[ilya]

I would say I'm on level 3 of a Mini-Step 3 with 8 left & a slightly-below-average stack.

Seriously though I recognize a bit of my level in most of the Steps. I am like a Step 1 passive newb in that I'm sometimes too ready to tell myself that I understand the advice of good players...while in reality I am sure I often don't really understand, or at least don't fully grasp the implications of the advice.

I certainly have a lot of Step 2 in me. One example of this is that I use the ICM without fully understanding the math behind what makes it valid, applicable, & useful. I also haven't done the math that would solidify in my mind, for example, exactly what the table conditions would have to be to limp KQo profitably in EMP at a full table.

I have a good amount of Step 3 in me, definitely. I think about opponents' likely ranges & routinely make EV calculations based on those ranges. I am indeed a winning player, although in the pantheon of winning players I rank pretty low.

I do think I also have a bit of Steps 4 and 5 in me as well. I think about how a bet or a check on the turn might influence whether my opponent calls or bets on the river. I try to take into account things like how big I want the pot to be on the river when deciding on a flop bet size. I do also think about meta issues like how the way I've been playing has shaped my image, and I try to adjust my lines & calling/raising standards based on such perceptions. However, my ability to understand and apply these kinds of thinking in real time is pretty limited at this point.