If you could just do it all over...

[Bryan15]

not getting rakeback when I first signed up for FTP. Probably cost me thousands upon thousands

[SellingtheDrama]

I would probably do almost everything different.

I should have gone broke at least three times that I can recall (including the time I put almost every penny into one MTT and came in 3rd).

I've been playing poker roughly four years now. I spent the first year as a goof-off - slightly profitable, probably -EV. After that I played MTTs and SNGs semi-seriously. The last 15 or 16 months I've been playing just live cash games.

If I had to start over again, I'd have gone straight to cash games, and probably to no limit sooner (I never played a hand of cash no limit until last summer).

I loved learning all the different games, but I should have just glanced at some and not spent so many hours trying to master each and every form I could. Very -EV short run, as my bankroll wasn't growing because I kept going back to microstakes in different games rather than growing my stakes/roll in one or two.

But the bottom line is this: I've had fun playing poker, still have (some) fun playing poker, and am crushing midstakes games. I'm cool with that, its a nice side income and I enjoy the people I get to meet (well most of them).

Poker is a hobby for me, and without a doubt, the most cost-effective one I've ever had.

[twotimesopt]

Start low: probably either 5nl or 10nl, not sure for SNGs

Make a decision to dedicate time to either cash or SNGs, not both.

Adopt proper BR management (20 BI rule) from the start and stick with it.

Cash out as little as possible until you are at stakes you don't mind staying at (for me this is 3/6+).

If you are going to play games other than NLH you should take the same approach - start at low levels and work your way up once you are consistently winning.

Learn tilt control early! It is probably the single most important aspect of any poker player's game.

Realize that unless you are a pro/living off of poker winnings, it's just a game and a hobby and other things in life are more important.

[kylephilly]

Take time during every decision, regardless of if I think I am way ahead.

Always check a players stats.

Work on table selection, leave a table when it's not profitable.

Not think people at low stakes are making moves, because they usually aren't.