Tip # 52 of 52, When to move up.

If you have experienced success (or at least gained experience) at hold'em at one limit, you will probably consider playing in a bigger game at some point. This is particularly true if you have been successful, as the possibility of winning significantly more money at a higher limit is a strong incentive to step up.

Before you do so, however, you must make sure you are adequately bankrolled for the move. This is not a concern if your bankroll is renewable, but if you fear going broke, you should adhere to certain guidelines. In general, assuming you are a winning player, many experts recommend a bankroll of approximately 300 big bets to remove the risk of going broke.

The better you play compared to your opponents and the smaller the game, the less strict that figure need be. In general, though, for a $2-$4 hold'em game, you should have a bankroll between $600 and $1000 to "weather the storms." Someone with equivalent skills ought to have a bankroll of $12,000 for a $20-$40 game. And for a $50-$100 game, $30,000 to $50,000. And "bankroll" here means money set aside specifically for poker. It does not include the "rent money" or your savings.

Simply having the bankroll to move up does not mean that it is necessarily in your best financial interest to do so. It is probably best not to increase limits until you have become a consistent winner at your current level. One incentive you might choose to provide for yourself is to force yourself to win at your current level the required bankroll for the next highest limit. When you have increased your bankroll to the necessary level, you can step up.