I don't want to be a professional (LC)

Yoshi63 · #1 03-29-2007, 07:42 PM

I did some 2+2 reading and thinking the past hour, and reminded myself of something I already knew:

I don't want to be a professional poker player.

I don't have the time to be, I don't strive to be, I don't need to be, and I'm glad I feel this way.

I play poker under two cirumstances:
1) I am playing for the challenge/excitement combination. In this situation I play the highest limits I truely feel comfortable at (based on opponents and my BR). Currently that is 5/10 LHE.
2) I am playing for the excitement/gamble/fun. In this situation I play at laughably low limits compared to my bankroll, such as a sit n' go for 1/5000th of my bankroll.

Anyways, when I play situation 1 poker, I try my best to play well, learn something about my opponents (including myself), and enjoy it. I play probably 500 hands of this type of poker per week. I just wanted to share this, and see if others can relate.

Ralph Wiggum · #2 03-29-2007, 09:48 PM

Well said. I think too many people fall into the trap that the pro route is the way to go. Poker can be my hobby, like golf is my dad's hobby.

demon102 · #3 03-29-2007, 11:24 PM

thats kool

signal · #4 03-30-2007, 01:48 AM

That's a koolway of looking at things.

At present, I too don't want to, (thankfully) don't need to,....etc. I think a lot of people on these boards go the intelligent amateur route. We supplement income; we satisfy our strategic need. It is a social process as well.

However, there are some 'strategic' benefits that we willingly accept:

1. Losing a job (layoff, outsource, etc.) we can look to poker to get us by; become the semi-pro.

2. Geezer-semi-pro: retirement, if it still exists, when we are grey will be so much softer....

3. We can unwind. my current B&M schedule is once per week. I look forward to a fun, social, Bacchanalian game of poker once every seven days.

I think a lot of other 2p2ers relate to this and this is the norm. The truly successful pros here are outnumbered by us amateurs and we are outnumbered by the hacks.

But, to each his own and the professional route is certainly advantageous for some.

sonartec23b · #5 03-30-2007, 12:17 PM

Yosh,
I think that this is a wonderful realization. You have to set your own standards with how you would ultimately like to progress as a poker player and also as a person. Some of the most rewarding experiences that you can have as a human being are related to setting your own expectations independent of what goals other people may set for themselves or even for you. Best of luck.

Frond · #6 03-30-2007, 12:56 PM

Pretty much the same boat. One of my goals is to be able to dump some winnings into my little girls college fund.

cdlarmore · #7 03-30-2007, 01:42 PM

Sweet all the way around, foremost, poker makes a great hobby, keeps us sharp, and can afford us a little extra spending money, if we want to push the envelope and go pro, it is always an option too... i think a ton of poker players are real about their expectations and know how to properly deal with their habit, send this thread to that Ahole USA today writer who said all gamblers end up killing themselves.

Carlson411 · #8 03-30-2007, 01:53 PM

Im not really sure what poker is for me any more. I think I'll call it an extreme hobby. I have fun with it. I give my PC a break sometimes to get away. However, during the break I may be reading a poker magazine or watching some tournament on TV. This week alone I probably played 600-1000 hands and I only played 2 days. Not a good session this week so Im going to take a long break b/c April 14th I'll be in A.C. Yes 2 weeks is like 3 mos away from poker for me. Love the game and really like it as my hobby. I also like the money aspect and studying it.

reddred · #9 03-30-2007, 02:49 PM

I agree totally w/ OP.......the bottom line is, when I rely too much on the money (am moving closer to professional), I get more stressed out, am more prone to tilt, and have less fun (b/c I'm losing). When I keep it on the hobby level of importance, I have more fun, play better, and win more.

renereal · #10 03-30-2007, 10:49 PM

To me people who turn pro are the players who experience this winning streak were they build there bankroll really fast in a short amount of time and think wow this is easy ill go pro but then reality hits and they have bad beats and a big losing streak to bring them back to reality.