1) The “Reckless” Stage
You play by feel. If a hand has an Ace—A-3, A-x, anything—you’re excited to see a flop. Then showdown arrives and the dream goes down the drain. The defining trait here is gut feeling over fundamentals.
2) The “Figuring It Out” Stage
You start to learn patterns: when Ace-x can be opened, when it should be folded, what position means, etc. But your bankroll still doesn’t grow—leaks remain.
3) The “Learning Through Risk” Stage
You’ve got the mechanics: hand selection, position, bet sizing, basic ranges. In short, you know what you’re doing. Yet results swing wildly—big wins followed by big losses, sometimes even going bust. Variance, tilt, and bankroll management lessons get learned the hard way.
4) The “Long-Run Winner” Stage
Your decision quality is high and consistent. The bankroll climbs steadily. You evolve from a “tricksy” player with moves into a disciplined machine whose play is principle-driven, not emotional.
A note of caution
Before you reach the long-run winner stage, expect a few major drawdowns. Hold your nerve. Without those setbacks, it’s hard to truly grasp the value of principles and patterns.
In theory most players can reach Stage 3. When you break through to Stage 4 is up to you. Here’s hoping both you and I get there.
