Three Years in Las Vegas

[pyedog]

Very interesting stories, thanks for posting these and sorry to hear about your Dad.

Yikes, these last three years definitely don't inspire me to want to take a shot as a poker pro though. That sounds like a really tough grind. Glad to hear that you're getting by though, and good luck in the future!

[malo]

Thank you for posting, Dynasty, and deepest condolences. Hope your mother is doing alright also---it has been a difficult time for both or you.

But life goes on. May 2007 bring good things.

[Praetorian Card]

no disrespect, but this post should be a warning for all those considering playing poker for a living. The OP may not have a "boring corporate job", but I do not envy his career at all.

Six years and this guy has essentially mowed through his savings and is essentially living on the financial edge with nothing to show for his "work".

I love poker as entertainment, but to do as a living seems like a waste of life. I'd hate to have my success in life determined by a flop of cards.

I'll take my boring life over the fastlane of gambling any day, but that's just me. I hope the OP can make something out of his part time publishing gig, because it would be highly unlikely "corporate America" would take a flyer on someone who has been a virtual ghost for 6 years. One year no problem, but six?

And I am not crusading here, just my honest opinion...

[JAA1337]

Thanks for keeping this thread updated. I think your story is a great one. I am sory for your loss. Best wishes going forward.

JAA

[Rushmore]

[ QUOTE ]
no disrespect, but this post should be a warning for all those considering playing poker for a living. The OP may not have a "boring corporate job", but I do not envy his career at all.

Six years and this guy has essentially mowed through his savings and is essentially living on the financial edge with nothing to show for his "work".

I love poker as entertainment, but to do as a living seems like a waste of life. I'd hate to have my success in life determined by a flop of cards.

I'll take my boring life over the fastlane of gambling any day, but that's just me. I hope the OP can make something out of his part time publishing gig, because it would be highly unlikely "corporate America" would take a flyer on someone who has been a virtual ghost for 6 years. One year no problem, but six?

And I am not crusading here, just my honest opinion...

[/ QUOTE ]

As much as I hate to agree, there is some element of truth to this sentiment.

I am confident that everyone here respects the OP's game, and the OP's candor, but the question is two-fold:

1. Is he leaking?
2. If not, why would anyone believe they can beat the game?

In light of the fact that I believe the game can be beat, I cannot help it--I suspect a leak.

All of that said, I would have been down the foodstamp office after Year 2, I imagine.

I think the real point is this: most folks ought to just put down that duffel bag, send the cab away, and go back upstairs and call Gretchen Mol.

Just hold your hands over your ears so you won't hear the voice-over.

[Ghazban]

[ QUOTE ]
I think the real point is this: most folks ought to just put down that duffel bag, send the cab away, and go back upstairs and call Gretchen Mol.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just about everybody believes this. However, most people also believe they are the exception.

[surfinillini]

If we replaced every "poker" in his stories with "gambling" could we really think of any other outcome? What percentage of people who gamble for a living really make it in the long run?

At the end of the day...lets just be honest with ourselves.

As far as his resolve I have to give him credit...6 years is a fckn long time in a $hithole like Vegas. I lived there for about 6 months through the summer of 06 up until November, and while I played and did pretty well I was completely bored and out of my element. It was not very satisfying, even being up a few grand after 1/2 dozen hours of live poker, buying a new car and living in a very nice house with a group of good guys. I'm back in school now and working on a new career so its all good for me but I always knew poker was a temporary stepping stone until either law school or whatever...basically something for me to do before I moved on to other (dare I say bigger and better?) things. I always knew I wouldn't be a high stakes player, i wouldn't be able to have that high of a disregard for $$$.

Gl to Dynasty though, hopefully he can grind to a 5/10NL bankroll and one day 10/20NL.

but I agree with the above posters who say there must be a leak (or two) in his game to not be able to beat those games with a basic TAG strategy. The local grinders are pretty straight-forward and with the weekend tourists abound, if you put in the hours you will come out way ahead...it's merely a motivational issue at that point.

[PLOlover]

So you don't play online at all? Just curious why not.

[Xanthro]

The leak may be something other than poker play specifically.

It's that he didn't adapt to the changing World of poker. While the Stud and Limit games got harder and harder, and the No Limit games softer, he stayed with the harder games too long.

That coupled with the inevitiable downswings in poker can cripple even a carefully managed bankroll.

Life can come at you quickly sometimes, and a bankroll that can handle normal downswings can't handle a normal downswing and an outside financial emergency. Then you end up playing short and not playing optimally.

Dynasty, thank you for the well written and entertaining updates. My condolences on the loss of your father, and I wish you well.

[internetdonk]

congrats on the great story... I hope you got a car ( or moved closer to the book store)..Have you ever ventured into NL??