What does it take to become a winning high stakes regular?
Right now, I'm currently in high school and want to someday become a winning high stakes regular. I've been playing poker now for about one and a half years, and am now playing $33 HUSNGs. I feel like I've got a good grasp of the game but there are obviously leaks in my game and lifestyle that I can't notice. I want to know, in detail, what I would have to do to reach my goal. I'm willing to put in a ton of hard work as well.
Right now, I'm part of a HUSNG forum/group that discusses hands, ideas, and matches so I'm using that to re-tool my game if need be. I look over matches that I feel went wrong, and use stove and do EV calculations to help me out. I don't have access to any subscription sites such as cardrunners and deucescracked...is that a huge problem?
Like I said, I'm still in high school and am about to go to college so that is going to be a pretty big obstacle.
I'm looking for a pretty detailed regimen in my lifestyle and poker game to someday become a winning high stakes regular.
Some changes lifestyle I have in mind:
-In bed every night at 9:00, wake up at 6:00.
-cut out junk food
-get homework and studying done FIRST
-read books, play piano to become well-rounded (I heard that this opens up the creative side of your mind, and I'm mainly a math guy)
-exercise
-sit up straight, pay as much attention in school as possible; be mentally involved with classes
-don't be anxious about things
-be respectful
-keep room clean and organized
-try hard at everything I'm asked to do
I guess, the main idea is that becoming more well-rounded will help me achieve my goal, because I really believe that our mental abilities is a product of our environment and lifestyle instead of just genetics.
and in poker:
-just keep doing what I'm doing, except more of it?
-maintain focus at all times during the game
Feel free to help me out and add stuff or comment on this.
1 Reply
OP here on a different account.
(Holy **** I was clueless back in the day.)
But, I played my first hand of high stakes online poker (5/10) in January 2026 and am still up at that stake as of now.
I made it.