Head Games: Check Your Ego at the Door and Ask Yourself: Are You Ready to Move Up to Higher Stakes In Cash Games?

The Pros: Greg Raymer, Derric Haynie, Chris “Fox” Wallace, and Jared Bartlett

Craig Tapscott: What are the signposts that determine that a player is ready to move up in stakes in cash games?

Greg Raymer: The primary sign that you’re ready to move up in stakes is that you have a large enough bankroll to do so, and you have been beating the games you’re currently playing for a significant amount. A rule of thumb for bankroll management is that you should have at least 100 buy-ins for a game; less than 100 will lead to a too high chance that you will go broke playing in a game, even if you are playing well enough to be a winner in that game. However, just because you have built your bankroll to an amount that is 100 buy-ins for a game does not mean you should play in it. You also should wait until you are beating the smaller game you are playing now for a large enough winrate to demonstrate that you may be talented enough to also beat the larger game you can now afford. 

Derric Haynie: I have found (rather recently) that it is very important to be one of the best players at the table.  Whether you determine this by winrate or overall feel, it is important to make an objective determination of where you stand, in terms of skill, versus your opponents. The best player in the game will have a positive win rate versus everyone; whereas the third or fourth best player is losing back some of their profits to better players. So try to objectively determine your relative skill level at your current stake and also take a look at the next stake level and see how much tougher the competition gets.

Chris Wallace: I think almost everyone moves up too early. Most players who are good enough to beat a game assume they are good enough to beat the next game as well because they see weak players in the game and they fail to take into account the stress, bankroll requirements, and the effect of rake on the game. Just because you are a better player than most of the players in a game doesn’t mean you can beat the rake and make real money playing it. If you are going to beat a game consistently, and make enough profit to beat the rake and come out ahead, you need to absolutely crush it. You are probably ready to move up when you have been consistently beating a game for at least 500 hours, keeping accurate records so that you are certain you are beating the game, and when you are comfortably bankrolled for the next level. The last requirement is that you need to be willing to move down if things go badly, which can be tough.

Jared Bartlett: Moving up limits in poker can be a tricky balancing act. If you move up before you’re ready, you risk going broke. If you move up too slowly, you won’t maximize your hourly. The four things needed to move up stakes are being a proven winner, confidence, a proper bankroll, and making sure your personal life is in order. Being a proven winner is absolutely critical. There’s no point in playing higher if you’re currently a losing player. That will only cause you to lose more money quicker and make your poker education even that much more expensive. The next thing is confidence in your game. If you’re not confident in your game you’re going to be playing as scared money, and that’s not something winning players do. In addition when the inevitable downswing happens, players with less confidence have a harder time playing through the bad luck. Finally, as you move up stakes, you’re going to be stressed out. Playing for more money is stressful. There’s really nothing you can do to change that other than just accepting it and coping with it the best you can. If you are stressed, or have a lot going on, the last thing you need is to throw the pressure of moving up into the equation. Take the time to get your personal life in order before moving up stakes.

Craig Tapscott: Please share some of the mistakes and pitfalls that can occur when players move up in stakes and how best to avoid them? 

Greg Raymer: The biggest mistake made by players who move up in stakes is an unwillingness to move back down when the signs say they should. If you move up and lose to the point where you no longer have 100 buy-ins for the game, you probably need to move back down until you win your way back up to a large enough bankroll. Also, even if you’re not losing at the new level, if enough time goes by and you’re just breaking even, or winning but your winrate is less in terms of dollars per hour, then you probably should drop back down. In many cases, once a player moves up, their ego prevents them from admitting that they need to drop back down. And even if you don’t need to drop back down, if you walk into your poker room, and see that the higher game you are now able to beat is a tough game, and the smaller game is quite soft, you should gladly drop back down for the session. Why play $5-$10 no-limit hold’em in a tough game and make $25/hour, if you can play in the extra soft $2-$5 no-limit hold’em game and make $50 instead?

Derric Haynie: I have personally had some rough times moving up in stakes. I would grind out $5-$10 for a long time, take a shot at $10-$20 and get busted back down. After having this happen a few times I analyzed my game and found that I was playing worse in the bigger games. I was becoming too risk averse after moving to higher stakes in “fear” of losing or looking dumb. When I would play $5-$10 I was very comfortable bluffing for $500-$1,000, but at $10-$20 I found myself reluctant to pull the trigger for a $1,000 plus bluff in situations where I consider my opponents tougher or the situation close. Sometimes I would think “Since he is a good player this bluff won’t work” but in reality it would be a good spot. And it is very important not to miss good spots, especially after moving up in stakes. The best way to overcome this problem or similar risk aversion problems that you may face is to have a big bankroll before jumping into higher stakes games and ensure that when you move up your confidence is at an all time high. Between your confidence in your game and your experience throwing money around at slightly smaller stakes, you should be willing to accept some risk and continue to analyze the game logically and play to the best of your abilities.

Chris Wallace: First. Don’t change your game. Moving up one level won’t change the plays that are correct by very much. You have something you know works in the smaller game, and when you get used to your new level it will work up there too. Just play your game. Second. Don’t “take a shot”. Taking a shot are the three words poker players use when they want to justify playing too high for their bankroll. If you are moving up, then be bankrolled for the game. Third. Don’t move up just to move up. Be honest about why you are doing it. If you are doing it to play with the big boys, to prove how good you are, to take a shot at making more money, or any reason other than “I firmly believe I will make more money over the long run” then don’t do it. Fourth. Don’t stick around too long. If you have a little losing streak right after you move up to your new level, move back down, crush the game until you have made your money back, and go back for a fresh start. Fifth. Mix it in instead of making a big move. If you are only playing the bigger game when it looks good, and playing the smaller game the rest of the time, it solves a lot of problems.

Jared Bartlett: One of the biggest pitfalls I see when people move up stakes is leveling themselves. A lot of times new players moving up will think that they must radically change their game to win at the next level, but that’s simply not true. No matter what stake you play, poker is still 90 percent ABC poker even at the highest levels. As you move up, the games will get more aggressive, and the regulars more creative with their lines, but don’t overthink it. Playing with scared money is another pitfall you must avoid when moving up. If you’re willing to buy in, you need to be willing to use the chips. That means maintaining thin value betting frequencies, willing to make higher variance plays to establish a tricky image, and other things that made you a winning player at your previous limit. The final and most important pitfall to avoid when moving up limits is you must be willing to move back down if your shot doesn’t go well. If you’re too stubborn or prideful to move down when swings happen, you’re going to go broke. There’s nothing wrong with moving down in limits. It’s a natural part of the game and can often be the smarter bankroll management play. ♠