After losing about $500 from January to May this year, I started over with a $400 starting bankroll. I started at the $5 STTs, and as my bankroll increased, moved up to the $10 and eventually the $25s,where I was very successful for a couple months. I gradually built up to $2400 or so over about 4 months when I decided to try the $55s which turned out to pretty tough. I broke even for the next month, and then decided to play MTTs almost exclusively. Fortunately I've had a good run, playing the $3 rebuy and $10 no rebuy on Stars, and have had two final tables with deals when we got down to 3 players. Now I feel like I can afford the $5 rebuy and the $20 no rebuy events.

Granted I was very lucky to reach both final tables, but I don't think I would have finished top three or even made the FT without all the SNGs I played earlier this year. I also think it was useful to play at one STT buyin level until I was certain they were profitable before moving up, at least a couple hundred tourneys. That was a real confidence builder. Winning an MTT makes you feel mostly like you got really lucky even if you played extremely well.

Holdemphile