Moving? I Hope It's Upward

Hi. Come on in. I stopped at that Chinese fast-food place and got a half-dozen items of nourishment to munch on while we trip lightly through your poker consciousness.

A few weeks ago we talked about the bankroll you'll need to move up to the next higher limit. Today let's discuss what you'll find when you get there.

Will there be tougher players – or just larger stacks of chips? My experience has seen both. Players in the medium-limit games are indeed, generally, tougher than those in the lower-limit games, because for the most part, the better players are attracted to moving up to a higher limit. Those who move up to $15-$30 can do so because they were able to survive at $5-$10 and $10-$20. But what is it that makes them tougher?

From my perspective of playing and watching the game of poker for 30 years, they are usually more aggressive, they seem to read their opponents better, and they have more courage when it comes to moving their chips in marginal situations.

Experience counts for a lot, too. Medium- and high-limit players will trap more. They'll put more moves on you. They can better sense your weaknesses. They are just stronger all around, but I'm not saying they can't be beaten. Lots of them do go broke, just like players in the lower limits, and have to drop back a notch to recover. But in the long run, the best of the best will get the money. They'll survive and maybe move up again.

To play with the bigger kids and survive, you must lose less and win more with the same cards other players would play. You must manage yourself well. Sometimes that means getting up from the poker table and taking a loss when you see that a particular game is too tough for you. Wait until the lineup changes in your favor.

There are some good, knowledgeable players around who can't cut it at the higher levels. Knowing what you must do is one thing – doing it is another. How's your discipline?

Poker can be a very "streaky" business. At the medium and higher limits, you are more susceptible to winning and losing streaks. Many times you'll see players moving up in limits, then back down, and then up again. One week a guy is playing $15-$30, and a week later you see him in a $5-$10 game, grinding out a moderate win; or, a $5-$10 player jumps to $15-$30. It happens when they go on streaks.

These ups and downs can be difficult. At times it seems you can do no wrong – or right! Unless you have the emotional stability to handle the big swings, you might find your bankroll disappearing. You'd be better off staying at your lower limit.

The best players in the world run into these streaks. One thing that puts them among the best is their ability to handle these ups and downs. If you see that things aren't going well, have the courage to drop back down before you go broke. Give yourself the chance to survive, financially. Assuming you don't have a problem with compulsiveness, build another bankroll and try moving up again when you have more experience. Play your best game every minute. You'll soon have enough cash in your jeans to allow you to move up again and take another shot.

You'll have a much better chance next time – if you learned anything the last time around. But do give yourself your best chance. Don't play beyond your bankroll – it's a quick way to financial oblivion. I'd rather have you confront me one day to get my suggestions about what to name your new cabin cruiser.

You handle chopsticks quite well. I never did catch on to them. Now I require repose. Take what you want from the leftovers and kill the light on your way out.

Editor's note: Roy West, author of the bestseller 7 Card Stud, the Complete Course in Winning (available from Card Player), continues to give his successful poker lessons in Las Vegas to both tourists and locals. Ladies are welcome. Call 1-800-548-6177, Ext. 03.