Wanted: Sympathy and Reassurance After Two Weeks of Hell!

[SinkRox]

I agree with hra and was suprised you quit you job with only $6k roll, that leaves pretty much no room for error... alas, you seem to have pulled through and built it to a decent amount - so continue on grinding, I say.

Hra, th eproblem with working fulltime and playing 30-40k hands per month is that you're likely not going to have much time left to study and improve, whereas going fulltime allows for far more effort to be put in.

[hra146]

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Points taken, hra. I'm impressed if you can rack up 30,000 or 40,000 hands in addition to a full-time job - I obviously need to step up my game!

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not a fulltime job. Take a job that leaves you with as much time as possible and just exactly covers your (minimal) cost of living.
That changes all of the financial dynamics in your first months of (essentially) going pro. Not to speak of the psychological advantages that it bringes with it.

Im not trying to talk you out of your plans. If you are psychologically tough and the pokergods dont exactly doom you you can do it. No doubt. But also note that even 50BIs isnt a ton for playing professionally.

We dont really know enough about your financial situation though. Will you have to cash out every month from your effective roll? What are your costs of living? What are you expecting?

etc. pp , it all goes into the equation.


To finish off what more positively: You CAN do it. If you really want to and if youre willing to put the time and effort into it.

[hra146]

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Hra, th eproblem with working fulltime and playing 30-40k hands per month is that you're likely not going to have much time left to study and improve, whereas going fulltime allows for far more effort to be put in.

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Thats true. I didnt really make it clear what I meant in my first post.
I wanted to stick with the idea of going pro but taking out some of the most dangerous variables - hence a parttime job.

Sticking with a fulltime job and playing poker is a little different ofcourse. If you were to decide to go back to it again you would obviously have to play less hands and study more.

[Ender Wiggin]

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page me in 1598600 hands, n00b!"

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I lol'd

[BigDan9]

Good stuff, hra and Sink.

To put things in perspective, I'd saved enough from my last job (which was well paid but seriously dull and stressful) to last me for 6-9 months whilst I dedicate my time to poker. I'm keeping my living costs to a minimum (not easy in London, but possible) and I'm not expecting to be living the high life anytime soon. Averaging anything close to $4,000 per month in my first year would be a great success from my point of view.

With hindsight and knowledge/experience, $6K was clearly a small bankroll to start with but the poker gods' help in getting that to $20K has been a blessing. However, I totally accept the points made by you and other 2+2ers that I really need to get more hands in per month.

Sinks' point about studying is also a good one. I do take time off, but I also spend a fair bit of time when I'm not online on other poker-related stuff (compiling notes on players, reading poker literature and, now, posting more on 2+2). I even go running to keep myself fit (mentally and physically) and often spend that time thinking over hands I played earlier that day.

Your final, positive note is appreciated: Motivation and effort are not lacking but more experience and sound advice from other 2+2 ers is what I really need now!

[hra146]

6 - 9 months and if you fail nothing happened?

dude, wtf, go for it!

50BIs is plenty in this case.

[dragonystic]

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Your final, positive note is appreciated: Motivation and effort are not lacking but more experience and sound advice from other 2+2 ers is what I really need now!

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soundest advice i have: keep poker a hobby.

[SinkRox]

Just make sure you're prepared mentally and financially for 20k b/e stretches (likely to get a few of these in 100k hands) and 10-15 BI downswings.... this is why its important to try and get 35-40k hands p/month so you have less chance of a b/e or losing month.

Personally I'm going to try and train myself not to be happy while in a winning period and likewise not be pissed off and upset while in a losing or b/e stretch... but try and remain emotinally neutral. This is hard to do but must be possible. Just have to forget about the current situation and remember the overall hourly winrate [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Stake Monster]

how the hell are you playing full-time without rakeback? Move to a site with rb now plz.

[x] missed value