The Goal (First, So Everything Else Makes Sense)
Primary goal (first 90 days):
Become a solid, disciplined microstakes cash-game player at $0.05/$0.10 by:
- Reducing obvious leaks
- Improving decision quality (not heroics)
- Playing fewer hands, better
Secondary goal:
Build habits you’ll actually keep.
The Big Picture: 3 Pillars of Improvement
Every poker improvement plan works best when split into:
- Play
- Study
- Review & Reflection
We’ll balance all three.
1. PLAY (But Intentionally)
Volume Target (Realistic)
- 4–6 sessions per week
- 60–90 minutes per session
- Quit early if tired or tilted
This keeps you sharp without burning out.
Rules While Playing
- Play one stake only ($0.05/$0.10)
- Max 2 tables online
- No YouTube, no multitasking
Your edge at microstakes comes from attention, not fancy lines.
2. STUDY (Low Effort, High Return)
A. Core Study (3x per week, 30–45 min)
Rotate between:
1️⃣ Preflop Fundamentals
- Opening ranges by position
- 3-bet vs flat decisions
- Defending blinds (huge leak for most players)
Tools:
- Simple preflop charts
- YouTube (microstakes-focused content)
- Notes from books you already own
2️⃣ Postflop Basics (Gold at Microstakes)
Focus on:
- C-betting when it’s obviously good
- Checking when it’s not
- Value betting thinner
- Folding more to aggression
Key ideas:
- “What worse hands call me?”
- “What better hands fold?”
3️⃣ Population Tendencies
Especially important on Global Poker:
- Players under-bluff rivers
- Call too wide preflop
- Overvalue top pair
Exploit > Balance at these stakes.
B. Passive Study (Optional, Low Pressure)
- YouTube during downtime
- Watch one creator consistently
- Take 1–2 notes max, not pages
3. REVIEW (Where You Actually Improve)
This is the secret weapon.
After Every Session (5 minutes)
Write down:
- 1 hand you were unsure about
- 1 mistake you know you made
- 1 thing you did well
That’s it.
Weekly Review (30–45 minutes)
- Revisit saved hands
- Ask:
- Was this a value bet or a bluff?
- What worse hands call?
- What better hands fold?
Post 1–2 hands on your blog or just journal them.
Simple Weekly Schedule (Example)
Mon – Play + quick review
Tue – Study (preflop)
Wed – Play
Thu – Study (postflop)
Fri – Play
Sat – Weekly review + blog post
Sun – Off or light YouTube
Rules That Protect Your Bankroll & Sanity
- No moving up without 40 buy-ins
- No chasing losses
- No “one more orbit”
- Quit immediately if tilted
Discipline > intelligence.