Full-Time poker playing

[DJA1012]

I've really been thinking about taking up poker full time. I feel like my poker playing is the best its ever been. The main thing holding me back is a very limited bankroll. Right now I don't really have enough time to play satellites and qualifiers on the internet during the week because of my job (plus I'm not very fond of the seemingly unrandom turn of the cards on online poker). I feel like this would besomewhat of a risky thing for me to do, but at the same time I feel I could really accomplish a lot in the poker world if given the chance. Any advice would certainly help.

[Kestrel]

Originally posted by DJA1012@Feb 16 2006, 05:48 AM
(plus I'm not very fond of the seemingly unrandom turn of the cards on online poker).

Well you sound like a pro

[CAZ]

Originally posted by DJA1012@Feb 16 2006, 03:48 AM
I've really been thinking about taking up poker full time. I feel like my poker playing is the best its ever been. The main thing holding me back is a very limited bankroll. Right now I don't really have enough time to play satellites and qualifiers on the internet during the week because of my job (plus I'm not very fond of the seemingly unrandom turn of the cards on online poker). I feel like this would besomewhat of a risky thing for me to do, but at the same time I feel I could really accomplish a lot in the poker world if given the chance. Any advice would certainly help.

I’ve been in the casino industry (poker specifically) for almost 15 years. I have seen very, very few people succeed in the long run. There are a ton of short term winners (few years at best) who then get way over confident and then everything goes downhill. The discipline required for long term success is beyond that of which most are capable of. The odds are against you, and that is if you play live.

The fact that you want try this playing online just exponentially multiplies those bad odds, you are already short bankroll, and don’t trust the sites (“unrandom turn of cards”).


It’s a lot harder than you could imagine making even 50k a year playing poker, especially considering you don’t have the bankroll to withstand the fluctuations or limits you would need to play to do so.

You very well may be able to accomplish a lot in the poker world, but most likely not as a player. Focus your energy elsewhere, as an affiliate, web designer etc.
try to build a residual income, you can never get that from playing poker, you have to work for every dollar every day.

Dont mean to be a stick in the mud, but its an honest opinion.

[Kestrel]

To be honest I tried it myself when I was between jobs.

I made a fair bit playing in the evenings and weekends so I thought it might be a good idea.

I learnt that it's one thing playing for a little extra cash and a bit of fun, and another when you are relying on the money for bills, income etc.

I learnt from my experience, and although I did make some money, it was way to stressful and did not represent a good and affluent way to make a living.

[hoursurfing]

I would just wait until you have plenty of money to fall back on. Also if it stresses you out then I wouldnt do it. Personally I dont think you can live off of poker unless you play $1000nl or equivalent in another game and up. If youre good and have been winning for at least a year then it's up to you.

What stakes do you play now?

Later

[Pokerboy]

It's boring - don't do it unless you can make 200K+ year. That is 30/60+ 4 tables or 1K NL

Just my oppinion....

[PPP]

A lot of people do it, and its not hard these days if you play well because most players are so poor, but the most important thing besides your edge over your opponents is your bankroll size. Don't try it until you are well bankrolled.

[absentx]

yeah the bankroll should probably be the most important thing you consider. You really need to have that covered.

If you posted this same question on the 2+2's you would have three billion responses telling you "no" based on how you mentioned a lack of bankroll. On that same note, there are seven billions posts on the 2+2's about going pro, go search through some and read the advice.

[GmanIV]

if you want to play poker full time, then start playing full time, whats the big issue?

If you can make a good living on poker cool!

I get a good side income from poker, I usually win about $50-$100 per week on cash tables, nothing major but not bad at all.

[Kellermann]

Speaking of experience: What is the most important is how much you cash out each month. I played poker for around half a year and what kept me from the high stakes was that I cashed out too much. I burnt so fucking much money (relatively of course) on crap. (One of my online acquiantances told me that I had a bustwish. "To bust and quit." In a way he was right).

Starting with a small bankroll is no problem. You just have to adapt and live off almost nothing in the beginning. Cash out no more than 5-10% of your bankroll each month and you will soon be playing 20/40FL or 1kNL.

To me poker became extremely boring after a short time. I got no fulfillment from sitting in front of my computer all the time. The solitude is MUCH worse than the stress. If you are not making 100k-200k a year it is not worth it. And still then you will be lonely. Things might go easier if you have a girlfriend/wife to bring love in to your life. Most young players are single though (I think. Just a guess).

The last con is that you gather almost NO valuable points for your CV. Say you are a poker pro for four years and then have some sort of a wish for a change. What are you going to write in your application? "Professional poker player 2006-2010" ? Well, being a pro poker player shows that you are clearly intelligent and disciplined. Most company managers wouldn't know though. You'd be surprised how little people outside the poker world know about poker. And even if they did they wouldn't care anyway. All they want to see are the A+ses on your college certificate.

So what is the future like? Look a few years ahead. If you are successful: Total economic independence. So after, say, four years you should have saved up money to invest in something else. Buy a starbucks franchise or something. Or whatever you find interesting or valuable at that time. Use your own imagination. Come up with ideas. You need a plan. Noone plays poker as their only income their whole life. If you are not rich after the four years have passed: Well, then you are pretty much in deep shit. Lonely and depressed and nowhere to go. Most don't realize before it's too late. Blinded by the glitter and shining WPT.

So in the end college might not sound so bad. Just show up and get to work. Then you can build an ok middle class living. (Says the lazy affiliate hypocrite. :lol