SNG Bankroll

[samsonite2100]

Hello everyone. First, just wanted to say I recently found the site and love it. It's nice to browse a poker forum populated by intelligent people--not the usual superstitious semi-literates found elsewhere. On to the question...

I've been playing the 5 dollar SNGs at Bodog for a while and have done pretty well. I've decided to get (kind of) serious about it and try to work my way up the ladder. Currently, I've turned at $20 initial buyin into 130, with the thinking that when I get to $165, I can switch to the ten dollar SNGs--165 being fifteen $10 buyins. Does this sound right?

Also, if anyone here has any advice about how styles of play differ at different dollar levels, I'm all ears. From my experience so far, there's not too much difference between 5 and 10, but is there a point where the skill level really goes up?

If you're playing one table at a time, I like 30 buyins for each level ($300 for the $10 SnGs, for example).

If you're multitabling, I like to have 20 buyins per table (eg $600 for $10 SnGs if you play three tables at a time).

You won't find much (if any) difference between $5 and $10 SnGs, it won't even differ as you go to $20 SnGs. $30 SnGs and upwards is when you generally start to find overall better players.

Sorry, I missed the complimentary welcome message.

Welcome to FTR, samsonite2100!

[vqc]

ur gonna want a lot more than 15 buyins before moving up.
Something more like 20 -25, even 30.

U can ALWAYS move up whevner up u want and then move back down when ur back down to 25 buyins of the lower level.

For what its worth 20-25 isnt even enough for me. I have like 60 for the 22s and Im not even comfortable with that.

[donkbee]

take my advice dude, don't move up with less than 30.

welcome to ftr!

[JeffreyGB]

First off, I agree with the other posts.

Given that it's completely different from what you've planned, however, I wouldn't be surprised if you don't. Even if you're playing well, you can and will hit downswings, and they can easily stretch the limits of a 15 buyin BR. I'm down about $700 this month at $55 SnGs, which I'm attributing mostly to variance (in September, I had a 150% ROI in them, after all). Anyway, my point is that 15 buyins is nowhere near enough. I'd be about broke if that's all I had.

If you want to take shots at the $10 SnGs, I have a suggestion: allow yourself to play one for each time you place first twice in a row at the $5 level. That way, you're more than covered for the entry fee to the $10, and you may be able to take down some bigger money. If you don't money the $10, move back to the $5 level until after placing first twice again.

[samsonite2100]

Given that it's completely different from what you've planned, however, I wouldn't be surprised if you don't.

No, that's why I'm asking. And it seems the consensus here is 30 entries. I'm not in a huge rush to move up--still learning...

If you want to take shots at the $10 SnGs, I have a suggestion: allow yourself to play one for each time you place first twice in a row at the $5 level.

That's good advice--I'll try that, thanks.

[konahead]

I personally feel like the bankroll concensus here is very conservative, but that's probably best for a beginning player...

That said, I play the 10s - both SNGs and MTTs, and fund my MTTs with SNG winnings... so I rarely have more than 20 buy-ins cuz after I hit a FT on an MTT, I pull everything but $220. I'd say you could start playing the $10s ($11s really) once you have 20 buy-ins ($220) because one win pays out 4.5 buy-ins. If you play 3 and don't money, move back to the $5s cuz you'll still have 30 $5 buyins....

I only suggest this because the rake on the $5s sucks (assuming you're paying $1 like at prtypoker) and the competition is barely better. You should move to the $10s as soon as you can, and if you struggle, move back down for a while.

I also like Jeffrey's suggestion a lot - and if thats still too conservative for you, modify it - and play 1 $10 sng every time you get 1st in a $5 - that would at least keep your bankroll on an even keel....

[samsonite2100]

Okay, just wanted to say thanks to everyone for their replies. Very helpful.