2025 recap: How i went from NL10 to NL200

Hi guys, here I am.
You’ve probably never heard of me, since this is my first thread and I’m relatively new to the poker world. Today, on December 31st, I want to share my story — how I managed to move from NL10 to NL200, starting in June with a $300 bankroll. I want this to be a memory frozen in time, and maybe a source of inspiration for someone out there who’s wondering whether to quit or keep going.

Let’s start by saying that this year has been the hardest year of my life. The person I thought was the love of my life left me. This won’t be a tear-jerker story, and I won’t go deep into that — instead, I want to talk about how poker helped me climb out of the depression I was going through, pushing away thoughts I don’t even have the courage to write down.

So, July 2025. I found myself completely alone, with $300 and a huge desire to learn something — even though I had no idea where to start. For the first time in my life, I could truly go all-in on this lifelong passion of mine, which had never managed to become more than just a dream for various reasons. This time, there was no one stopping me or holding me back, not even unconsciously.

I was alone, but in that solitude I had all the time in the world.

I started looking for someone who could help me understand how to win at this game, and that’s when I met two twins — people I can honestly say literally changed my life. We studied together every single day, about two hours a day, for months. That’s when the climb began: from NL10 to what is now NL200.

Along the way, I learned many things about poker — and I’m not just talking about strategy. I learned how similar this game is to life itself. When life tests you through disappointment, that’s exactly when you need to see the glass half full, stand back up, and become stronger.

Of course, these months were not all sunshine and rainbows. I had several truly brutal sessions that made me doubt everything. But what gave me the strength to keep going was always the same thought: remembering where I started from.

Today, I’m not a top reg at the stakes I play, but I try to hold my own. My goal for 2026 is to put in even more effort than I’ve put in so far. I’ll post an update on December 31st, 2026, and we’ll see where this journey has taken me.

If you’re reading this while doubting yourself, remember that progress is rarely linear.[image]QO4i2R3.jpeg[/i

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