Progressing to higher stakes and Winning Tourns- Table image

Hi, i am new to the forum. Ive enjoyed reading lots of the posts

I have been playing poker for about a year and a half, ever since i turned 18!

Starting with $20 i have built my bankroll to $7k, with most of it coming with a steady increase multitabling playing .5/1 6MAX playing a TAG style, I have tried many times to progress to $1/2 but mostly fail and drop back down to my safe winnings at .5/1

I play quite a few live tournaments mainly 30-100 entrants, i usually do well and get to alot of final tables but usually with a shortstack and rarely win.

I am ambitious and im not enjoying the approach of poker almost being work and getting a steady increase - i want to keep progressing to higher levels and challenges.

Anyway back to the point and subject of the post, after much thinking why i cant progess to higher levels and start winning i seem pretty certain its because i am too tight. However the problem is i base alot of my play is based on my tight image and when i find a good spot i put in some good bluffs but my bluffs arent a great addition to my bankroll because im so picky with my spots - i must be in position and the players must looks weak.

Im confident of bluffing in the right spots and using position effectively but only with my tight image. The thing that stops me trying a more adventurous loose LAGy style of play is i think....IF IM PLAYING LOTS OF HANDS AND ALWAYS RAISING IN POSITION THEY WONT BELIEVE ME - do i really need to get this thought out of my head or am i right?

Is it really a case of:

Tight image = can make great bluffs
Loose image= can get massively paid off when hit big hands

OR is there some in between which everyone is striving for - to make great bluffs and get paid off big. To take an extreme example someone like Daniel Negreanu.

It seems as thought im not going to be able to progress unless i become a LAG, are any of you successful high stakes TAG players?

I expect ill get a lot of replies saying its all about changing gears but surely once someones catched you making a bluff or abusing position your stuck with the loose image or the opposite being when your tight you keep showing down monsters then next time you pick up a monster you wont get paid off.

This topic also coincides with showing hands, i tend to show good hands when i want a tight image, and if i wanted a loose image i would show bluffs. But i guess its mainly the amount of hands you paly which dictates this.

WOAH i definetly have rambled on here a bit, prob too many questions.
I would appreciate responces to any of them.

Hmmm maybe i am overthinking and overvaluing table image.

ist off, stop showing hands. when you show hands you tell everyone exactly how you play them. make people pay to see your good cards.

2 yes changing gears. you get caught in a bluff or 2, tighten up, and when your monster hits you will get paid.

people think you are too tight, loosen up.

seams lkike you already know what to do.

Originally Posted by bcitypoker

I am ambitious and im not enjoying the approach of poker almost being work and getting a steady increase - i want to keep progressing to higher levels and challenges.

This might have come out wrong, but playing a disciplined winning game is hard work and will be a grind at higher levels as well.