Alternate BR strategy ??

I play a BR strategy that has me protecting a minimum br, while affording myself the occasional big game. These big games are paid for by the small wins I get playing the 'Protect the minimum BR' stategy.

I am a tourney person, and the traditional br management theories tend to favor ring play. For my ring play I tend to adhere to those traditional brm theories, but tourney play is different.

For instance; I play UB mostly these days, and I might play 3 $10 STT's to win $50. I would then take the $20 gain and play a $20 tourney. Before play starts in that game, I would actually be down (due to fees) but I consider it breakeven. I do well enough to have a growing BR, so I can, at this point, justify my Tourney BRM strategy.

I get more selective with game choice when my br's are hoovering around my minimum br levels. Less selective (AKA more adventurous) after any win. I have no sure fire game which I can call a base where I feel confidant I could grind out wins over a long stretch. Many players do have (or so it seems) that crushable 'base'. I don't, pure and simple.

If you have any ideas on how I can improve on this strategy, increasing my money/time rate, please comment.

It is good to take an occasional shot at a higher limit. I basically do the samething, I play at a lower limit and if i win, I will use the proceeds to take a shot at a higher limit. That way my BR isn't prone to bigger swings and if I do well at the higher limit than so much the better.

My SNG/MTT shot-taking has been reduced considerably because of my performance. Whether it's bad luck, stiffer competition, or (most likely) playing scared money, my ROI on shot-taking is significantly lower than my standard ROI. That's reason enough for me to pretty much give it up.

Nowadays, my shot-taking is usually only 1-2 levels above what I'm currently playing, and still within most BRM guidelines, so it's no real threat to my BR.

I'm doing a little experiment on Stars at the moment playing the $1.1 50% double up turbo sngs - started with a $3.75 bankroll from a freeroll and I did not want to deposit - I know I am so tight - anyway I have doubled up 17 times out of 20 and now have a massively increased BR (at least in percentage terms ). Going to continue this until I have over $25 or bust then play the $5.2 games.

Obviously this is slow way to increase BR but it is low risk if you know what you are doing and in any case I enjoy the games and the FPP tourneys that result from them.

With all poker there is such a dramatic change once you get away from the lowest buy-ins, that I suggest if you are continually crushing a particular game you multi-table those tourneys until you can grow your br enough to make the leap. Start with 2 tables at a time. Grow that to a level you can feel comfortable with, without feeling ANY PANIC WHATSOEVER!

The panic, in my case, was caused by the increased decision making speeds. While in the long run this will be good mental exercise, at this point for your br, (and mine as well), the task is to increase bankroll as safely as possible.

I would even go so far as to suggest you work on determining your multi-table comfort threshhold via play money games. Don't even worry about the stakes involved, instead concentrate on how you are making decisions, and at what speed rate you feel comfortable. This is one of those situations in life where 2 hours invested now will yeild 20 hours proffit in a week.

DJ why not just grind the hell out of the $10 stt's until you are rolled for the $22's ? I really can't see much merit in "taking shots" at a higher limit until you are almost ready to move up.

Already playing $20 games at UB, where my br is fine. Fine enough to where I almost took a shot at a $100 mtt last night. But LOST was on, and I didn't want to play thru any distractions. Glad I didn't, technically I am not rolled for a game like that, but I did win $350 early this week in a $20 HORSE tourney and was thinking about rewarding myself.

Stars br is anemic as said, and I can't afford $10 games at the moment.
I have sort of dedicated what little there is to learning ring where at the moment I am about break even for the year so far. This being a huge improvement over last year where you all would have wanted me in your game. While you still might want me in your ring game, I doubt if you would stoop to my level Currently short stacking short handed 6 max tables for a buck each. Once known as rampaging, but at the lowest levels.

DJ, I'd sure like to see a little more detailed explanation of your system for the sake of my personal use. I have the gist of it but more info always helps.

Here's my guide to managing my SnG bankroll. It allows for playing at and above your current level in moderation and I've had a fair amount of success using this. My reason for recent revision was that I changed the %age of bankroll needed for the higher levels. I felt that I wasn't protecting my BR enough (allowing enough buy ins per level) when it started to get to the bigger games.

Attached Files

Bankroll_Rules_Revised021109.xls (22.0 KB, 2 views)