like the money, dislike the game.

hhboy77 · #1 01-23-2006, 02:28 AM

hi guys, i was wondering if there were people out there who have found that they can make a very good living playing online poker but find the game tedious.

based on my previous playing experience, i think a tight/solid player without a ton of experience could make six-figures playing full time (especially considering taxes), if he multi-tables at the $2/$4 nl levels.

obviously, as he moves up and gains experience, his winnings will grow. it seems to me that there are a lot of people who can make more playing cards than in any "real job" that they could ever get.

such a situation could make for a strange dynamic, as there would be players who would like to do something else but can't get away from the cash.

MCS · #2 01-23-2006, 02:40 AM

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such a situation could make for a strange dynamic, as there would be players who would like to do something else but can't get away from the cash.

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I think this applies to tons of players on 2+2.

eagleye · #3 01-23-2006, 02:49 AM

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such a situation could make for a strange dynamic, as there would be players who would like to do something else but can't get away from the cash.

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This is the same as in lots of professions, a.k.a. the "golden handcuffs" (corporate law, I-banking), some guys get into it, don't like it, and want to change careers but are trapped by the money.

I think most of the profitable players love the game, or else they would have never gotten that good. One kind grind it out to make money, and play live, in bigger games, etc. to spice things up a bit and enjoy themselves.

hhboy77 · #4 01-23-2006, 02:57 AM

i agree that this does apply to quite a few players on 2+2. the reason i find this interesting is that i think online poker, by the virtue of multi-tabling and increased popularity has lowered the bar considerably to who the "golden handcuffs" apply to. after all, by multi-tabling lower stakes games you can be effectively playing at much higher stakes without the tougher competition at higher stakes.

and while the great ones probably need to have love for the game, the good ones do not. so the golden handcuffs are a new phenomenon for poker.

does this apply to either of you?

DJ Sensei · #5 01-23-2006, 03:09 AM

I certainly have changed my outlook on employment/careers since discovering poker. As I can easily make more playing cards (which I thoroughly enjoy, as well) than at just about any other job that I could get right now, its pretty hard to try and seek out jobs.

On the plus side, if I do get a job, i'm sure it'll be one that I enjoy doing, because otherwise why would I do it when I could play cards for the money?

I think there might be a fine line between loving the game and loving the money, and after a very good session, it can be fairly difficult to discern between the two.

Kilillan · #6 01-23-2006, 04:16 AM

I think most people that have poker as a living start to dislike the game. It's fun at first, but it becomes stressful, boring, and tedious having to do it for 5-8 hours a day.

And if you're incredibly lucky if you're one of the few that has poker for a job and still loves it.

johnsy · #7 01-23-2006, 05:44 AM

if your good enough to beat this game, your good enough to make money doing alot of other things.

PNHH · #8 01-23-2006, 09:58 AM

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if your good enough to beat this game, your good enough to make money doing alot of other things.

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Very well said!

Ghazban · #9 01-23-2006, 10:30 AM

Money is overrated; I turned down a very well-paying job after I finished my undergrad to go pay $25K/year for a master's degree in a different field (one that will likely never make me the money I could've made had I taken that first job).

I have a good friend who works as a computer engineer making pretty good money but hating it. He works 50+ hours/week at a job he hates so he can afford the things he wants to buy and enjoy on the weekends. I pity him.

Salerosa · #10 01-23-2006, 10:47 AM

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if your good enough to beat this game, your good enough to make money doing alot of other things.

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Uh, while this is true, it's definately NOT because poker is a hard game to learn well enough to beat or takes immense intelligence and talent. I can't think of very much that requires less effort and ability comparable to the amount of money that one can make.