Although it wasn't exactly how I envisioned it would transpire, I had my first somewhat earned session of official midstakes action last night. Using PTR, I did reconnaissance on all the Merge players in the $2/$5 6 max games as that is the next step up from $1/$2. There are NO full ring games higher than $1/$2, so I haven't really earned the right to play 6 max so to speak, but my hope is that I can overcome my limitations playing shorthanded through bum hunting and also studying more. I was basically looking for a minimum of 3 fish and maximum of 2 regs. I did find one table and played a mostly uneventful and marginally profitable session winning $180 or so - only 36bb's for this stake. I definitely wasn't doing any light 3 betting or anything out of line. I did get aces a couple of times winning a decent pot against a fish once. I got a set once and won only a smallish pot against a reg. I had a ten high flush using both cards on an unpaired board that lost to a bigger flush against a fish - I almost shoved to try to get the rest of his 40bb $200 stack, but after consideration I determined his range would likely be comprised of higher flushes, so I was able to save some $. As soon as one of the fish left and was replaced with another reg, I sat out my next blind and left the table.

The pots get pretty big pretty quickly. Just one 3x pre-flop raise plus blinds and a call along with a 2/3rd pot flop cbet and one call and the pot is already a little over half pot bet size away from a $200NL stack. Hopefully I run at least just average and play well. I'd like to be able to take periodic "shots" this way. Otherwise, my only avenue to move past $200NL is to try to play more on another site like Bovada or WPN or live. I don't have the experience or bankroll to just start playing that high on any of those platforms. It is unfortunate, though, that there are usually a handful of regs on every table but there are plenty of fish, too. I'll just have to keep my eyes open.