Moving Up:

Two factors will make you be able to move to play the next level on most online poker sites to $0.10/0.25 tables. One, you need to have at least $25.00 but $30.00. That’s your goal. The second is your confidence level and comfort playing with real money. For this reason you need to play at least 400 raked hands regardless of how much is in the bankroll! The $0.10/$0.25 Limit room is where we start seeing a few better players, and the skills and play habits we nurtured at $0.05/$0.10 room start to really pay off. Skipping the small bind with out Monster cards is even more important; it is saving you 2/3 of a bet and is still the worst position to be in Post Flop.

Table Play: This is where you have the opportunity to make rapid moves up. The table selection requirements have not changed and there are still a lot of loose and bad poker players. Be cautious, there will be a few playing like you – respect them and their bets. Ego has killed many bankrolls, if you know you are beat FOLD, if in doubt, its is ok to fold, if the idiot shows you a bluff – its ok, that is FREE intelligence that you can use to punish him/her later when you have the nut. Pay attention to this. It’s better than checking to a bluffer, re-raising and having the fool re-raise back!! At this level it will happen!! By the same token if you have a King high flush and are re-raised, it’s ok to call.

You control the tempo of the poker table – never let a good hand (Top Two Pair) blind you to what else is on the board, even the bluffer gets luck – play smart at all times and keep the pace slow. Your good play here is critical. This is where the foundation for the confidence you’re developing comes from. You must KNOW you are a good player at this level. KNOW that it took one bad beat to take you down; it only takes one good hand to bring you back. You need to stay here at least 600 or more hands – if you are not confident about your play, or have any self doubts, stay at this level, there is money to be made, and if this is your comfort zone stay.

The next mile mark is the bankroll – have a set goal you must reach. The next step is $0.25/$0.50, you need at least $100.00, I recommend $130.00 here you have two branches to take Limit, or NL/Pot Limit (Fix Table Buy-in). The first time out take the limit road, players at this level start making moves - most you can predict - but one mistake or bad beat in the Pot Limit or No Limit rooms and nearly 20% of you bankroll is gone – Poof, remember how long it takes to win $25.00 at the lower limits. Remember the rules – at these levels, you can win or lose $50.00 or more in a single session (That’s Limit, more in Pot and NL) if you lose down to $75.00, drop back and play $0.10/$0.25 (remember, you have no Ego here) if you feel like you are off balance move back. You must set limits – “If I lose $35.00, I will take a break or move down a level” stick to it!! Write it down; tell your roommate, what ever it takes – do it. Start with $25.00, get to $65.00 Leave the table, and take a break. You Earned It!!

When you get to $200.00, its time to move to a low blind $0.10/0.25 NL or Pot Limit table. Here in a good 2 hour session, you can make $100.00 or more in one or two hands, but the choices will be hard, and patience – harder. You need to be confident in your read of other online players. But that is another article!!

Thanks to TechMan Poker for contributing this article!




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