The $100 to $10,000 Challenge
Upswing Poker pro Doug Polk set out to turn $100 into $10,000 playing poker online.
After playing 58 sessions over the course of 2 years, Doug completed the challenge. Check out the daily recaps below or click the button to watch highlights from the challenge.
Track Doug's progress with the graph on the right or the timeline below!
Day #58 - gg
8/22/2018
Doug started the day with another shot at 200NL, which went well enough to turn into a 500NL shot. The bankroll continued to climb with the occasional $1k downswing over the 11 hour session.
The bankroll settled just above $10,100. Get a full recap of the final day here.
Day #57 - 11 Hours (-$2)
8/21/2018
Doug booted up what promised to be a long session at 9am. He was stuck over $1k just a few hours into the day, but battled back to lose just $2. The bankroll ends at $3,318.
Day #56 - Back to Back $1k Wins
8/14/2018
Doug booked his second straight $1k winning day with a 10 hour 100NL cash game session, and the bankroll ended at $3,320.
Day #55 - Back Over $2k!
8/12/2018
One of the most eventful BRC sessions yet started with Doug hopping back to the tournament streets. He had a great run culminating in a tournament win of $436.
This emboldened Doug to fire another shot at NL100 with some PLO20 in the mix. Those shots have been costly in the past, but not today. By the end of the stream the bankroll stood at $2303.05
Day #54 - Heads Up, Bankroll Down
8/10/2018
Doug stayed on the cash game grind for this session, playing mostly NL100. It was a lively and fun stream, but not a profitable one. The bankroll took a $380 blow after a relatively short heads-up session, leaving it at $1336.34.
Day #53 - Welcome Back To YouTube
8/8/2018
Still excited from the last stream's upswing, Doug went right back into the challenge, this time on YouTube. The NL50 games continue to be as good as before, winning a relatively modest $187, driving the bankroll up to $1716.
Day #52 - BOOM
8/7/18
After the last session, Doug played fewer tables, four-tabling NL20, a tournament of good value and later moving up to NL50.
The result was a staggering $484 added to the bankroll, moving it to $1529.
Day #51 - Not Too Bad (But Not Too Good)
8/6/2018
Doug continued his cash game run from the previous day, taking a shot at NL50 and NL20. He reached "Elite Status" on WSOP, giving him better rakeback, but the bankroll took a small hit down to $1045.
Day #50 - A Winning Sunday Grind
8/5/2018
Doug began the day playing tournaments again, but it would be a much more successful day than the one before it.
The game changer was a $10 tournament which Doug won for $173. Combined that with a profitable cash game session and you get a bankroll settled at $1149.72.
Day #49 - One Step Back
Day #48 - Back to Where We Started (Earlier This Week)
8/2/2018
After another tournament session, Doug booked a small win and the bankroll settled at $1054.
Day #47 - He Streamed for How Long?!
8/1/2018
Doug started up a surprise morning stream at 9am, registering in tournament after tournament until finally wrapping it up at 10pm--a 13 hour stream.
The bankroll settled at $994--an uptick after being down to $700 at one point.
Day #46 - A Short Session & A Small Loss
7/30/2018
After a short session of cash games and tournaments, Doug's bankroll took another small hit down to $1120.
Day #45 - An Interesting Stream (With an Expensive Misclick)
7/29/2018
With a free $320 tournament ticket in the account, day #44 could have been the last day of the challenge. But it went the opposite way when, after busting, Doug misclick re-entered the $320 tournament with 25% of the bankroll.
After bricking the big one but winning a smaller one, the bankroll took a small hit down to $1220.
Day #44 - Doug is Back, Back Again
7/28/2018
Doug starts his first session back with $1054 in the bankroll after an unreported day #43. After some tourney success including a small win, the bankroll sits at $1334.
Doug has decided to prioritize the Bankroll Challenge, so expect many more sessions in coming weeks!
Day #42 - Checkin' In
5/4/2018
Doug starts the day with around $1100 in the bankroll (he took a small loss in the unrecorded session #41). After a 4 hour session, the bankroll settled at $1295.
Day #40 - Upswinging Before a Break
11/21/2017
Doug starts the day with $1172. I was on holiday break and didn't see how it happened, but the bankroll settled at $1364.
Day #39 - More HUNL
11/20/2017
Doug starts the day with $1049. After a long heads-up battle that saw the bankroll rise as high as $1400+, he ends the session with $1172.
Day #38 - The Great Game of Heads-Up No Limit
11/18/2017
Doug starts the day with $997. After a few hours of heads-up battles at 50NL, the bankroll is $1027.
Day #37 - Stoping the bleeding
11/17/2017
Doug starts the day with $927 and wins small after a short session of 50NL. The bankroll sits at $997.
Day #36 - Sliding
11/16/2017
Doug fired up another 6am stream with $1497 in the bankroll.
His 100NL/100PLO session did not go as planned, and he moved down to 50NL as a result. He ends the day with $927.
Day #35 - Checkin' in with the BRC
11/15/2017
Doug popped in for an early morning Bankroll Challenge session, his first in almost 7 months. He started the day with $1657.
After a fairly uneventful 100NL session, the bankroll now stands at $1497.
Day #34 - Is it slipping away?
4/26/2017
Doug starts the session with $2337, $1000 over his favorite number.
After a 5 hour session that featured a surprise switch over to YouTube live, Doug managed to finish the session closer to his favorite number, but further from completing the challenge. The bankroll is now at $1657.
Day #33 - Creeping Back Up
4/14/2017
Doug starts the session with $2092. He put in a relatively short 3 hour session and the bankroll inched forward to $2337.
Day #32 - Marathon Session
4/9/2017
Doug starts the day with $2293. He decided to put in a marathon 10 hour session, but the results were not what he hoped as the bankroll dropped to $2092.
Day #31 - Streak Snapped
4/5/2017
Doug starts the day with $3585. His hot streak finally came to an end after a session of NL200 and PLO200. The bankroll dropped to $2293.
Day #30 - Hot Streak Continues
4/1/2017
Doug started day 30 with $2428 looking to continue his hot streak. And continue it did, with Doug booking a +1,100 session.
The bankroll now sits at $3585.
Day #29 - IT'S HAPPENING!
3/26/2017
Doug started day 29 with $1585, and it turned out to be his biggest day of the challenge yet.
After an action packed session of PLO, NLH and tournaments, Doug's bankroll settled at $2428.
Day #28 - Back with a Bang
3/24/2017
Doug returned for his first Bankroll Challenge session in over two months.
He started the day playing low stakes tournaments with his $1032 bankroll, but that didn't last long. Doug caught a hot streak at PLO cash games, ending the day with $1585.
Day #27 - We're Back... for One Day
1/19/2017
After a long, busy hiatus, Doug returns to the Bankroll Challenge with $894.
He started the session off slow with some 20nl NLH, but eventually sat as high as 50PLO. The bankroll ended the day at $1034.
Day #26 - Streak Snapped
12/12/2016
Doug starts the session with $1,006. After another session of PLO50, he booked his first loss in the Bankroll Challenge since September. The bankroll now sits at $894.
Day #25 - It's Over 1000!
12/9/2016
Doug starts the session with $637. He continued his 50NL/50PLO shot from the previous session, and after getting off to a hot start decided to bump it up to 100NL. This is not bankroll management Doug would recommend to aspiring players, but it does make for an entertaining Twitch stream.
The shot at 100NL was successful, bringing the bankroll to over 4 figures for the first time in the challenge. Doug ends day 25 with $1,006.
Day #24 - Pressing
12/2/2016
Doug starts the day with $489. He decided to test his winning streak with some higher stakes, including a fair amount of hands at 50PLO. The shot went well and the bankroll now stands at $632.
Day #23 - Heads Up Battles
11/28/2016
Doug starts the day with $470. He played multiple tables of NL20 Heads Up throughout the session with the bankroll fluctuating throughout. In the end the balance rose under a buy-in, finishing at $489.
Day #22 - Pot Limit lolmaha
11/25/2016
Doug starts the day with $237. He had an incredibly successful tournament session, capped by a win in a $10 PLO MTT for $178. The bankroll is now at $470.
Day #21 - It Got Dicey
11/21/2016
Doug starts the day with $168. The bankroll dipped as low as $120 during the 6 hour grind, but Doug hung tight and finished up with $237.
Day #20 - Solid Session
11/14/2016
Doug starts the day with $161. After a solid session of 10nl cash games the bankroll now sits at $168.
Day #19 - Time to Take Shots
11/11/2016
Doug starts the day with $150 and decides to take a shot at 10nl. After a solid session with multiple lost flips, the bankroll is now up to $161.
Day #18 - One Dollar
11/8/2016
Doug starts the day with $149 in the bankroll. He achieved a 30 cent hourly over a 3.5 hour session, nudging the bankroll up to $150.
Check out highlights and a full recap of day 18 by clicking here!
Day #17 - And We're Back!
11/4/2016
Doug continues the challenge after a 2 month hiatus with a bankroll of $142. After a session of $1 SNGs and tournaments the bankroll is up to $149.
Check out the highlights and a full recap of the day by clicking here!
Day #16 - Winning Streak and a Break for the Bankroll
8/30/2016
Doug starts the day with $134. After a short session of multi-tabling sit & gos, the bankroll is now $137.
Check out highlights and a full recap of day 16 by clicking here!
This will be his final Bankroll Challenge session until November 4th. In between he will be playing and streaming the PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker.
Day #15 - Slow Grind
8/29/2016
Doug starts the day with $131. After a session of SNGs and tournaments he finishes up small, with the bankroll at $134.
Check out highlights and a full recap of day 15 by clicking here!
Day #14 - Near Miss
8/28/2016
Doug starts the day with $138. After a few near misses in tournaments, he ends the day with the bankroll at $131. Check out highlights and a full recap of day 14 by clicking here!
Day #13 - Down the Drain
8/25/2016
Doug starts the day with $407. The session proved to be a disastrous one after an unsuccessful session of Heads Up No Limit cash games. The bankroll now sits at $138, with most of Doug's work going down the drain. Check out highlights and a full recap of day 13 by clicking here!
Day #12 - Playing It Safe
8/24/2016
Doug starts the day with $348. Deciding to play it safe with the bankroll, he played lower stakes and put together a solid session. The bankroll is now at $407. Day 12 also included Doug's HUGE $500 giveaway! Check out highlights and a full recap of day 12 by clicking here!
Day #11 - Up & Down
8/23/2016
Doug starts the day with $405. After an up and down day, the bankroll sits at $350. Check out the highlights and a full recap of day 11 by clicking here!
Day #10 - It Could Have Been Worse
8/22/2016
Doug starts the day with $551. The bankroll briefly dipped below the $300 mark after a disastrous first few hours, but Doug was able to somewhat recover by working the bankroll back up to $405. Check out highlights and the full recap of day 10 by clicking here!
Day #9 - SURGING
8/21/2016
Doug starts the day with $178. After winning 2 Sunday tournaments the bankroll now sits at $551. Check out highlights and the full recap of day 9 by clicking here!
Day #8 - Breaking Even
8/19/2016
Doug starts the day with $178 and breaks even after a short Friday session. Check out the full recap of day 8 by clicking here!
Day #7 - A Well Timed 'Shot'
8/16/2016
Doug starts the day with $136. After an 8 hour session and a successful shot at a higher stakes SNG, the bankroll sits at a $178. Check out video highlights and get the full recap of day 6 by clicking here!
Day #6 - Now We're Grinding
8/15/2016
Doug starts the day with $129. After a 5 hour session and a modest $7 profit the bankroll is at $136. Check out video highlights and the full recap of day 6 by clicking here!
Day #5 - Back in Profit
08/14/2016
Doug starts the day with $85. After a solid session of cash games mixed with a deep finish in a $500 freeroll, the bankroll stands at a challenge peak of $129. Check out the highlights and recap of day 5 by clicking here!
Day #4 - A Marathon for $10
08/10/2016
Doug starts the day with $119. After a 19 hour session which saw the bankroll fall as low as $45, he finishes with $85. Check out the highlights and recap of day 4 by clicking here!
Day #3 - Settling In
08/09/2016
Doug starts the day with $97. After his shortest session of the challenge yet, he finishes with just under $119. Check out the highlights and recap of day 3 by clicking here!
Day #2 - Rebound
08/08/2016
Doug starts the day with $83, ends the day at $97. Nice rebound after a tough day 1. Check out the full recap of day 2 here!
Day #1 - Started Challenge
08/07/2016
Doug Polk stats challenge with $100, ends the day with $83. Proof he is mortal! Check out the full recap of day 1 here!