When do I know if I'm ready to increase play levels?

[Bigwig]

First of all, it's my first post, and I'm glad to find this place. Talking to the guys who I play poker with regularly is maddening, since I kick their butts, and they don't help me improve.

Anyway, I used to play Single table tourneys on Golden Palace ($25) and did quite well. My guess is because they are Brits there and simply don't play hold em that much. But the site was too slow so I switched to PartyPoker. I stunk it up there because the blind levels go to fast, and it hurt my tight/aggressive style, since I was often pot commited and resigned to luck.

I found a home at PokerStars and went to the $30 tables, where I proceeded to get killed. So I switched to the $20 and have been winning ever since. I finally decided to keep tabs on my games -- here are my places in the last 30 tournaments:

1 = 7 times
2 = 5
3 = 2
4 = 8
5 = 3
6 = 1
7 = 3
8 = 0
9 = 1

I have two questions.

1) What do you think my winning frequency/criteria should be before I go back to $30?

2) What is the deal with all of my 4th place finishes? As you all know, better 9th than 4th.


Thanks for the help, and I hope I can offer some advice as well.

[stupidsucker]

I am no expert, but I dont think 30 tourneys is enough to draw any solid conclusions just yet. I recomend getting yourself a good 200plus tourneys in at the 20+2 level before you even try to analyze your play.

I have been keeping track of my own tourneys at the 10 dollar level.(on party) I have 59 games under my belt, and I think its enough to tell me I can be a winning player, but after my first 20 tourneys I was KILLING everyone. now I am earning about 3 bucks a tourney, normaly comming in 2nd place when U hit the money.

Its probably safe to say you are likely a winning player at that level, but I recomend getting more data.

[jedi]

This may or may not answer the question, but here's what I'm doing. I'm playing in the 2-table 5+.50 SnGs at Poker Stars. When I've made enough money for 30 buy ins at the 10+1 level, I'll move up. It's a slow process, but will help me gain experience at the lower levels before moving up.

Analyze your play. WHY are you finishing 4th? Is it because you're too tight when people start busting out and you're resigned to moving all in on the bubble? Or is it because you build a good chip lead and squander it away on misguided blind steals you can't get away from when played back at? (This would be me).

I enjoy the 2-table game more because there's a progression from full table to shorthanded table back to full table and to shorthanded table again if you last that long. Very good experience for me.

[Bigwig]

Thanks to both of you for responding.

So, let's assume I play 300 touneys (I have, but I haven't kept track that whole time). What return should I have before I go up a level? And how is this calculated? Do I use the money bet only? Or the money plus the vig? I assume that I should use the vig.