So I've posted very similar things before:

http://www.pocketfives.com/00364689-...9C5CF80E7.aspx

http://www.pocketfives.com/A8FD7D47-...2D719D08F.aspx

http://www.pocketfives.com/5172211B-...C76C50BEB.aspx

I don't mean to get repetitive and boring, but as much as I love and enjoy hearing about P5ers cashing out for 80+k every night in tons of tournies, I try to remember that most of the people on here are grinders working their way up, rather than the type already able to afford 100+9 every single night like it's their job...(or maybe it really IS their job) :)

SO without boring too much, I'll keep the history brief and if you're curious, read the links I've pasted in here for more in-depth context...But basically I have grinded my way up from $100 only playing $5, finally got over $350 and began playin $10....This is where our story begins.

So I started playing $10 when I got to $400. A bit conservative? Absolutely. But I felt that way I could lose a couple and not have to jump right back down levels, whereas if i started at $350 and didn't itm the first 2 I'd have to bump back down to $5...

I hit the ground running at the $10s. Within 2 days, I was up over $500 and just loving life. FINALLY all of my grinding, variance-enduring hard work, had PAID OFF. (literally.) and then guess what? My good ol' friend variance came by knocking at my door. I played 27 tournaments with only 3 cashes.

Then it got worse.

I play almost exclusively $10 27 anf 45man sng... Yesterday, the first 5 I played, I FTd every single one, only to get down to 5-7 left at the FT and take a terrible 2 or 3-outer on the river. TT vs 77, 7 on river, AK vs A4, 4 on river. flop a set all in? awesome river boat. Whatever, you get the idea -- point is I was playin great but still losing.

I was putting myself in position for big pay days and it wasn't paying off, wasn't getting the br jump that I needed. I got all the way down to $317 (remeber, was just at $400, then up to $520, then in 2 days, this streak, down to $317). I felt like all the hard work I had JUST done had gone to waste. Here I was, essentially ALL the way back where I started.

What was different? Nothing. What was going on!?? Variance. Did I suck that bad? Nope.

I was at $317 and decided to do two more and if I got below $300, I'd drop back to $5. So frustrating, was just over $500 and thought I'd NEVER have to look back.

Well guess what -- start lookin back cause the grind doesn't end.

I played a total of 10 tournies yesterday and FTd 9 of them. I told you about the first 5....

The last 4? two 2nds in the 27 man and a 3rd and a 7th in the 45man, up $165 for the day and back up to $485.

So there it is. Making the same decisions, playing the same solid poker, and I couldn't get a big cash to save my life. I even wrote Jennifear, for those who know her, with an email titled "only so much one person can handle" LOL - I mean being 1st or 2nd in chips with 6/7 left at 5 consecutive FTs and only one "last place" cash to show for it, is VERY frustrating...even more frustrating is 3 cashes in 32 tournies, WHILE playing well and just getting bent over and spanked goot by variance.

It was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I just had to have faith. The bad run would end. and it did, in 4 straight FTs I cashed 2nd (in 27 man $72) or 3rd (45 man $74.25) -- all very nice jumps to the br and now I am back in the game for the long haul :)

A quick side note and insanely huge props to Jennifear for helping me so much and being a great friend. She had a great idea for me which I think would help a lot of the grinders. Anytime you're over $350, tax yourself 10% for the win. So you win $100, take note and "cashout" $10. Then when you get over $25, withdraw from your neteller. Small yes, but this way you're at least paying yourself back a BIT and if you get to 1k, while withdrawing 10% of your br, it'll show you can beat the $10s at a 20% ROI and are ready to move to the 20s...it works for me, maybe it'll work for you :)

So bottom line is, if you're running bad. Step back. Analyze your game. Are you REALLY playing well? Making GOOD, CORRECT decisions? If so, then HAVE faith. cause YOUR bad run will end too.

But just remember, it'll end - but it'll rear its ugly head much sooner than you'd like...and what do you do then?

You grind.

pokerxfactor or play cash games, you dont have to finish 1,2 or 3 and the blind dont go up!!

I jsut found while the variance is higher, the hits are also MUCH bigger when you hit...the variance is still pretty decent at 1-table sngs as well, so if I'm gonna go on a bad run, might as well be in a tourney where when I hit, I'm winning like 6+ buyins, instead of a "big" 1st in a 1-table sng being like 3.5...

There's a lot to this grind thing, but it's really simple.

See, the point jdro is making (and it's a good one!) is that there are going to be swings. PERIOD. No matter what you do, as long as u are:

A. Playing a game you are beating.
B. Studying the game.
C. Playing within your bankroll (xtra kudos to jdro for playing WELL within his bankroll)
D. Keeping your head on straight, and not tilting.
E. Have some type of cashout strategy that is not either excessive or too minimal.
F. Making good decisions.

You are GOING to win. If you aren't winning over any length of time, you are simply not following one or more of the above rules.

good read sir, I always love to hear about ppl who crush the micros cause it gives me hope lol anywho gl with the $10s

i gotta agree with syntex... while you are doing a good job sticking to lower limits, I wouldnt say its w/in your bankroll... to playing mtt i would think you would want more like 100 buy ins... you talked about being close to 500 and then going back down to 300ish (almost a 40% swing) and then the 1 win got you back.... with this type of thinking (100 buyins for mtt) I would be playing $5 tourneys till I got it til $1000, and then start playing the $10 games, and then anytime I dropped 10% (down to $900 I would jump back to $5 games) I havent done a very good job with the bankroll, and havent played online in about 2 months as I have been trying to set a bankroll guidlines for myself (and mine will be very conservative and slowly grinding my way up)... I have been playing around town alot and have done well to start my online bankroll back up again.
but the limits you are playing was pretty much where I would always be at ($200-500), and I would do well for a while, but occasionaly that huge swing of variance comes in... If you keep winning that is great and hopefully you can move up those steps quickly....

gl

I went on a huge rush eariler in the month. I decided to reward myself with some p5 gear. Apparently transfersing money on stars activates the same kill switch as cashing out.

Variance my ass! Not a huge biggie though. I play cash games with 80 buyins in my roll. I can donk and tilt for a lil bit without adding any real pressure to rebuild.

On a serious note, good post.

thanks fellas again! Again I think leaving myself the floor of $300 moving down to $5 (which is a DOUBLE BR floor) gives me the chance to play the $10 27/45 man right now at br-appropriate levels because I have that floor as a security-drop down, which has me double BRd if I should get to that point...

The double-bankroll floor of $300 to drop to fivers does indeed give you that flexibility. With the cashout system you have it works perfectly as a cashout method until you know for sure whether you can beat the $20 sng level

If you take a look at the recent results page you'll see a graph that shows jdro has improved his numbers from his bottom (pre-br mgmt) to his current (post br mgmt) figure. Yes, he isn't break-even lifetime yet, but he is indeed a winning player from the time he decided to buckle down and get serious.

btw, I was 4 feet from Favre as he walked out of the tunnel in Lambeau last December. Was awesome. I assume you're a big fan. It was totally surreal.

Great post. I can relate to your struggle, and appreciate the open post outlining the struggle of us, lower limit (majority) grinders. Thanks for your tips, as well as Jennifear's. A good read to say the least.

Side note: Could you get Favre's autograph for me next time you brush elbows. Thanks in advance.

would really like to hear more about Jennifears withdraw plan plzzz!!!

bug

Hey JDro, what kind of tourneys exactly are you playing ? (site, seats, speed of blinds, etc)

You metionned 5$ SNGs, are you talking about single tabling a mutli-table 5$ SNG?

ALso, how are you keep track?

You win bug.... I will post my cashout strategy for all to see, and flame, in the near future.