$6.50 Turbos to $16 Turbos?

[Ryski]

I just wanted some advice from players who have done this. This seems like a huge jump, not just money wise but I'm sure skill wise as well. $5.50 to $11 was one thing but $6.50 to $16 is a whole different one - that's almost 3 buyins from the previous level as opposed to 2. I'm also assuming the next one up is like 27 ( I'm at work and can't check ). Anyway, here are my questions.

1) Should I even bother to play these or should I run my bankroll up to the point where I can just skip this level and play the $27's? The reason I ask is because I know there are LOTS of regs in these due to the best rake and I've heard they are harder than the $27's or whatever the next level up is.

2) If I do play at this level, should I table select? If so, do you know of anyone that I should avoid other than who is obviously on the leader board?

3) Should I pad my bankroll more than usual? I was thinking of moving up at 35 buyins and giving it a shot or maybe just mixing one in on occasion. I'm destroying the $6.50's over a very small sample size but I just like the flow of turbos much more and I'm playing way under what I'm rolled for currently ( only because I just switched to turbos and want to get used to them )

4) How intimate should my knowledge of ICM be at this level? I have a very good feel of when to push/fold but I am sure I miss some of the decisions that are borderline.

5) What is the best way to increase your knowledge of ICM? I have SnG wizard but do you really sit down and do the calculations to get better as well ?

Thanks.

Edit: Oh and any other advice is appreciated as well. =p

[taipan168]

It has been a while since I made this move, but here are my thoughts for what they are worth.

I'm also assuming the next one up is like 27 ( I'm at work and can't check ).

Yes, the next level is $27, then $38, $55 and $114.

1) Should I even bother to play these or should I run my bankroll up to the point where I can just skip this level and play the $27's? The reason I ask is because I know there are LOTS of regs in these due to the best rake and I've heard they are harder than the $27's or whatever the next level up is.

Yes, there are definitely more regs at the $16s but they are not all fantastic players and the games are definitely still beatable. Key thing is to figure out who the regs are and avoid playing a whole set against them. Don't jump straight from the $6.50s to the $27s, $16 to $27 is definitely another step up again.

2) If I do play at this level, should I table select? If so, do you know of anyone that I should avoid other than who is obviously on the leader board?

See above, if you see a guy registered for like 12 tables at once then Sharkscope/Startracker them to see if they are any good. Pretty soon you will learn who the good regs are.

3) Should I pad my bankroll more than usual? I was thinking of moving up at 35 buyins and giving it a shot or maybe just mixing one in on occasion. I'm destroying the $6.50's over a very small sample size but I just like the flow of turbos much more and I'm playing way under what I'm rolled for currently ( only because I just switched to turbos and want to get used to them )

Personally I had 50 buyins when I moved up (which is just as well because I hit a big downswing just as I did). If you want to move up with less than this, then why not wait unti you win a $6.50 then play a $16 - that way you're ahead even if you finish OTM on the $16. If you finish ITM on the $16 then play another until a) you finish OTM or b) you build your roll sufficiently to move up permanently.

4) How intimate should my knowledge of ICM be at this level? I have a very good feel of when to push/fold but I am sure I miss some of the decisions that are borderline.

Needs to be reasonably good at this level, although there are still plenty of donks.

5) What is the best way to increase your knowledge of ICM? I have SnG wizard but do you really sit down and do the calculations to get better as well ?

Review lots and lots of hands, MOST IMPORTANTLY play with the inputs to understand if a hand is a push, what would make it a fold (eg. having a weaker hand, having a bigger/smaller stack, if opps call looser/tighter, if you were in a different position, etc.). If you look in the SNG FAQs I have linked a couple of posts discussing how to get the best out of SNG Wiz.

Edit: Oh and any other advice is appreciated as well. =p

As I said above, the $16s are definitely beatable. Moving up is a confidence thing for me and to be honest I have been weak on this. If you've been beating the $6.50s, if you have the roll and the confidence then moving up is no big deal. Good luck!

[bjsaust]

$27s are definately harder than $16s, but imo the $6.50 to $16 step is the hardest in SNGs.

[Ryski]

Thanks. I think for now I'll just stick with the 6.50's and occasionally mix in a 16 here and there until I have a larger roll. Back when I was playing regular speeds, I moved up twice from the 5.50 to 11's and hit downswings BOTH times. I couldn't figure out if I couldn't beat the game or if I had bad variance....and had to drop down twice due to being underolled. I'd rather not do that again so I'll mix them in a little until my roll can withstand a bit of a downswing.

Thanks for the advice.