When I first joined 888poker back in June of 2021, I decided to start a bankroll challenge to bring a fresh wave of content to my channels. I knew I wasn’t the first to take on such a project, but I thought it would be something my viewers could relate to — who doesn’t enjoy seeing someone build something big from something small?
Most bankroll challenges are simple: start with a set bankroll and target a profit goal. But I decided to take it one painful step further and set my challenge to win $1,000 — all at 10NL (i.e., $0.05/$0.10 cash games).
This was a mistake.
I started the $1,000 10NL Challenge on August 9, 2021, and, $850 later, it’s still going. Here’s a hint as to why:
Battling the Two Fiest Demons in Poker
If you’ve watched any bankroll challenges, you know they often end in (usually abrupt) failure. There are many reasons for this: frustration, boredom, or the simple loss of interest from viewers.
But one significant reason is that these challenges are an enormous time-sink. Every hour you spend grinding at the micros is time you could be playing at your regular stakes — where the potential to win more is much higher. Unless you’re able to offset this opportunity cost with the content the challenge generates, spending endless hours battling at the micros can quickly become a drain.
And let’s face it, winning at the micros is a lot harder than it seems. The two toughest demons in poker — rake and variance — are especially cruel at these stakes.
Am I Just a Sucker for Punishment?
There are plenty of reasons not to start a bankroll challenge, and even more reasons to quit as soon as possible. But some challenges push past these obstacles. Doug Polk, for example, managed to climb his personal Everest (albeit with some controversial methods). In my opinion, just finishing one of these challenges — in any form — should be respected.
Completing a bankroll challenge is no joke, even for someone like Doug Polk.
Why Am I Still Going?
Now, three years into my challenge, having played over 250,000 hands of 10NL (yes, 250,000), I’ve ‘quit’ more times than I can count. Yet, every time I try to walk away, the challenge pulls me back in.
Is it a sunk-cost fallacy? Maybe. Or maybe there’s just a part of me that thinks I deserve this suffering. Whatever the reason, I’ve endured some of the most brutal bad beats and painful sessions imaginable, and it’s starting to take its toll. But I keep pressing forward, one cent at a time, even as we approach the dreaded three-year mark.
The One Most Important Word of Advice
So, what keeps me going? Honestly, it’s not just the content (although that definitely helps). The real driving force behind my persistence is the desire to prove something to myself. Throughout my life, I’ve often given up too easily or taken the easy path. Surrendering to this challenge feels like giving in to that same pattern, and I refuse to let that happen this time.
This is the time I’m going to stick with it and power through. This is the challenge I’ve set for myself, and I’m determined to see it to the end.
When people ask me how I think it’ll feel when it’s all over, I honestly don’t know. And that’s exactly why I’m not thinking about it yet. It’s one step, one cent at a time.
So, if you’re reading this and thinking about starting your own bankroll challenge, I have just one piece of advice: Don’t.
