I have been playing online poker for a while now, with just recently getting very serious. After having lost my bankroll quickly the first few times I played, the last three months I have finally been winning consistently. I have built my initial $50 up to a couple thousand, thru playing a combination of sit and gos, and mtts. I know that I am a pretty good player now, and these days make around $200 dollars a day on average, without having a losing day in almost a month, (i know that because i add up all my account balances at the end of every day), (between 3.40 to 10 dollar sit and gos, and up to 50 dollar mtts, no longer do i play the 530 dollars sit and gos) with a final table everyday for 11 straight days. Although I have won quite a few tournaments, I have yet to recieve that huge cash. Although it sounds a bit greedy, I expect it to come soon. After having reads graspfans article, i ask how many of you guys have won big tournaments 10k plus, and how long had you been playing beore you did. And of those events, did you enter satelites into them? I am only 19 so I have quite a while to go, but I am quite interested in hearing from players truthfully about there first few months.

The reason I play the lower dollar sit and gos is because I seem to not do quite as well. I normally make profit over a sample, but not enough. I used to play 109 dollar sit and gos on PP and do quite well, but I am no longer comfortable at those stakes, although i was itm in 8 of 10 i ever did at that level. I am waiting to move up in levels till i am in itm for 45 percent or more for 500 straight sit and gos. Before you tell me it cant be done, I am at 45.6 percent now with 475 completed, so wish me luck. I do play frequently, i think that maybe I am not playing enough big buy in tourneys however. Thanks.

Sounds like you're developing some good skills and having some good success. My honest advice to you though is to slow down. If you've turned 50$ into a couple thousand in three months, you've probably been playing very well, but you've probably also been playing over your bankroll at times. Maybe I'm wrong and you've just been grinding 12 hours a day, but more likely you've taken some chances with your money.

I don't play professionally (I have a part time job), but I rely on the money I make at poker and treat the game like a business, and I can tell you from experience that the run you are on will not last forever. I know it might seem like you'll be a pro in no time and having huge cashes left and right, and maybe you will, but eventually at some time you will experience a losing streak like you never thought possible. And when it happens, if you don't have the bankroll to handle that downswing, not to mention the emotional control to play through it, you may find yourself back depositing $50 again.

I'm not trying to drag you down, or take anything away from your accomplishments so far. I just know that the downswings are all the more painful after having that feeling of being unbeatable, and I wish somebody had kicked my butt a little and pulled my head from the clouds so that the fall wasn't as far or as hard when it happened. Luckily, I've always been able to maintain an adequate bankroll to absorb the swings and I've always bounced back eventually, and if you play within your bankroll you'll be fine too. But every player I know that has spent some serious time playing this game, has been humbled by it at some point or another. Anyway, if you want the big cashes, take your time, play within you bankroll, don't get too excited over winning or losing, and keep improving your game. If you do those things, the big cashes will come.

Good luck and keep owning

lind0

Getting back to the article, it really gives me a lot of perspective as a 3 year player who thinks about the game all the time and loves the game. I have won only one large MTT for about $2800, but that feeling has kept me going for a long long time! If you can keep this game in perspective with your whole life and balance it, it can be a positive in your life. I also liked the comment about this community. I've met my poker mentor on here (Eric Napoleon) and I have learned a ton. It's a great resource for all of us. Thanks for the Article!

Good article Lind0, and thank you Grapsfan for all your contributions to P5's! I am a new member here and just want to say what an honor it is to be associated with such a great forum! I have read all of Grapsfan past articles, as well as EVERY other featued writers. I have been playing for about 2 years online now, but within the last year a little more seriously. Although I did have a 3rd place finish of about $7k+ in the PS $150, I haven't even come close to winning that much again in a MTT. My main focus recently has been on SNG's, playing mostly on PS. I think the articles here from Adam, Gidders, Sheets, and many others have helped me look at these SNG's in another way, so I have been playing the smaller ones $20 and $30 until I feel confortable moving up again with the new strategies I have learned. I haven't played many MTT's as of late, so that bigday isn't likely to come. I have learned that the great MTT players, play A LOT of MTT's, guys like BeLowAbove etc., (who I try to sweat as much as I can) are consistently making big scores because he's playing A LOT of them. I remember him playing in tons of $20-180 player tourneys on PS, and I'm sure that has helped him get to where he is today-#3 ranked player-WOOHOO! Anyway, sorry to ramble, but I think if you want those big scores, you have to put the work in, build your bankroll and just take a shot at some of the bigger MTT's. I truly love this game of poker, I'm constantly reading anything I can, watching, and obviously playing as much as I can, and although I haven't seen my bankroll rise as much as I would like, I have been humbled and know that all the hard work and dedication I put in, will eventually lead me to that big payday. Thank you all fellow P5'ers, I can honestly can say I have learned more from reading articles here, than I have the 20+ poker books I have read. Keep up the good work, and I wish the best of luck to all of you..........