This thread started as a question: what is the difference between good and excellent players. For what I have heard the differences are making good laydowns and good reads and picking your spots. Michael already mentioned this.

The reason I wanted to respond to this thread is that I am not proud how this conversation turned. Some of our oldest and most respected contributors started to pick each other with a way they shouldnt have. I like most of the people here dont want to take sides because they both seem to think so extreme. I personally dont think that succeeding is just a question of a bankroll, it is obvious that the games get tougher when the stakes get higher, I have unfortunately seen that myself. I am a consistant winner in nl100 and even in nl200 but I dont beat the game at nl400. But I also feel that you should take some chances, not playing with half your BR all the time but eventually you might want to play stakes over the normal BR standards if you really have confidence in your game or you have found a perticularly soft game. I really boosted my poker career only after playing 3-4 months when I managed to win over $6k in a MTT. The buy-in was a bit over my BR but I had got my first FT the day before and there was some overlay and I decided to give it a shot.

Eventually, we all decide to how to live our lives or how we deal with our poker career. Some take it safe, some like to live dangerously. I personally walk the middle path. I have noticed that it suits me best. We should all just learn from our mistakes and give ourselves a change to succeed and those of us that have the skill, guts, discipline, will to work hard and luck may eventually get there.