Stuck in the Micro – Help Me Break Through!

Hey everyone,

My name is George, I’m 32 years old, and I’m from Romania. I’ve been grinding micro-stakes tournaments for a while now, mostly on GGPoker and PokerStars, but honestly, I feel stuck. No matter how much time I put into studying or playing, I can't seem to beat the micros consistently. I’ve read books, watched streams, but it feels like something is missing in my approach, and I’m hoping to get some insights from you all to help me take the next step in my journey.

A Bit About My Poker Journey:

I’ve always loved poker, but I only started taking it seriously. What started out as fun home games with friends became an obsession, and I began playing online more regularly. For the past year or so, I’ve been focused on micro-stakes tournaments, playing mostly from $1.10 to $5.50 buy-ins, grinding MTTs whenever I have free time.
Despite putting in the hours, I’m hovering around break-even, or even loosing, and it feels frustrating. I know I’m doing some things right, but I’m also sure there are leaks in my game that I’m not seeing.

Current Struggles (here’s where I’m at right now and what’s been bothering me the most:

Handling variance: I understand variance is a big part of MTTs, but it’s really getting to me mentally. I’ll have a deep run or a couple of cashes, but then hit a cold streak that lasts forever. How do you stay positive during long downswings?

Late-stage play: Early and mid-stages are where I feel most comfortable, but when the field thins out, especially around the bubble, I seem to lose confidence. I’ll either tighten up too much or make bad shoves in spots I’m not sure about.

Aggression and bankroll management: I know aggression is important, but I feel like I’m either too passive or I’m shoving too much, especially in spots where I should just be applying pressure with smaller bets. Plus, bankroll management feels tricky when I’m constantly breaking even or going through long stretches without a win.

Defending against aggression: When players start 3-betting me or playing hyper-aggressive, I get a bit lost. Should I be tightening up and waiting for big hands, or should I be fighting back more often?

What I’m Doing to Improve
I don’t want to be one of those players who just blames bad luck without putting in the work. Here’s what I’ve been trying so far to break through this plateau:

Reviewing Hand Histories: After each session, I’m reviewing key hands, but I think I might be biased in how I analyze them. I could use some help spotting mistakes that I might not even realize I’m making.

Watching Streams: I watch streamers like Spraggy and Lex Veldhuis to see how they play, but replicating that kind of play has been tougher than expected, especially at the micros where player types are so different.

Adjusting to Different Player Types: One of the hardest things I find at the micros is adjusting to a range of players. One minute, I'm up against someone who’s super tight, and the next, I'm facing a maniac who’s shoving every hand. I feel like I haven’t found the right balance in responding to these situations.

Looking for Advice from the Community
That’s why I’m here—because I know that I can’t do this alone. I’m hoping that by starting this blog, I can document my journey while learning from all of you who’ve been through this grind and made it out. I want to share hands, strategies, and ideas, but more importantly, I want to get feedback on how to fix my leaks and improve my mindset.

If anyone has advice on how they moved up from the micros, or if you’ve gone through a similar grind, I’d love to hear from you. Especially when it comes to:

Handling deep runs and not blowing it near the bubble or final table
Knowing when to fight back vs. aggressive opponents without spewing chips
How to develop more confidence in late-stage play
Any study methods that helped you the most at the micro stakes

What I Hope to Achieve
Ultimately, my goal is to move up in stakes, improve my game, and maybe one day make poker a decent side income. I know it’s not going to happen overnight, but I’m committed to putting in the work, and I’d love for this blog to be a place where I can get real feedback from the community.

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to read and reply! Let’s discuss, critique, and hopefully help each other improve.