They rake uncalled bets, they hold all withdrawls for 3 days before processing, you need handgrabber to use PT and its a drain on the system when you run PT, handgrabber, and PAhud plus any other software that is open. The site is the fishiest around but keep in mind you can only play 3tables and 2 tourneys @ one time.(Good Luck not disconnecting constantly) And if you disconnect in a ring game for even a second, you fold your hand and it unclicks auto post blinds, meaning when it comes around it'll skip you without even asking. I had to repost blinds so often I ended up not even waiting for the orbit to complete, I must have posted in the cutoff a thousand times from the frustration. Pacific is now just a bonus site for me. If they offer a reload I'll jump in and out.

[Fnord]

If you search the 2+2 archives you will find stories of them disqualifing big consistant winners from player reward programs.

Also, I think Soupie got stiffed a tourney buy-in by them.

If you dig deeper, you'll find some scary information about the people who are running the site.

[Stripclubjunkie]

If you dig deeper, you'll find some scary information about the people who are running the site.

Mafia related?