Pre-Session Poker Checklist

Remember!

You’re playing this game to #1 to learn and #2 to optimize decision making. You’re not here to make money.

This ambition is a strategic approach to climbing the microstakes methodology. Do not deviate from the process.

Mental & Physical Readiness

• ✅ Physical Check: Rested, hydrated, and adequately nourished prior to initiating the session.
• ✅ Mental Check: Cleared of tilt from previous sessions and free of external life stressors.
• ✅ Warm-up: Completed a brief 15-minute physical warm-up to ensure optimal cognitive alertness.

  Bankroll & Progression Limits

• ✅ The 2NL Lock: Strictly playing 2NL 6-Max No Limit Hold’em. Will not ascend stakes until PokerTracker 4 logs 10,000 hands completed. No exceptions for confidence or positive variance.
• ✅ Stop-Loss Protocol: Strict stop-loss defined and enacted at 3 buy-ins.
• ✅ Session Constraints: Defined maximum of 4 tables for a strict duration of 4 hours.

  Process Goals

• ✅ Actionable Goal: Define one specific “will do” task for the session (e.g., categorize every opponent at the table within the first 20 hands).
• ✅ Avoidance Goal: Define one specific “won’t do” restriction (e.g., execute zero turn or river bets without articulating a clear value or bluff rationale).
• ✅ Mindset Reset: Focus entirely on executing profitable Game Theory Optimal (GTO) decisions based on available data. Monetary outcomes are irrelevant to session success.

  Game Selection & Tilt Management

• ✅ Table Selection: Actively identify soft tables; immediately depart tough, unprofitable, or overly aggressive games.
• ✅ Tilt Trigger: Pre-defined action plan established (e.g., if feeling frustrated by negative variance, immediately sit out for 10 minutes or close one table).

  Post-Session Closeout

• ✅ Hand Review: Tag 3 to 5 specific hands during play for subsequent off-table analysis.
• ✅ Performance Audit: Document one identified mistake pattern and one successfully executed strategy immediately upon concluding the session.