Question: What defines a "real" MTT? Over 100 enterted? Over 1000 entered? Just wondering.
Here's my 2 cents and results.
Get hungary. Do not accept losing any $$$ a month. I started out just over a year ago with a $100 buy-in that I REALLY couldn't afford, and especially couldn't afford to lose. I read HOH 1 & 2. I played $5 SNGs on Party for about 2 months, got up to $400 and started playing the $5, 10, and 20 MTTs.
I've made many final tables, and finished 1st a few times. My best payout was $4400 I made in the Party 500k via a $10 satelitte for my $215 buy-in. I finished 14th out of 3000+.
Last weekend I finished 1st and 3rd in the Stars $20 180 MTT, and 1st in a Party $10 with 150 entered. Definitely my best weekend so far.
I gotta say I really love the Party $5 speed MTT, I've finished 1st outta 600 there. The speed MTT has helped me with my aggression. Play it and you'll see why.
I just started doing daily balance logs. I'm up over 4k in the last 2.5 months. My biggest loss days were slightly over $100, with usually 1 or 2 a week. Doing the log has helped me loads in holding onto the $ I win. I instantly noticed a trend of big losing days following my big win days.
If I had to guess, I'd say I'm up 10k in a year....and I've probably spent $400 on books in that time. Oh yeah, reading 'em helps.
All boasting aside, my results may not be typical. I'm single and 33, with a day job, and plenty of free time. My home is distraction free. I try to never drink while playing, although I probably smoke more than Bob Marley. I'd say I spend 3 out of 4 weekends playing 12 hours each Saturday and Sunday, and probably play 4 hours each night on most weeknights. I take breaks for walks, and to step back from bad beats. I stay off the phone while playing. In other words, I'm a poker obessed hermit burner. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
I just started Poker Tracker, and I can't say its helps my tourney game, but its a neat tool.
Recommendations:
1-Play the Stars small MTTs with 45 max.
This will help with all stages of play, you'll get to the money and the FT more, and this expierence is what you need for future success. I recommend buy-ins for $10 or more. The expierence gained at lower level buy-ins isn't worth much against players with 1/2 a clue. Not that I'm saying all players at this level are clueless.
2-Play more SNGs.
For your skill and your bankroll. If you can't make $ playing these, you are not ready for the MTTS.
3-Play only 1 MTT at a time.
This is crucial for learning the stages of the tourney, and how to read other players.
4-Play some Head-to-Head.
I recommend the Stars $5 (4)person. This totally helped my confidence and skills, and when I find myself at a final table with 5 people or less, I feel comfortable. That's been crucial.
5-Buy the books. Read the books.
Here's a link with good and brief MTT advice, stage by stage.
http://www.bet-the-pot.com/multi-tab...ts-page63.html
It helped me focus on stepping up the ladder, where earlier I had been guiltity of playing for 1st only. I found actually focusing on one rung of the ladder at a time really helped me. In a $20 MTT-180 at Stars, I was 19 of 19 ih chips with 19 left. 18 make the $. Well, I was the low man on the totem pole all the way to 3rd, made $400, but 2 months ago I woulda flamed out a lot earlier trying to becoome chip leader with 10 left.
Alright, there's my rambling 4th of July advice.
Good luck Coldwolf.