I have been playing for a few months now and have made it to what I call the 4th stage of being a poker newbie. I am sure if most of us look back and remember when we first started you will recoginize some of these stages. Some may have skipped over a few and some may even slip back into them. So here it goes. Disclaimer I still only play for money in person not online. Also feel free to add stages as well.

Stage 1

You play almost anything, especially face cards and anything suited. Sometimes you win but most of the times you lose. When someone tries to tell you that you need to tighten up your hand selection you scoff at them. Why? Because you just beat them (at this stage you have no idea what it means to outdraw someone) with 4-5 offsuit on the river. So what do they know arrogant bastards. Near the end of stage one you notice that some people have huge stacks and you wonder how.......Oh well I have my 7/8 offsuit to hell with your pocket Aces I just beat you again.

Stage 2

This stage found me by accident cause at this point all I knew about poker I saw on TV and the hands they play there (hasn't sunk yet that these people are mostly pros). So here I am walking through a book store and see Phil Hellmuths Play Poker Like the Pros (Yes, I know there are much better books out there on poker but you gotta start somewhere) Anyways I read this book and for the first time see the words starting hands. Whats this I say so I try this new fangled 10 starting hand thing-of-majig and low and behold I am actually winning now. Granted playing only ten starting hands is as exciting as watching grass grow I stick to it and win more than I lose.

Stage 3

So I figure hey why not buy more books so I get Super System, The Theory of Poker, Caros Book of Tells, and Advanced Texas Hold'em. So now I am really killing my friendly 5 dollar by in game and the online play money. I am unstoppable and then it happens...come on you know what it is....arrogance...I now know every thing Doyle knows cause I have read his book. Watch out Iceman,Johnny and all you actual good players here I come. So what happens I get crushed on the play money no-limit tables. Why you ask.....well I forgot how to fold such a simple word. So I go from 215k of play money to 0 in record time. It really was quite impressive looking back I mean you really have to try to lose that much on 100/200 play money tables.

Stage 4

Well here I am in stage 4 back to fundemental poker. Almost done with The Theory of Poker and know what a tilt is, EV,and most poker terms. Doesn't mean I can figure implied odds off the top of my head but am learning. Looking back I would rather do what I did with play money any day, because one thing is for sure poker is a marathon not a sprint.


PS sorry this was all so long but felt good to write it

Hey! It was good to read, too.

I am in a 'stuck in a slighly worse off than breakeven rut, wondering whether my previous success was skill or luck' kind of stage

I think that may be stage 6.

I sure hope stage 7 isn't 'go broke for the first time'.