It took me almost 6 months to finally realize that I do not have to beat each and every level at the moment but focus on what works! Ever since I had started to play on ACR Poker, I collected a lot of data that seems to be telling a pretty clear story: I can reliably beat 3.30 and 6.60 levels, even 11$ on demand is profitable, and my learning level ist 16.5.
The graph shows that I am still at more than 7% ROI at the 16.5$ on demand tables but I can definitely notice that higher competition compared to 3.30 – 6.60. After playing a couple more tables on 22 and 33$ levels, I can confidently say that this is out of my comfort zone at the moment – and this is perfectly fine!
I have read a couple of poker books in the past weeks which helped me a lot to control my ego and also play more the other players than the cards – and this gave me a clear edge. It really is about the many 1%ers that make a huge difference over time, very similar to triathlon and business – the two other big topics in my life.
For the rest of the year, I will focus on 6.60$ on demand, and completing my sets with 3.30, 11, and the occasional 16.5$ tables. According to Sharkscope, I am slightly negative right now but with the weekly Sit n Crush bonus, I am sitting on a comfortable bankroll of about 650$ – almost 100 buy-ins for the 6.60$ on demand tournaments.
Hence, I will try to keep my ABI at around 6 for now; I know too well how tempting it is to play higher stakes, so the ABI is around 9-10 but it is just not necessary right now! The data clearly shows that my core grind should be 3.30 – 6.60 – 11, and the occasional 16.5.
I have analyzed a ton of players in the meantime, and for many regulars the transition to 22, 33, or even 55 and 109$ on demand seems to be a struggle or a considerable jump in terms of edge and skill. For me, the earliest point to play more 22 and 33$ on demand tournaments, will be a bankroll of 1000-1500$.
But for now, I will do my best to stick to my comfort zone and continue learning, so I can eventually step up and play on higher levels. It is a process after all, and the most important thing is that I found a winning poker system without too many crazy swings. And if the past 6 months have taught me one thing, then it is the fact that I am a hobby player with ambitions who is winning as long as I play my A game at the right tables.
The data also shows that 11$ SAT tournaments are super -EV – despite the fact that I was able to win some tickets in the past weeks; also, the occasional shots at 109$ (with tickets or without) are just super unnecessary, since they will just eat up the bankroll. Overall, I am very grateful for this experience, and I can´t wait to look back in a couple of years to see, how the progression looked like – and who knows, maybe by then, I will have completed the 100 – 10000$ poker challenge.