My journey back to poker

good luck mate.

i play freerolls as well atm but probably deposit $75 a week and 2 table 0.50 and $1 mtts to start with.
best of luck mate.

Good luck. had some mental issues regarding poker a while back, took a holiday, came back, and withdrew from my accounts - starting from zero. In just over 4 weeks I'm up to $170

Easiest sites to grind freerolls and promos in order (IMO)

888
Party
Netbet (ipoker skin)
GG
ACR
Stars and unibet

Thank you all for your responses and input.
For the time being, I will be playing exclusively on CoinPoker, as German regulations have significantly limited access to many sites. Moreover, the platforms that are whitelisted are not permitted to offer promotions to German players.

Best of luck to all of you as well!

Summary – Week #1

Bankroll & Results
The weekend went well overall, with Sunday’s grind being particularly profitable. I managed to qualify for 11 Step 2 satellites and played four small tournaments with buy-ins ranging from $1 to $5, cashing in one of them.

• Current bankroll: $10.33
  
  
• Next goal: Continue with freerolls and satellites up to $0.20 until reaching a $50 bankroll.
  
  
• At $50: Plan to start mixing in $0.50 tournaments.
  

Mental Game
I maintained solid composure throughout the week. There was no urge to move up in stakes prematurely or to make a deposit. I also focused on enhancing my concentration and making better use of breaks. Overall, I’m very pleased with my mental discipline this week.

Game
At these lower buy-in levels, I believe I’m well ahead of the field in terms of skill. My overall play felt strong. I did have to make some adjustments—particularly against 50BB open shoves and calling stations—but I feel confident in my game and decision-making.

Summary – Week #2

Bankroll & Results
Another very good week that I’m quite happy with. I played for 5 days, putting in 32 hours of grinding, and finished with a profit of +$35.09. I primarily stuck to freerolls and satellites up to $0.50.

Highlights:

• Won $0.50 PLO for $8.42
  
• Won $0.50 Sat for $5 Sunday Mini Main Event and finished 17th out of 435 runners for $17.42
  
• Finished 33rd in $5 Saturday 6Max for $12.21
  

Spoiler

Show

Current bankroll: $45.42
Next goal: Continue playing freerolls and satellites up to $0.50 until reaching a $50 bankroll.
At $50: Plan to start mixing in $0.50 tournaments.

Mental Game
Overall solid throughout the week, though my focus slipped at times—mainly due to distractions like streams, videos, or checking my phone. I need to improve on this. I also had one misstep when I (tilt-)registered for a $5 tournament. I did cash it, but it was still a poor decision.

Game
My gameplay felt solid all week. However, I noticed I need to reduce bluffing at these stakes. That will be one of this week’s main areas of focus.

Summary – Week #3

Bankroll & Results
I'll be honest—this past week almost made me quit writing this blog. I thought about skipping the update or leaving out the rough parts. But that’s exactly the kind of avoidance that’s held me back in the past. This blog is about growth, accountability, and learning from every step—good and bad. So here’s the real story:

Monday started with a rough session where nothing clicked. That happens, it's part of the grind. But instead of accepting the variance, I tilted—hard. I fired off most of my bankroll in high buy-ins and PLO cash games. By Tuesday, I was staring at a grand total of $0.05 in my account.

But I didn’t give up.

I fought my way back. Starting from a single cent, I grinded through the week and managed to spin it up. On Thursday, I turned that $0.01 into a seat in the $10 Brawl PKO, and I cashed for $54.49—a new high point for the bankroll!

The rest of the week I played more disciplined. But Sunday tempted me again—I took a shot in the CoinPoker CSOP Main Event, then slipped into late regging a few $5 and $10 tournaments. I did manage to cash a bit, and I’m closing out the week with a bankroll of $25.71.

Highlights:

• Turned $0.01 into a seat in the $10 Brawl PKO and cashed for $54.49
  
• Came super close to qualifying for the $200 Sunday Special—busted in 33rd place with 31 seats awarded from a $25 step ticket
  

Current bankroll: $25.71
Next goal:

• Stay disciplined—no more spontaneous high buy-ins
  
• Stick to freerolls and satellites up to $0.50 until I reach $50
  
• Once I hit $50, start mixing in $0.50 tournaments to build up steadily
  

Mental Game
Honestly? Not great. I struggled with discipline and focus. That old itch for a big score came back hard, and I let it get the better of me a few times. I wasn’t fully present at the tables and it showed. This is the area I most need to improve—learning to handle the emotional swings and keeping a clear head even when things don’t go my way.

Game
There were glimpses of solid play throughout the week, especially during the grind back up. But the tilt sessions really set me back—some big punts and bad decisions in the heat of the moment. I know my A-game, and I wasn’t playing it consistently.

Final Thoughts
This week was a reminder of how fragile a bankroll can be—but also how quickly it can bounce back with some grit, patience, and a little bit of luck. My mission now is clear: build structure, build control, and take this one step at a time.

Let’s crush Week #4 💪

I think it's great you being honest with yourself on what areas need work. Definitely better to get those issues dealt with now, before moving up in stakes and it really biting you in the ass.

This week was a rollercoaster—again.

Even though I stuck to buy-ins of $0.50 and below, I still struggled to maintain control. While that may sound like progress, it's clear that even these stakes are a bit too high given the aggressive bankroll management strategy I’m using early on in this challenge. Combine that with a mix of bad variance and subpar play, and the result wasn’t pretty.

🎯 The Highlights
Sunday was both exciting and humbling. I fought my way into $5, $10, and even a $50 tournament—quite the feat considering the bankroll I'm working with. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to cash in any of them. Still, this showed me that the strategy is directionally sound. The opportunities will come. What I need now is patience—a trait I'm still learning to cultivate.

💰 Current Bankroll: $4.56

🛠️ Next Steps
Discipline first: No more last-minute, high-stakes entries. That’s non-negotiable.

Stay within limits: Freerolls and satellites only, capped at $0.50 buy-ins.

Milestone mindset: Once I hit $50, I’ll gradually introduce $0.50 tournaments to keep building.

🧠 Mental Game Check-In
This is still the weakest link in my game. I catch myself thinking things like "I just need to win this one to move up" or "If I could only hit this score, I’d be set." Those thoughts are dangerous. They push me toward irrational decisions. It’s something I’ll be working on consistently.

♠️ Game Performance
On a technical level, my game wasn’t bad. I ran into some rough spots at key moments, but overall, I feel okay with how I played. There’s always room to improve, but the foundation is solid.

🌴 Final Thoughts
I’ve got nearly a week off as I head into a short vacation—perfect timing to reset. I’ll use the break to regroup, refocus, and come back ready to play smarter. This journey isn’t about perfection; it’s about persistence. And even if I have to start over for the 20th time—I won’t give up.

Let’s keep grinding. 💪

This week was a rollercoaster—again, but in a very different way.

Even though I only played one session, the week still had its ups and downs. The real highlight? I actually managed to enjoy my vacation and step away from the tables. That pause alone was a win—getting time off to reset mentally is something I’ve come to value more and more.

🎯 The Highlights

I stuck to the plan and limited myself to freerolls and satellites with buy-ins capped at $0.50. That discipline paid off in one sense—I didn’t chase or play recklessly. But the variance didn’t go my way, and my bankroll slipped down to $0.09. I haven’t had the time to grind it back up yet, but I’m not sweating it. The strategy is still sound. It’s just a matter of getting volume in when I can.

💰 Current Bankroll: $0.09

🛠️ Next Steps

Discipline first: No more last-minute, high-stakes entries. That’s non-negotiable.

Stay within limits: Freerolls and satellites only, capped at $0.50 buy-ins.

Milestone mindset: Once I hit $50, I’ll gradually introduce $0.50 tournaments to keep building.

🌴 Final Thoughts

Getting a break this week helped shift my mindset. It reminded me that the grind will always be there, but maintaining balance is key. Sure, the bankroll is nearly gone—but I’ve been here before. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about persistence. And I’m still all-in on the long game.

Let’s keep grinding. 💪

This week was much better—consistent and reasonable across the board.

I managed to grind the freerolls and earned seats into some bigger tournaments. That effort paid off: my CoinPoker bankroll is now at $3.18. I also added PhenomPoker as a second client, tested the freerolls, and already built up a $4.45 bankroll there. They offer mixed games—something I used to play a lot and still really enjoy. I plan to put in high volume there moving forward.

🎯 Key Highlights
New platforms: Started playing on PhenomPoker alongside CoinPoker.

Tourney achievements:

• Qualified for the $25 Sunday Special and $10 PKO from just $0.01 entries.
  
  
• Finished 7th in a TORSE mixed-game freeroll on PhenomPoker.
  

💰 Bankroll Overview
Total Bankroll: $7.63

A strong recovery from last week’s low, and a solid foundation to build on.

🛠️ Next Steps
Discipline first: No last-minute high-stakes entries—non-negotiable.

Stay within limits: Stick to freerolls and $0.50 max buy-ins.

Milestone mindset: Once I reach $50, I’ll slowly incorporate $0.50 tourneys with more freedom.

🌴 Final Thoughts
I’m putting in good work and staying the course. There will be setbacks along the way, but I’m not giving up. The commitment is real—and I’m all-in.

The climb continues.

Let’s keep grinding. 💪