[roundhouse]

Hank,

Your start up situ and style mirror my own quite closely (read: I like your plan). I went in with the very cautious attitude, "how much am I willing to spend on my new hobby". To which the answer was $300 initial deposit, plus $50 p/month thereafter, or equivalent. Starting off at 0.5/1 (after a couple hundred hands at the super-micro limits to get my hand in). I knew poker was a beatable skill game, but I didn't want to prejudge my own abilities. I've since taken out the symbolic $300 (never had to add to it) and now play on winnings alone - so every time I find myself down I console myself with the thought that it's money I wouldn't have had if I didn't play poker.

If like me you end up playing less than 5k hands a month, be warned that bad runs can seem to last a long time.

Good luck with the plan. And don't forget to get bonus whoring!

RH