The SNG market: was May a tough month?

[eastbay]

Just curious if anyone else found May to be an above or below average earning month for them.

I had a very difficult month compared to the last 3 or 4. I am wondering if one of the factors may be a (probably temporary) ebb in fresh "TV poker" blood, possibly related to all of the repeats of the WPT.

If there's any truth to it, hopefully the WSOP coverage will soften up the market again.

eastbay

[Copenhaver]

Interesting that you said that. May for me was one of the worst months for me, ever. I don't know what it was, either. And now that June is here, I've been back to my expected winning form. Very strange, indeed.

I don't know if it has anything to do with the TV poker crowd hitting the tables as much as it does that maybe you've been playing too much.

I think that was the case for me. I found that I couldn't really get interested in playing during May. I would often pull up the internet, do some surfing, shopping, bill paying, emailing, etc, while a tournament was going, and that just isn't the method that's helped me win money.

So I took a few days off, and came back a few days ago and feel refreshed and ready to take it seriously again.

[NajdorfDefense]

I just started playing these tourneys after a few years of limit ring games, and I find them to be pretty easy. I doubt they've gotten much harder. Just simple statistical anomaly in your finishes, most likely.

best,

Naj /images/graemlins/heart.gif

[Ian J]

May was fine. June sure does suck though. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[eastbay]

Possibly, but I play about 300 a month, so "random anomolies" start becoming increasingly unlikely over a full month.

More likely it has to do with my play, or a change in the market. That's why I'm posting to get an idea about perceptions of the market.

eastbay

[Copenhaver]

I don't know the playing habits of a lot of online players, but I play every day and haven't gotten anywhere near 100 tournies a month, let alone 300. So maybe you do need a little break from the action for a while.

I found that when I do, I take some time off, maybe grab a strategy book and get back in touch with winning strategies, especially if I feel I have changed something in my game that is indetectable.

It's like golf. Sometimes, your swing feels fine and looks fine, but you end up slicing the hell out of it and don't know why. Then you take a break from it, come back, and by then you've forgetten your mistakes, so to speak.

[woodguy]

Eastbay,
Where are you playing?
I've noticed Party's $20's & $50's getting a little tougher (they certainly couldn't get easier), but I've been seeing Paradise get easier. PokerStars is about the same.
I sure its just natural variance, but that's the trend I've noticed.
I think more good players are playing at party to eat the fish that usually congregate there. (I experimented at Party's $10+1. I joined 20 tourneys and just posted and folded all the way, and I ended up ITM 16 times!!)
Regards,
woodguy

[esbesb]

Funny. I was on fire for the month of April, but the second half of May was atrocious. I doubt my bad May is related to your bad May, but I tried something that has helped me turn things around so far in June.

I know this sounds silly, but I vowed to concentrate more on the game and on each hand. When I go through the motions I don't make the money. When I think hard before each action, I tend to do a lot better. I have a tendency to get into auto-pilot when I play every day.

[eastbay]

[ QUOTE ]
Eastbay,
Where are you playing?
I've noticed Party's $20's & $50's getting a little tougher (they certainly couldn't get easier), but I've been seeing Paradise get easier. PokerStars is about the same.


[/ QUOTE ]

Good question. I play party $55 and $109.

eastbay

[Beavis68]

My buddy plays party 100 and 200s, I have been tracking his progress, his profitability at the 200s was always marginal, but it just CRASHED the last few weeks. I was trying to get him to stick to the 100s, but he won't do it.

[woodguy]

Eastbay,
Yeah, I've noticed party's $50 get tougher.
With all the threads on here about Party being fishy, It's probably getting tougher due to all the 2+2ers going there cash in /images/graemlins/grin.gif
Give Paradise a try, I have found it remarkably easier than before. You have to wait a little longer to get a game together (often only 5000 playing), but it can be worth it.
I will often have a game going a Paradise and one at Party at the same time. In the past the Paradise game took up to 50% longer to complete, but lately the Party games are longer.
Regards,
woodguy

[eastbay]

[ QUOTE ]
Funny. I was on fire for the month of April, but the second half of May was atrocious. I doubt my bad May is related to your bad May, but I tried something that has helped me turn things around so far in June.

I know this sounds silly, but I vowed to concentrate more on the game and on each hand. When I go through the motions I don't make the money. When I think hard before each action, I tend to do a lot better. I have a tendency to get into auto-pilot when I play every day.

[/ QUOTE ]

My concentration is something I'm sure I could improve. I tend not to pay much attention at all until it's down to 5 or 6.

eastbay

[NotMitch]

I play between 50-100 SNGs a month and May was my worst month in a long time. Thankfully I had a great month playing live.

[codewarrior]

I play between 200 and 300 SnG's a month. I had a partcularly fat May, and June is starting off quite nicely. Overall, this has been a good year so far. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[Prickly Pete]

The first half of May was horrific for me, but the rest of the month helped make it pretty decent. I don't attribute the bad run to a tightening, but due to an incredible strings of bad cards/timing etc. I had the most 4ths this side of Daliman. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

This is at the Party $200s btw.

[Prickly Pete]

Beavis, in order to help your friend out, we'll need his Party username.

[eastbay]

[ QUOTE ]
I play between 200 and 300 SnG's a month. I had a partcularly fat May, and June is starting off quite nicely. Overall, this has been a good year so far. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

What games where?

eastbay

[ZeeJustin]

May was absolutely attrocious for me, and not just in SNG's. Easily the worst run of my poker career.

[codewarrior]

Stars, 20's - 100's 1-table and 20's - 30's 2-tables.

UB 20's & 30's, I keep minimum funds there.