Pushing It

Band names off the top of my head:

_Waking up with Aces
_Pitchers and Catchers Report
_Fucked by the River
_Toxoplasma (Sorry to whoever I stole this from)

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When I told Daniel about my plans for trying to get in a lot of hands over the next few days, he warned me that I shouldn't push it. I really want my bankroll back around where it should be before my November downturn and getting robbed at gunpoint at a game.

"I'm going to push it," I said.

I've really been thinking about whether this is a stupid plan or not. It goes to the heart of bankroll management and potential profitability.

My plan is to play $1/$2 buy-in no limit on Party until my bankroll is back to where I want it. I'm usually playing about five tables at a time, which may be foolish. I have about the bankroll to play one $200 buy-in game at a time (5 percent of a $4,000 bankroll), but not five!

I thought I had learned my lesson about bankroll. It's absolutely necessary. Right?

Here's my reasoning:

1) My bankroll is not in danger. I've gone on plenty of downswings in my poker career, but I've never once had a severe losing streak in no limit games. I've never gone on a 10 buy-in downturn, no less a 20 buy-in turn, which is what it would take to bust me right now. I can beat these games, and losing seems unlikely.

2) I'm confident in my game. I do not fear these opponents, who are in general weak and fold happy, but they'll let you know when they have a hand.

3) While losing would be painful, I'm willing to accept that risk and take responsibility for the possibility.

4) This is the fastest way I know of to build my bankroll to levels where I can play the games I want to play. I don't view this as taking a shot; I think this is more like pushing an edge.

5) The game I want to play don't intimidate me. The only reasons I don't have the bankroll to play where I want to is that I had to support myself. Even after losing some money in game play in November, I still would have had plenty to keep playing $15/$30 limit if not for living expenses.

So here's the question:

Am I really stupid? Let me know if I am.

I think I'd be happy playing .5/1 no limit, but not as happy as if I could get to where I want to be over the next month or so. I've been playing 1/2 no limit as my regular game for about two weeks now, and I'm up a few hundred. Nothing conclusive.