11 games in as new SNG/MTT micro player--at the right level?

Hello again, guys.

Well, I made my first deposit three days ago, and have had a couple of wins. But with my limited bankroll, I'm wondering if I need to go down a level, take a break to study, or eliminate MTTs and just focus on SNGs. Here are my results so far:

2/16/08 - $25 Deposit @ PKR.com

2/16/08:

1st place (out of 10) - $5 won - $1 + .1 entry fee
6/10 - $0 - $1 + .1
1/50 - $30 - $2 + .2

2/17/08:

4/10 - $0 - $1 + .1
low/50 - $0 - $2 + .2
19/50 - $0 - $2 + .2
9/10 - $0 - $1 + .1

2/18/08

8/10 - $0 - $1 + .1
1/10 - $5 - $1 + .1
2/10 - $3 - $1 + .1
8/12 - $0 - $2 + .2

ITM: 36%


When I win, I feel like my game is average, but I still get lucky and make a couple of bad plays. When I lose, I only feel that I played well about half of the time.

With my limited bankroll, I'm wondering if it's best to go down to a .50 SNG at another site ($1 + .1 is PKR.com's lowest). I do have a free $10 waiting for me at Victor Chandler.

On the other hand, I'm aware that SNGs are high variance, and the fast blinds can be murder if you don't get good cards. Maybe I I just need to cut out the expensive (but high return) MTTs and focus on my SNGs with the exception of the occasional indulgence. While I think I played well in the 50-person I won, I don't want to get a bloated head and think that I can do that very often.

Or, I could limit it to one SNG every day or every other day and devote a week or two to Harrington on Hold 'em volumes one and two, which I ordered yesterday.

What do you think?

Its almost impossible to really profit from a low bankroll. I suggest you study the game and save up and invest $150 minimum and play $5 SNGs. Variance is so high in low limits its incredible

If you play 1 table SNGs you should have about 20-25 buy-ins for your bankroll. So, if you invest $25, I wouldn't play higher than $1 + $0.10 until you made enough to move up.

Id say thats the right level...i mean if u cant go any lower at that site its the right level. But ya just stick with it and grind it out! GL

Do you have any data on this? Unfortunately, a $150 investment just isn't something I can afford right now.

Experience and just general posts read online. Plus it is common sense. Sure you can grind it out with a really low stack but you have to play so near perfect its sick. There is just so much variance in micro stakes.

Well, would you suggest that I move up to $3.00 + .30 SNGs? My bankroll could just about tolerate that, if I go on a decent run to start. I presume the very lowest level that a site offers is where the variance is highest, due to bad play from broke players.

Or, I could play in $2.00 + .20 MTTs--anywhere from six-handed twelve-player tournaments to five-table fifty-person tournaments. But I'm thinking the variance is much higher there due to the very nature of the beast. Twelve-player MTTs might be the exception if I excell at shorthanded play, I'm thinking?

You'll likely get more consistent results from single-table games rather than MTTs, so if you're looking to grind a small bankroll upwards, that's the way I'd do it.