[QuadDamage]

These are some of the deficiencies I had when starting out that I have corrected, maybe you'll see something worth thinking about. I have about as much experience as you, playing mostly the same $5 STT game, but on PS. I'd characterize myself as a breakeven player (after rake), a bit to the positive side at the moment.

- You probably aren't playing as tight as you think you are early in the sng. I used to think hands like KT, KJ, AT, AJ were good and would play them from any position, call preflop raises with them etc. Don't play these too frequently in the first 3 levels or so when the blinds are low and the table is full.

- Be careful about completing from the small blind if you have complete trash. Some players play every small blind in an unraised pot. It may seem like you are getting good odds to play but if your post-flop skills aren't well developed you could end up wasting a lot of chips on something you should have just folded in the first place.

- Do not try to get too fancy/aggressive against a calling station moron. If you see a guy is just flatting it every time you try to steal his blind, strongly reconsider what your move is when you are holding something marginal, and make a note on him. Also make a note on players who will not fold to a bluff/cbet and adjust accordingly.

- If a guy is on an obvious flush draw and he calls with bad odds, don't pay him off when he hits and bets big on the river. I used to do this out of pure frustration/tilt. There's no point in rewarding someone else for playing poorly.