Bankroll Challenge: The Grind to High Stakes PLO

Hello lads,

Yes, yet another European guy here documenting a bankroll challenge and blogging his way to high stakes. You're probably tired of seeing this kind of thing by now – but I reckon it's pretty cool, haha.

I'm relatively new to PLO (Pot-Limit Omaha) – been studying it for around 6 to 8 months. I’d been playing poker professionally for about four years before that, starting from scratch. Eventually, I made the switch to PLO. I’ve got a bit of money saved up to take a shot, but in a worst-case scenario, I’d probably have to move back in with my parents, lol. It is what it is.

At the moment, I’m playing PLO100 after a few months of putting in a solid amount of study hours each week. I’ve joined a good coaching programme and I’m about to start working with a coach.

My goals are quite straightforward:

Improve my game and also my daily habits/lifestyle. (I’d say I’m a fairly stable, sensible guy – doing alright in that area – but it’s always good to stay on track.)

Build up my bankroll so I can afford to move up in stakes.

Reach high stakes.

Go on a big trip playing live poker around the world. (I’ve already been to a few places like Vegas and such.)

Become a better person in all aspects of life.

More specific goals I’d like to achieve:

Make $100,000 playing PLO. I haven’t set a strict deadline for this, but I’m aiming to put in the work to make it happen within 1 to 1.5 years. Again, it’s a personal goal – if I don’t hit it for whatever reason, I won’t be disappointed as long as I truly put in the effort.

Reach the high stakes. For me, high stakes starts at PLO2k. No set timeline here either – I’ll just keep grinding and working hard to get there.
How will I achieve the goals I've set?

Reaching these goals won’t happen by accident – I’ve got a clear plan and mindset in place:

Consistent study and review – I’ll keep studying the game regularly, reviewing hands, using solvers, and staying up to date with modern PLO theory. I’m committed to treating this like a proper profession, not a hobby.

Working with a coach and community – I’ve already joined a strong poker school and will be working with a coach soon. Surrounding myself with other serious players is key to accelerating progress and avoiding common mistakes.

Maintaining discipline and bankroll management – No shots outside of the plan, no ego moves. I’ll respect proper bankroll management for every stake I play, even if it slows things down a bit.

Healthy lifestyle and routine – I truly believe performance at the tables is linked to how you live off the tables. I’ll focus on decent sleep, regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and a stable routine.

Embracing the variance – It’s PLO, so swings are part of the deal. I’ll remind myself not to tilt or panic during downswings, and to stay grounded during heaters. The long term is what matters.

Documenting progress – Writing things down like this helps keep me accountable. I’ll continue to track my results, reflect on my sessions, and share honest updates along the way.
[*]How will I achieve the goals I've set?

Reaching these goals won’t happen by accident – I’ve got a clear plan and mindset in place:

Consistent study and review – I’ll keep studying the game regularly, reviewing hands, using solvers, and staying up to date with modern PLO theory. I’m committed to treating this like a proper profession, not a hobby.

Working with a coach and community – I’ve already joined a strong poker school and will be working with a coach soon. Surrounding myself with other serious players is key to accelerating progress and avoiding common mistakes.

Maintaining discipline and bankroll management – No shots outside of the plan, no ego moves. I’ll respect proper bankroll management for every stake I play, even if it slows things down a bit.

Healthy lifestyle and routine – I truly believe performance at the tables is linked to how you live off the tables. I’ll focus on decent sleep, regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and a stable routine.

Embracing the variance – It’s PLO, so swings are part of the deal. I’ll remind myself not to tilt or panic during downswings, and to stay grounded during heaters. The long term is what matters.

Documenting progress – Writing things down like this helps keep me accountable. I’ll continue to track my results, reflect on my sessions, and share honest updates along the way.

A quick breakdown of the volume and goals

Doing some quick maths off the top of my head: to make $100,000, I’d need to play roughly 1 million hands at PLO100 with a win rate of 10 bb/100 – or even less if you factor in rakeback.

Of course, if I manage to move up in stakes as my skill improves, both the number of hands and required win rate could be significantly reduced. That said, I’ll always prioritise quality over quantity. Still, I do plan to put in a decent amount of volume.

Ideally, I’d like to grind around 2,500 hands per day, for a minimum of 25 days a month. Alongside this, I’ll be dedicating time to study, coaching sessions, working with tools like PLO Trainer, and reviewing hands. On top of that, I’ll also make time for regular exercise and maintaining some level of social life.

It’s definitely an ambitious plan – but I’m genuinely excited about it and fully committed.

A look at my recent results

Here’s the graph from the last twenty-something days of grinding, all played at PLO100, just to give you an idea of where I currently stand:

34,541 hands – All-in adjusted BB/100: 3.46 | Actual BB/100: –4.16

It’s obviously still a small sample size, but it’s something. In my opinion, I’ve been running quite poorly – though of course, that’s just a feeling and not something I’ll lean on too much.

The games have been really good, and I genuinely believe I’m in a position to achieve the BB/100 win rate needed to reach my goal. I just have to keep showing up, putting in the work, and trusting the long-term process.

Well, that’s all for now. I’m not entirely sure how often I’ll be updating this blog – hopefully on a weekly or monthly basis. From time to time I might also post an interesting hand or a random story from the grind.

I really hope this can inspire or help others as much as it helps me.
Best of luck at the tables, everyone!