Thanks for all your advice - in answer to some previous questions - I ma looking to dedicate 2 to 3 hours a night during weekdays and aprroximately 12 hours on the weekend to playing poker online. I want to make money. How much? Any money is better than no money - I have no deliusions and I am not about to quit my job to become the next WSOP champion.
That's a pretty serious investment of time, and I like that you're moving towards it with a clear mind; poker isn't - for all but the very few - a fast track to riches. When you take poker seriously, and you do by the sound of things, your bankroll does matter quite a lot. Three hours a night, with a break every hour or so to stretch your legs, go to the bathroom, get a snack, etc., should be enough to play at least 2000 hands a week, even if you only play a single table. With sufficient skill, you'll propel through the ranks pretty quickly that way. Since you're not dependent on it for your income, may I suggest that you start out low and work your way up?
You have a big bankroll, but if you're ready to beat the $.50/$1 limit games (or $25 NL tables) you're going to be able to move up pretty quickly without having to stretch your bankroll at all. If it's limit you're looking into, I suggest starting right there; $.50/$1 tables (giving you a nice 1000 BB bankroll) and move up when you've made 300 BB. Then start playing $1/$2, make another $600 there, move up again. All the while, study! Post hands, think about concepts,
work on tilt. Limit can be really, really cruel in a way that NL isn't: With NL, it's more of a quick sting, but a bad streak in limit is like watching your money run slowly through your fingers like trying to hold on to water.
Studying, discipline - don't get drunk and lose 50 BB; that's perhaps a whole week's worth of winnings - and keep your eyes on the ball. You may do well in practising multitabling as well, but start out small (i.e. two tables) and find where your sweet spot is.
Allow it to take time. Poker proficiency is really, really hard to come by and it comes slowly and in small portions. Not just that, but results are measured by the long haul - the months worth of play, not tonight's earnings - and just because you've had a rough streak doesn't mean that you suck, nor does three winning nights mean that you're ready to take a shot at $30/$60.
Also, figure out what your primary motive is. It may be to make money, but it may also be that you're looking for a challenge. How do these goals weigh in relation to each other? Or that of socializing, or... There are many reasons to play poker, and very few people play only to make money. Knowing why you play helps a lot when you plan for the future. To use myself as an example, I don't play to make money. I play a modest 1,000 hands per week on average, and my ambition is to move up as far as I can but not necessarily as fast as I can. The small cashouts I make is my way of patting myself on the back. It helps me keep perspective on cold streaks and hot air. I think of them in terms of "I've taken a large step towards the next limit" or "I'm now back to square one of $5/$10", not "jesus, I just lost $500!"
Anyway, I strongly advocate that you start small. If you're skilled enough you'll move up quickly. If you're not, you should be glad you stuck around the shallow end of the pool and take the time to learn the lessons you need to move on. Moving up the ladder slowly can be frustrating, but it's safe. And most of the time, it's fun.
All the best,
Fredrik