playing for a living
 

as i am sure this has been discussed before but i want to know from the guys here that play cards for a living. how hard is it to solely depend on playing cards as the ONLY source of income? right now i have a full time job and play online part time but i am considering playing full time. i built a decent enough bankroll but just dont know if i have the balls to pull the trigger. i know that there will be rainy days but should it deter me from giving it a shot? thanks

Re: playing for a living
 

give it a shot when and only when you are losing money by going to the day job. It is a slow transition.
-Shaggy

Re: playing for a living
 

I know exactly how you feel. I would jump ship and go to poker only income in a second, but I run 2 businesses and have investors that put faith in me. Once I wind my life responsibilities down a bit, I will defintitely make the transition.

Re: playing for a living
 

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give it a shot when and only when you are losing money by going to the day job. It is a slow transition.
-Shaggy

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How do you really know when that moment comes ? My win rate over 1200 hrs. is $19/hr but that's with the luxury of just picking my spots when to play. How much of a dropoff should I factor in by having to play a set number of hours ?

Re: playing for a living
 

Ed Miller discusses going pro in a few articles, which are interesting and informative.

There are 3 artcles. The first is http://www.notedpokerauthority.com/a...s/article4.htm

good luck

Re: playing for a living
 

From what I read, it doesn't seem like you have a whole lot of responsibility. Is it possible for you to go part time in your job and play poker full time. If you try that for, say, 6 months, you could actually see what it's like and answer all your questions for yourself. If you don't like it, you could probably go back to full time at your job. But that's assuming you even have the ability to switch positions at your current job.

Re: playing for a living
 

Do a search and find some of the really good threads on this topic. There are some good ones with lots of information.

Also, if you have to ask if you're ready to do it, you're probably not. That's just the honest truth.

Re: playing for a living
 

no, that wont be possible, its either full time poker or full time job and part time poker.

Re: playing for a living
 

thanks, great article

Re: playing for a living
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
give it a shot when and only when you are losing money by going to the day job. It is a slow transition.
-Shaggy

[/ QUOTE ]

How do you really know when that moment comes ? My win rate over 1200 hrs. is $19/hr but that's with the luxury of just picking my spots when to play. How much of a dropoff should I factor in by having to play a set number of hours ?

[/ QUOTE ]

If that's your winrate, you shouldn't even think about playing fulltime. In my book, poker is just a recreational thing for you. You don't even qualify as a semi-pro.

Re: playing for a living
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
give it a shot when and only when you are losing money by going to the day job. It is a slow transition.
-Shaggy

[/ QUOTE ]

How do you really know when that moment comes ? My win rate over 1200 hrs. is $19/hr but that's with the luxury of just picking my spots when to play. How much of a dropoff should I factor in by having to play a set number of hours ?

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If that's your winrate, you shouldn't even think about playing fulltime. In my book, poker is just a recreational thing for you. You don't even qualify as a semi-pro.

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That's mostly playing 1/2 NL with no multitabling. If that winrate was playing 15/30 I'd be a little more worried.

If 50+hrs / $1000 per month and 1/3 of my total income isn't semipro I'd be interested to read what is.

Re: playing for a living
 

If you are just playing 1 table at a time you are missing out on one of the biggest appeals to playing online for winning players.

Re: playing for a living
 

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If that's your winrate, you shouldn't even think about playing fulltime.

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There are reasons for him to not play full time, but this definitely is not one of them.

Re: playing for a living
 

I have played full time for stretches of six or nine months at a time. My win rate always goes down during the full time stretches. There are many reasons for this. Here are a couple of the key points:

1. When playing part time, I play mostly at night and on weekends. Games are a lot softer on weekends, especially at casinos. When you start playing full time during the week, you're spending most of your time with other people who play full time during the week.

2. When you play high limits ($75 - $150 or bigger) you sometimes can't find any game at all during the week. Some of the bigger limit games can only be found on the weekends.

3. If you have a wife and kid, playing for a living is high pressure. Those losing streaks can really get to you when other people are counting on you.

Just some thoughts.

Re: playing for a living
 

I guess you really need to think hard about this.. its not suited for alot of people.

Re: playing for a living
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
give it a shot when and only when you are losing money by going to the day job. It is a slow transition.
-Shaggy

[/ QUOTE ]

How do you really know when that moment comes ? My win rate over 1200 hrs. is $19/hr but that's with the luxury of just picking my spots when to play. How much of a dropoff should I factor in by having to play a set number of hours ?

[/ QUOTE ]

If that's your winrate, you shouldn't even think about playing fulltime. In my book, poker is just a recreational thing for you. You don't even qualify as a semi-pro.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a pretty ridiculous mindset when US minimum wage is less than $6/hr and many people in other countries are making less.

Re: playing for a living
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
give it a shot when and only when you are losing money by going to the day job. It is a slow transition.
-Shaggy

[/ QUOTE ]

How do you really know when that moment comes ? My win rate over 1200 hrs. is $19/hr but that's with the luxury of just picking my spots when to play. How much of a dropoff should I factor in by having to play a set number of hours ?

[/ QUOTE ]

If that's your winrate, you shouldn't even think about playing fulltime. In my book, poker is just a recreational thing for you. You don't even qualify as a semi-pro.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a pretty ridiculous mindset when US minimum wage is less than $6/hr and many people in other countries are making less.

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Yes, i tried explaining this as well.

My poker mentor told me that he wouldn't play for a living under 5/10 online.

I say it's all relative. I play 2/4 full time, after quitting a job i hated being a PC technician. I'm less miserable, create own hours, and can pay my bills being 20 years old and playing poker.

That, and i wont be at 2/4 for long.

Re: playing for a living
 

Nobody has touched on one of the most important answers to the question. How is your money management? With a standard job, you pretty much know what you're going to make, what you can do with it, etc. But playing for a living, can you contiune to live your same disciplined lifestyle when you go on a 300BB rush? It's extremely difficult to do. Why do you think so many pros need backers or have them? Money management.
-md
www.myspace.com/iambabyd

Re: playing for a living
 

Just to throw in the discussion - when you don't have a job you don't have medical insurance, 401K etc. Take everything into acccount before you make a decision.

Re: playing for a living
 

Another point worth considering...
do you love poker?

If you do, and you make it your job, sooner or later you won't and it will just be a job.

Re: playing for a living
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
give it a shot when and only when you are losing money by going to the day job. It is a slow transition.
-Shaggy

[/ QUOTE ]

How do you really know when that moment comes ? My win rate over 1200 hrs. is $19/hr but that's with the luxury of just picking my spots when to play. How much of a dropoff should I factor in by having to play a set number of hours ?

[/ QUOTE ]

If that's your winrate, you shouldn't even think about playing fulltime. In my book, poker is just a recreational thing for you. You don't even qualify as a semi-pro.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a pretty ridiculous mindset when US minimum wage is less than $6/hr and many people in other countries are making less.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not really. Who cares what the US minimum wage is or what people in other countries make? He's living in the US (assumption) and therefore the only thing that matters is how much he makes relative to his living style.

Besides, you never gain anything from comparing yourself to those worse off.

Re: playing for a living
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
give it a shot when and only when you are losing money by going to the day job. It is a slow transition.
-Shaggy

[/ QUOTE ]

How do you really know when that moment comes ? My win rate over 1200 hrs. is $19/hr but that's with the luxury of just picking my spots when to play. How much of a dropoff should I factor in by having to play a set number of hours ?

[/ QUOTE ]

If that's your winrate, you shouldn't even think about playing fulltime. In my book, poker is just a recreational thing for you. You don't even qualify as a semi-pro.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a pretty ridiculous mindset when US minimum wage is less than $6/hr and many people in other countries are making less.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not really. Who cares what the US minimum wage is or what people in other countries make? He's living in the US (assumption) and therefore the only thing that matters is how much he makes relative to his living style.

Besides, you never gain anything from comparing yourself to those worse off.

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I'm not a huge fan of this logic.

You sound spoiled.

Re: playing for a living
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
give it a shot when and only when you are losing money by going to the day job. It is a slow transition.
-Shaggy

[/ QUOTE ]

How do you really know when that moment comes ? My win rate over 1200 hrs. is $19/hr but that's with the luxury of just picking my spots when to play. How much of a dropoff should I factor in by having to play a set number of hours ?

[/ QUOTE ]

If that's your winrate, you shouldn't even think about playing fulltime. In my book, poker is just a recreational thing for you. You don't even qualify as a semi-pro.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a pretty ridiculous mindset when US minimum wage is less than $6/hr and many people in other countries are making less.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not really. Who cares what the US minimum wage is or what people in other countries make? He's living in the US (assumption) and therefore the only thing that matters is how much he makes relative to his living style.

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Uh, ok, read the post I just quoted again. The person was saying that making below a certain dollar amount doesn't qualify someone else as a professional. I'm saying that telling someone that making more than some people's living wage, particularly in his own environment, as one's sole source of income, is pretty much fitting every logical definition of "professional". To say "well it's recreational because that's not a lot of money," makes no sense whatsoever.

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Besides, you never gain anything from comparing yourself to those worse off.

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I wasn't making any statements about the quality of living of X amount of income. How other people live is a fine way to establish what is and is not living wage.

Re: playing for a living
 

Hi PokerB,

I wish you the best of luck whatever you decide. I am curious why you don't consider multi-tabliing? I am certainly no pro, and I play at lower limits than you but multi-tabling ring games REALLY helped my bank roll.

Let me explain, (remember I already said I wasn't that good at poker), I play very TAGish and only play a small selection of hands. I typically only get my money when I feel I have a nice edge. By playing 4 tables those hands come up much more often than one tabling. I am also less likely to get bored and get involved with a poor/mediocre hand.

Although it seems unintuitive, my winrate per table per hour increased when I started multi-tabling. I got most of the good by playing cards in position, and I always make notes on individuals at the table when I first sit down. It also allows me to separate myself from one particular bully.

Just my 2 cents,

L-

Re: playing for a living
 

Well if you've been consistently winning it's worth giving it a shot. I don't know why so many people always shoot down anyone who asks about going pro. I didn't even know of these forums when I went pro, I'd actually been playing only a few months but I knew a good thing when I saw it. I wasn't in employment, I was in college. I went back as a mature student at 24 and I wasn't really looking forward to another 4 or 5 years of study. I made 3 deposits and after finally making a go of it on the stt's with the last deposit I decided to play full time on .25/.50 cash games. Lost half my €1100 roll in the first week, and that really woke me up to how serious I was going to have to get to make this work. Anyway, it's not even a year later since I started and after continously rising up I'm now playing 3/6 and 5/10 with a BR big enough for 25/50. I don't play 10/20 and higher though as I'm not comfortable with the swings.

Re: playing for a living
 

I think anyone who's winning consitently should give serious consideration to going full time as there is serious money to be made if you crack it. I know a good few people who thought I was crazy to take a shot at this but now they can't get over how much I'm making. It's definately worth giving it a shot. You can start off making $500 a week multitabling .25/.50, and you can basically multiply that by 2 every time you move up levels.

Re: playing for a living
 

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You can start off making $500 a week multitabling .25/.50, and you can basically multiply that by 2 every time you move up levels.

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no

Re: playing for a living
 

Yes

Re: playing for a living
 

That is if you're capable of making $500 a week at .25/.50. Then yes, you can basically double that everytime you move up, till 5/10 anyway - I can't speak about 10/20, never played it for a solid week.

Re: playing for a living
 

Interesting... Why would anyone quit a job that provides healthcare and a steady flow of income. Couldn't you make almost as much by putting more time in at night when the real fish swim out, and put more hours in/ play more tables?

I think the ideal for most would be online pro's is to obtain a low stress day job that pays around 30k (one that you can slack off), and put in more hour at night when 9-5 Bob attempts to play like the ppl on TV. This way you maintain a steady source of income/ healthcare...

Re: playing for a living
 

A WEEK?????? I hope you're giving yourself more than a week to determine winrates? How long have you been playing for a living?

Re: playing for a living
 

Who, me?

Re: playing for a living
 

yes

Re: playing for a living
 

I've been playing full time for 11 months. Best decision I ever made was to play poker for a living. And my income did basically double every time I moved up a level.

Re: playing for a living
 

I'm a college student and trying to make the transition to making all my money and living expenses off poker. Right now I'm home for spring break, got a job as a bank teller working 8:30-4:00 everyday. I go home, get changed, workout from like 5-7, then play poker from about 7-11/12 during the peak hours every night. I think this is the safest/most effective way to make the transition. Then eventually through playing thousands of hands and building up my bankroll and bank account once school starts I will be doing the same thing except classes during the day so I wont have the $$$$ making job.

Start off at low limits, try it for a few weeks, you might get bored of poker, and do not play out of your bankroll.