Dating a poker pro- From the perspective of a non-playing girlfriend

[golfnutt]

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day trading is far far far riskier than poker.

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I absolutely agree. It had more to do with the value of money and the work ethic than anything else which seems very comparable.

[Henry17]

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It wasn't that he took a shot that was bad. It was the corruption of money that killed his soul. For him to view $70,000 as meaningless when that would take someone saving $10,000 a year for 6 years to get to (assuming interest) is unhealthy.

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I'm not sure if it is healthy or not but I agree with your friend. I realize objectively that $70k is a lot of money for most people. Every time I see the stats on avg income I realize just how warped my concept of money is. That being said if I was down to $70k I wouldn't care about it either. I couldn't afford to cover the basics for more then 6 months so I might as well go for it. If I bust out I'm no worse off than if I save the $70k.

[golfnutt]

I believe your calcalations. There are some that can win. Over an 8 to 10 year period, there will be a handful. Plus, as King Henry here pointed out, the games are getting tougher. There aren't that many fish pouring in millions of dollars to keep that many sharks afloat.

I guess it comes down to my belief of poker as a -ev isn't only based on the career path. I live in Los Angeles and I literally see hundreds of actors who think they will be the next star. They labor at restaurants and any other gig to get by. Just like poker, the majority will not make it a career path. Difference is that they were not 'polluted' by making big money. They have a strong work ethic and don't see money as the holy grail.

I am only speaking here from personal experience and what I have witnessed over 18 years. Maybe I am out of touch with the new generation of Internet Pros, but I have seen the scene played out many times.

[lala]

golfnutt, your "daytrader" friend is not a trader, its obvious from your story that he's a degenerate gambler who probably got lucky in the .com bubble and then lost it in the bear market. Although I wouldn't recommend daytrading to most people, people with gambling problems will of course fail.

[Henry17]

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Plus, as King Henry here pointed out, the games are getting tougher.

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If you look at poker over the last 20 years the level of play currently is a joke. It is very easy to make money. My point was that a lot of these guys who think they can make a career out of it started after the level of play had already become so soft that they believe they are better players than they actually are. If the game goes back to the level of play present in the 90s the majority of them will become losing players.

[Mr_Pathetic]

games are tougher then just one year ago. it used to be that 8PTBB was the norm instead of 5 but I think the games will always be profitable at a certain level for anyone. how far up that level is depends on a lot of things though. Before, anyone willing to invest a lot of time could make really good money and I do not feel that is not the case anymore. you're going to have to be very intelligent and possess some talent/six sensth or whatever you want to call it in order to make it to a significant level and win longterm. my talent is my memory. its the best skill i got.

like people trying to be actors, you can never know if you'll make it till you try but you got to be willing to know and come to grips when you are clearly not going to make it. it's like an addict coming to grips with his situation. it's very hard to do for anyone. kind of like me playing poker right now. i have set a goal for myself that is very achievable if i turn into anything decent and if i do not meet that goal come sept. 1st I will be making other plans.

i just don't to wake up working a job i hate for measly money wondering if i could have been great at something, i just got to know. knowing is better then not knowing for me.

[Brad1970]

There's some good points made on both sides in this thread but there seems to be a reoccuring theme in the 'pro-gambler' camp...all of you curl your nose up at the thought of having to actually hold a job. I'm not saying poker isn't work or that everyone should want to have a day job....just that it is a common denominator.

[Henry17]

I think a job would be a serious issue psychologically. I spend money on stuff now that I would never spend if I had a job. It just feels different. With a job I'd be equating how much something costs with how many hours I'd have to work to get that money vs with gambling I consider how many bets. Winning money vs getting paid by an employer makes having a high burn rate easier to justify.

[Thremp]

Security from gambling is way way way higher than a job. I control my income and my fate. I work more if I want more money, work less when I don't. You on the other hand are merely at the hands of fate... New technological advances could render your skillset worthless. I meanwhile have a fleet of degenerates who have kept my business in business for centuries with steady growth in sight.

As an aside. LOLLERSKATES at golfclown and his estimates of what people make. 2p2ers I have personally met are the entirety of the community making 200k+ a year. Get a clue man.

[golfnutt]

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Security from gambling is way way way higher than a job. I control my income and my fate. I work more if I want more money, work less when I don't.

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Keep telling yourself that. If you somehow always think that the more you gamble, the more money you will make, and you control your income, I want to know what color the sky is on your planet.