[johnf]

I have moved up to $50 NL tables from the $25 NL tables I was playing before. Although I don't have a very big sample yet, the $50 NL tables seem to be suiting me much better. I am winning a lot right now. The tables are more predictable and it is easier to put players on hands and know where you stand. I can pick out sharks more easily and also spot the fish more easily... they stick out rather than getting lost in swarming schools. There are fewer players playing these tables regularly, so it is far easier to track the good regular players. Also, most players seem to respect raises more so that when you raise there are a predictable number of callers with reasonable hands.

Has anyone else had a similar experience when moving up in limits? Do you find that higher limit tables can be more profitable BECAUSE the play is better?

My baseless, without-real-evidence theory is this. The lower limits are polluted with fish and too many callers sucking out, making the variance really high and the overall profitability questionable. The highest limits are filled with great players who would kick my ass regularly. But the middle limits have a reasonable mix of fish and average players and are not saturated with amazing players who would eat me alive.

Your thoughts?

I was up at these limits before and doing quite well until I burned off a huge part of my bankroll throwing money blindly into multitable tourneys... boy that was a mistake. I dropped down worked my way back up and have now returned. I am staying away from the multis now!

What bankroll should I have to play $50NL tables on party... blind

[ThomasR]

Again, as you go up limits you can find more quality players (still get a few lunatics, obviously), but this makes for a much more predictable and often civilised game. You're looking at more standard play - good hand, you will see raises, average hand, you will see calls, bad hands will fold - not like some of the unpredictable players you see lower down the food chain.

Your bankroll should be fairly large at that limit, I would be looking at the 4 figure region. The reason being, you post a few BB and end up folding out you're soon gonna end up short stacked. Work up a large bankroll before playing these alone, or don't play too many tables and concentrate on making money through solid playing early on before loosening up for the big pots a little.