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 >
Updated 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.
Another step on the micro-journey; roll up to $834.
Closing in on 400 events! Crossed the $1000 mark! Time to play a few $3 MTTs!!
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
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
Finally binked on Stars after shortstacking for hours!!
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
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
Beautyful line
subbed, gl!
What is your overall 3bet pre?
7% - lower in PKO pre-ICM. Also, at these buy-ins there are lots of limped pots. Still, would like it to be higher.
Way to go Chief, keep it up!
Poker went hypersonic today :-)
(cut a deal 7-handed)
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
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
The 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.
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
Thank-you sir!
Bink! :-)
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!
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
