Micro Stakes MTT Destiny Grind - Future Wide Open!

Poker is the nutz, really. Chips are hope and beats spare no soul. I walk away. I come back. I played the online boom pre-2011 and scraped together a tidy part-time income while raising a family. Mostly 1-2 limit holdem but all forms really and a solid little home game with my buds. I dabbled in micro stakes tournaments since, holding my own. These past 5 years as my 'real' career wound down, I didn't play much poker, at all. I've been to Vegas a few times to play low stakes MTTs. I've played the WSOP Seniors twice - ran god-like - cashed. This year in March I set out to play a few hundred MTTs. I wanted to know if I could earn. Small sample size but that is the nature of starting a journey. I played:

$1 - $3 buyins, mostly NLH

4 tournies max at a time, no more

Mostly stars & gg

During those weeks I self-adjusted my MTT game using a few resources, not much. I track everything on a spreadsheet. 161 tournaments

Average buy-in $1.90

21% in the money

$105 profit at $1.25 per hour wage

7 Final Tables

35% ROI

Then I stopped to ponder. Is this winning? Am I having enough fun to continue? And the question all MTT players ask - when the heck am I gonna bink a big win!?! This week I decided to resume the project with the goal of 'knowing the outcome'. I want to know if my small success is random or indicative of long term profitability. Promises >

I will not continue if my total profit turns to losses.

I will not play $4+ entries unless I've earned $1000.

I will simply stop playing if I become bored with the grind.

Sunday and Monday this week were standard grinds through 25 events, nothing special. Last night during the hockey game I made 2 final tables on GG, finishing 2nd place in both! Total profit jumped to $568 and my regular stoic approach took a moment to smile and celebrate! I'll post the new numbers soon. I'm open to advice and if anyone has questions about my approach, please ask.

Best score this year >

( numbers >> 204 tournaments

Average buy-in $1.86

22% in the money

$562 profit at $5.31/hour wage

12 Final Tables - 5.88%

148% ROI

300 MTTs now. The grind is fun despite the horrific beats, which are to be expected and quickly forgotten. Some players are capable of folding top-pair, but few. Maybe that will change if I move up in stakes? The players who run deep in the 1$ events are surprisingly determined to win. No free lunch, even in the micros. 300 tournaments Average buy-in $1.76 21% in the money $678 profit at $4.70/hr wage 17 final tables - 5.7% 129% ROI I'm still playing below $3 entries. When I crack $1000 profit, I'll move up a tad. My playing stats are approx 26% VPIP, 17% PFR, 8% 3bet I've thought about investing in some training? For now, I absorb free content and I watch some WSOP final tables, to learn.

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Another step on the micro-journey; roll up to $834.

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Closing in on 400 events! Crossed the $1000 mark! Time to play a few $3 MTTs!!

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400 MTTs. Feelin' more confident at the tables now, compared to the start. I have a strong sense of the different player types, bet size diagnosis and villain folding ranges. Getting to really know my 'A' game vs my 'B" game, recogning it in real time. Obviously tring to play the A-game. Most importantly, I've weathered endless bad beats and I'm deeply aware that I will not cash a large majority of the tournaments I enter. So, I simply don't sweat the exits. Been listening to the Poker Mechanics podcast and watching this year's WSOP on YTube, for learnings and inspiration. Watched the Senior's event final table last night and kind of missed being there. Next year!! 400 tournaments

Average buy-in $1.73

22% in the money

$1012 profit at $5.28/hr wage

21 final tables - 5.3%

147% ROI

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Great figures, well done. You obviously know what you doing!

Thanks amatola!. Let's hope ;-) No significant cashes of late and the grind is long. Still having fun and making good decisions. Restricting buy-in to Roll/333 which gets me into a few $3 events, these days. Micro Stakes Strategy Lesson; a majority of players simply cannot fold. Game theory bluffing is effective only against the rare thinking opponent in the micros. You are going to get called alot by 2nd pair and even AK on low boards. I find little value in splashing mediocre holdings out of position. Obviously this changes pre-bubble and pre-FT. Playing stats have held at 26% VPIP and 17% PFR but I am 3-betting slightly less and I think that is reflective on an overcalling adjustment in PKO tournaments, where I am trying to see more flops and call-ship strong holdings in the early and crazy stages of those events. 500 tournaments

Average buy-in $1.81

22.6% in the money

$1001 profit at $4.28/hr wage

24 final tables - 4.8%

111% ROI

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Finally binked on Stars after shortstacking for hours!!

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We've surpassed 600 MTTs. Currently 40+ without a decent score; unusual for me. Some nasty beats today. I feel confident that we will be binking soon. 605 tournaments

Average buy-in $1.89

22.2% in the money

$1240 profit at $4.49/hr wage

26 final tables - 4.3%

109% ROI

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The run to 700 was painful. There is a certain amount of soul-searching involved in long winless droughts. I've been working harder on my 'Zen' and I've ordered O'Kearney's PKO Poker Strategy book to polish up my PKO game. Half of my winnings are from PKO tournies but I admit I'm less confident in that arena. 706 tournaments

Average buy-in $2

22.2% in the money

$1314 profit at $3.95/hr wage

31 final tables - 4.4%

93% ROI

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Beautyful line

subbed, gl!

What is your overall 3bet pre?

Way to go Chief, keep it up!

7% - lower in PKO pre-ICM. Also, at these buy-ins there are lots of limped pots. Still, would like it to be higher.

Poker went hypersonic today :-) (cut a deal 7-handed)

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Félicitation

Well you've definitely earned more than 1k, what are your plans for going up stakes if any?

I have a formula on the spreadsheet that simply divides total profit by '333'. I use that to guide max entry. Today, max entry is $5.01. Now hitting up the $4.40s on Stars and $5 bigs on GG. Trying to avoid $1/$2 entries altogethor.

Following. Does your 333 max entry apply to turbos too? Or are you playing just normal speeds? Appreciate it

Hey Lloyd, I play turbos when normal speeds aren't available. Guessing 15-20% turbos. I also play PLO tournaments, probly 2%. Would like to play 8-game which I have a ton of experience in but I'm not able to multi-table and follow the stud-fold-card action effectively.

I've plowed through 800+ tournies. O'Kearney's PKO book has definetly altered my PKO approach so hoping for some decent results on that front. Still reading that book and tweaking. 818 tournaments

Average buy-in $2.04

21.39% in the money

$1669 profit at $4.82/hr wage

34 final tables - 4.2%

100% ROI

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The last few hundred tournaments have been tough with no meaningful cashes, eroding my hourly rate and leaving me unsure about the overall project. I've decided to do a full evaluation after 1500 tournaments and I will not continue if my rate doesn't improve.

1005 tournaments

Average buy-in $2.14

20.8% in the money

$1536 profit at $3.62/hr wage

35 final tables - 3.5%

71.5% ROI

( PKO adjustments took time. I over-lagged for awhile, tightening now. I've purchased a few more O'Kearney books and I've been running sims on Holdem' Resources. So the overall study hours are increasing.

You stats are still excellent, many would be jealous. Just an idea, but might be worth entering a few smaller mtts on another site like partypoker. As all the money is in the top 3 might help with variance. Btw, have started tracking myself. 37hrs in, 98 mtts played at an avg buy in of $1.44 making $3.13 per hour.

Thanks man!.....and well done on your MTTs! Ya, been thinking of toiling on a smaller site. Perhaps Coinpoker.

Bink! :-)

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A satisfying win after a long tough battle against some solid regs. Ran good when I needed to. I find Stars so tough compared to GG. Bink!

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yeah, also find stars hard - I am a straight down losing player there, whereas I am a break even on GG and a winner on a few other sites. Well done on the bink

great job so far, enjoy the read - agree esp for us in here in Canada, Party Poker is great - small fields but its the structures are among the best, really can increase the ROiI / $ per game, Coin Poker is good as well, WPT Global, Chico, list goes on n on, keep it up GLGL

I've added Coinpoker to the grind!!

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Thank-you sir!

Bankroll - $3422 MTT project is far from over!! I wanted an improved 'hourly rate' through 1500 tournaments. Tournament #1265 >>> *I had villain all-in heads-up with those red kings but he binked and I came second and I know better than to complain about any deep run because those are rare in this business.

( tournaments

Average buy-in $2.41

22.18% in the money

$3422 profit at $6.47/hr wage

48 final tables - 3.8%

112% ROI

( overall approach to NLH and PLO MTT's contnues to develop, always tweaking and refining. Let's see what tomorrow brings!

Hourly wage increased, and I continue to enjoy the challenge, most days. Let's play 500 more and see what happens! Tournaments - 1500

Bankroll - $3554

22.1% in the money

$5.85/hr wage

55 final tables - 3.7%

87% ROI

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Really well done so far on your journey, its tough out there. Your approach is good im currently playing a little higher than you and have been stuck here cos i keep withdrawing haha i fear you may overtake me at this rate! Good luck sir and keep posting

Just wanted to add if the MTT variance eventually turns, just hang in there keep calm and carry on it will turn back its the testing of your stoicness to fight through those times which it doenst seem has happened yet, gl again

Hey thanks man! I'm feeling pretty ZEN about these upcoming weeks. I play pretty good and I know the deck has good beats and bad...we'll see what comes. I'm gonna sharpen up with some hand reviews and GTO training, as well.

Battled through 500 tournies essentially break-even. So many losing flips close to money. So many beats. Made some changes to my game which I will blog about soon. I seldom play turbos but this evening I tried a mystery bounty on stars. It was fun! Bink!

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1 hour later......

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Bankroll - $4132

Tournaments - 1793 22.25% in the money $5.82/hr wage 64 final tables - 3.6% 78% ROI

( study - I've captured and employed several new heuristics and themes. I'll list a few to mark this point on the journey and see what comes of the changes: Blind Battles -

Limping way more from the small blind. I was raising and folding too much. Shipping a range with 25 bigs, as well. Wasn't doing that before.

Needless to say I limp-call a wider range from the small.

Flatting more when the small raises my big.

Hidden Monsters - Flatting more often in position with very strong hands. This leads to fewer preflop flips and obliges me to read boards and villain's flop play. Keeps villains weaker holdings in play and my diguised monsters can pay high dividends. On the Range - Studying flops and turns more to decide check-raises and turn donks. Picking off spots that put villain in a bad place. More range considerations. PKO donkaments - I've absorbed a ton of PKO information and quite honestly, at my stakes, much of it is bad. There is an element of PKO theory that emphasizes early stage gambling to build big stacks that cover and can win more bounties. Easy to take this too far. and punt buy-ins. Obviously big stacks are better in poker tournaments, especially PKO. And we are going to gamble more in PKO because the player base wants to take risks. The best advice I've noted is RUN DEEP. The large bounties you win when you run deep can more than compensate for the small bounties you pick up during registration. I've adjusted again to try and RUN DEEP in pko tournaments. (full disclosure - my ROI in PKO is 25%) Focus Dude - Of late, I've dropped from 5-6 tournaments to 4. I need time to consider options and bet sizing. I'm more comfortable and less likely to punt at 4 tables. We'll see how things go....

Updates?

Took a long break, not poker related. Ran pretty 'meh' into 2500 tournies. Now itching to resume the grind. I absolutely need to comprimise my 22%-in-the-money rate and find a way to go deep more often.

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I didn't realize at the time. At the beginning of this thread and project I ran like God despite lacking some key understandings about playing tournaments. Naturally, I thought I was better than I was. Truth be told. This year I've played 1100sh tournies, sometimes pausing for weeks and months. I believe I've run bad at key times, often losing flips before reaching Final Tables. So be it. I've studied; reviewing many hands with a solver and reading Sam Greenwood's Punt of The Day. I've composed an updated list of heuristics aimed directly at leaks I've identified. The heuristics are front and center on my monitor. I've also memorized opening, shipping and BvsB tables. I review these before I play. And...I've built formation scenarios to better understand key positional battles. I was prepared to cross the 3000 tourney mark with a long break-even graph. But I binked tourny #2982, barely making the FT, I grinded out 2nd place.

( now plan to take a few shots at higher buy-ins to see if I can make that line climb.

( - $4439 Tournaments - 2986 22.1% in the money $4.17/hr wage 94 final tables - 3.2% 48% ROI

Poker Jesus intervened on some key flops and I worked hard to pick my spots. Money was in good heads-up (AJ-AT)!! No complaints. Bankroll - $4407

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