2009 Texas Hold 'Em Poker Goals

First and foremost: I am not a poker star. I have never read a poker book, never played in a tournament and hardly ever walked away from a poker table with more money than I started. In fact, I really understand only the most basic poker strategies, all of which I have pieced together religiously watching the World Poker Tour (WPT) and High Stakes Poker. But to be fair (to myself), I have never really tried. I think today is a good day to start.

However, because I do not want my learning experience to cost me a ton of money, I am going to make a few "rules" to follow before the first time I sit down at a table this year.

First, my initial seed money will be very modest - $40 for the first week. If I make a profit the first week, I will add that profit to the next week's seed. For example, if I make $10 profit the first week, my bank roll for week two will be $50. However, if I lose the $40 the first week, I will only have $40 to use the second week. And so on, and so on. Accordingly, if I never make a dime playing poker, my total loss for 2009 will be capped at $2,080. Unless things dramatically change, this will also represent my total seed money.

Second, I will only play Texas Hold 'Em cash games (i.e., no tournaments) until I reach a bank roll of at least $1,000.

Third, I will only play 1/2 no limit games (with a $40 minimum / $100 maximum buy-in) until I reach a bank roll of at least $400. After I reach $400, I will play either 1/2 no limit games or 2/5 no limit games (with a $100 buy-in). After I reach $1,000, I will add 5/10 no limit games (with a $100 buy-in) into the mix. Because I really only enjoy playing 5/10 no limit games, this will force me manage my bank roll - something I have never been able to do before.

Fourth, I will strictly limit myself to 1 hour per session until my bank roll is at least $250. After that, I will limit myself to 2 hours per session until my bank roll is at least $500, at which time I'll continue to play as long as the mood strikes me.

Next, I will not play any online games until I reach a bank roll of at least $5,000. Once I reach $5,000, I will use $2,500 to play online tournaments. This should give me some good tournament practice and leave me with some cash game money.

Finally, I want to be a player that is not afraid of walking away from the table with more money than I started. I cannot tell you how many times I have been up big, just to walk away at the end of the night wishing I would have quit a few hours earlier. So this is my 2009 cardinal cash game rule; my "prime directive" if you will. At any time my chip stack is at least double my buy-in, I will leave the table and cash in my chips. Now I know that many, many of you will think that is simply stupid. However, keep in mind that this rule only applies until I have bulked-up my bank roll to $1,000. After that, I will give myself the luxury of staying longer in an effort to win more. Obviously, a few bads hands could eliminate weeks of work but that, as they say, is poker.

Wish me luck!