Mixed Feelings On Demise of Online Poker

[JohnnyHumongous]

I just feel like putting some of my thoughts down while I have them. Online poker was part of my plan for life. I left a VERY good job in February to do this fulltime, and I was not expecting to only have 6 months or so in which to create income. I had been planning the next 2 or 3 years around online poker. I have been making excellent money, and the thinking was after 2 or 3 years of this I could be worth a mil after taxes... a young guy with that kind of money, well I would be set and free to live a very good life. I could take that money, invest it, start businesses, and just enjoy myself. Now I don't know what to do.

In a way I feel screwed. This feels like a pattern almost... like the poker thing was too good to be true so it had to fall apart on me. Same stuff happens in other areas of life... I thought with poker I had something that was solid, that I could be world-class at and really excel at, and meanwhile make some money which would oil the gears of life and make this a nice existence. Now it's been snatched away from under me. It felt almost criminal how easy the money came sometimes... I guess it literally was. And even though I've been playing online for 2 years and making these ridiculous amounts of money for clicking a mouse as I sit in my boxers, I don't know that it ever sank in how much money it was. In a way this result makes sense to my brain. It was ridiculous that I was even making money playing poker in the first place, so my mind never accepted it and always thought there was gonna be a catch. Well here we are.

On the flipside, I feel an unexpected sensation of relief. Playing poker has been very stressful, and it provides absolutely no meaning. I don't "love" the game, although I do greatly enjoy it at times (when the cards are running hot for instance). I have enjoyed considering all the permutations of what's going on at the tables and the theory of the game, and coming up with insights that have earned me money. It has been rewarding in that respect. But at the end of the day, I don't love this game. It's too adversarial for my liking. A lot of hotheads at the tables, a lot of anger and frustration. Call me crazy but you can feel it in the bets sometimes. Like when you see someone just turbo-raising this and that and you can almost see the hate and rage on the other end of the screen. The whole vibe is quite negative. Live poker doesn't seem much better, as most people are derelicts and almost every time I go there is an incident at the table involving yelling, name-calling, aggression etc. I'm a bright guy with a good heart... I don't want to spend my life in a largely-negative and confrontational environment in order to hustle cash out of some hothead or "fish". Without online poker I'll be forced to do something different, and frankly that might be a good thing for me. I could go back to school, start a business, pick up a job in finance etc. These avenues will also have stress, but I feel the environments may be a little more positive and perhaps equally or more lucrative than poker.

I'm glad I spent this time as a pro poker player. I will never forget this chapter in my life. I learned an enormous amount; about myself, about people, about money. I did what I wanted to do. I didn't play it safe and collect the paycheck, working the boring corporate gig in order to move up some ladder where I'll finally have some cash when I'm too old to enjoy it. I feel odd right now... sentimental almost, like the feeling you get after a breakup or when you say goodbye to old friends you won't see for a long time. When I stop playing online I'll probably stop visiting this site as well... I posted from time to time on various topics but for the most part I just lurked around and kept tabs on what was going on in the poker world. I never got to know any other poker players really, and I know many of you did get together and met up live etc. I guess that just wasn't my style. Maybe I should have; it may have altered my perspective on this lifestyle and maybe humanized it somewhat. In any case, this was the nexus of online poker discussion for the most part so it was hard to escape this place.

That's all I have for now. I doubt it is very coherent but nonetheless, it's down. As the song goes, na na na na life goes on.

[siegfriedandroy]

great post. enjoyed it. why are you giving up so quickly, though? why not look into other possible sites, moving for a couple years to a different country, etc. These are my considerations, and probably will be many of ours in the months and weeks ahead.

sounds like you are likely pretty dam good, and also making nice money. why give it up just like that?

[jzpiano]

man i feel almost identical to you, although i haven't given up hope yet. I love the freedom that comes with poker, but i hate all the ups and downs. I too don't love poker, but it has given me money to spend and make my college life more enjoyable (at times). So your not alone with the way you feel. Either way best of luck to you.

[dickvandicksen]

Hm u dont move out of the U.S.A ? for example CANADA?!

[Spy Dog]

Excellent post. The tone of your post gives me belief that you will be successful in anything you do.

[JohnnyHumongous]

[ QUOTE ]
great post. enjoyed it. why are you giving up so quickly, though? why not look into other possible sites, moving for a couple years to a different country, etc. These are my considerations, and probably will be many of ours in the months and weeks ahead.

sounds like you are likely pretty dam good, and also making nice money. why give it up just like that?

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't talk about it in my post but I will continue for the time being. I imagine I'll probably play for the next 6 months and see where the dust settles on everything. I'm not actually an American so continuing to play won't be a problem, it's just that I don't think it will be worthwhile to continue if my earn rate is cut by 75-80%. It may turn out better than this, but I think this is realistically what's going to occur.

After that I may interview with firms or contemplate starting a business.

[___1___]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think it will be worthwhile to continue if my earn rate is cut by 75-80%

[/ QUOTE ]

I think this will be way off Johnny (depending what limits you're playing these days). I expect my earn rate might be cut by ~15%. For reference I play pretty much 50/50 10/20 and 20/40 on a non-Party site. I think myself and other low/mid-limit pros play 10/20-100/200 will not experience a drastic pay-cut like some expect. Just my opinion.

Oh, and excellent post as always Johnny...

___1___

[bruin]

this is an awesome post

[siegfriedandroy]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
great post. enjoyed it. why are you giving up so quickly, though? why not look into other possible sites, moving for a couple years to a different country, etc. These are my considerations, and probably will be many of ours in the months and weeks ahead.

sounds like you are likely pretty dam good, and also making nice money. why give it up just like that?

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't talk about it in my post but I will continue for the time being. I imagine I'll probably play for the next 6 months and see where the dust settles on everything. I'm not actually an American so continuing to play won't be a problem, it's just that I don't think it will be worthwhile to continue if my earn rate is cut by 75-80%. It may turn out better than this, but I think this is realistically what's going to occur.

After that I may interview with firms or contemplate starting a business.

[/ QUOTE ]

why do you think your earn rate will be cut that drastically? personally (and i could be way off), i dont think it will affect good players like yourself to anywhere near that degree. sure, you will have to put in a lot more effort finding the good games (different sites, diligent seat selection, etc), but i guarantee they will still exist.

One of the best posts I have read in a long time.