Ok, I was unsure about starting a blog here at first so bare with me guys. I was going to start one on 2p2 but after lurking their forums for so long I just can't bring myself to get heavily involved in that 100k hand breakeven style of play they seem to advocate over there. So it looks like y'all are going to have to put up with me here. Anyway, here's what I've come up with. I'll try to keep things as organized as possible.


THE TRUTH HURTS

I've come to the realization that I'm just not that good at poker. To make a long story short, I play a very inconsistent and undisciplined game. Furthermore, I never fully understood or came close to obtaining the skills required to be a successful NL cash game player. I need to retrain my poker mindset while starting over at 2NL. The long term goal here is to simply become a better player. Focus on the little things to make that happen and everything else will hopefully take care of itself.


THE 5 COMMANDMENTS OF THIS OPERATION

1) Always put opponents on a range and never auto-pilot; practice patience and discipline.
2) Think about the why and the consequences of each possible action before making a decision.
3) Focus on short term goals rather than short term results; poker is a marathon, not a sprint.
4) Put in the volume required for continuous progress; hands aren't going to play themselves.
5) Realize that mistakes will be made; learn from it and move on but hold myself accountable.


BANKROLL MANAGEMENT RULES

The following BRM rules must be followed. No excuses. Rakeback and donkaments will be included in total bankroll but I must win the required amount of buyins at each level before moving up. The chart only goes to 25NL. Once I am settled in that level I will make a new chart for small stakes.

--- Starting Bankroll $200 ---

2NL - 25 buyins ($50)
5NL - 30 buyins ($150)
10NL - 35 buyins ($350)
25NL - 40 buyins ($1000)


RULES FOR GAME SELECTION

I've always been a full ring player but now is a perfect time as any to start learning how to play shorthanded and heads-up cash games. But until I can adapt to the wider ranges, increased aggression and bigger swings, the rules for playing shorthanded are simple. First, I must play at least one level lower than my normal stake. Second, I cannot mix game types or stakes during the same session. Both of these rules can be adjustable down the road but for the foreseeable future they cannot be broken. This means I cannot start playing shorthanded games until I beat 2NL. Once I've played enough hands though, I'll decide what I'm best at and mostly stick to one game type.


RULES FOR UPDATING ITT

This thread will be used to track my progress through micro-stakes NL cash games. To help stay on track, I need to make sure I'm updating this thread with some of the following items. Again, it's all about holding myself accountable here.

1) Bankroll is not as important as EV. Cash graphs and stat updates will only be posted in blocks of at least 5k hands with bankroll updates at the end of each month.
2) Short term goals must be set at the beginning of each month and reviewed at the end of the month. If I failed to achieve a goal, explain why and decide whether or not to roll it over in to the next month.
3) Hand histories. Spew and brags can be posted but not bad beats and coolers because it doesn't matter and no one gives a shit. Questionable hands will be posted and discussed in the proper forum.
4) Beating each level is a big deal as is moving up. Thoughts on what it took to beat each level will be posted as well as adjustments I feel I need to be aware of for the next one. Document the journey.
5) Random updates must be made with a positive tone. Identify leaks and come up with solutions. Be honest with myself, respect better player's opinions, stay the course and know that I'm in this for the long haul.


Note to self: come back and re-read this OP anytime I'm feeling tilted or when progress seems slow. It's going to take a lot of hard work so buckle up and be a man about it. FFS this is poker, not field hockey.