Quitting my crap job to grind 2/5+ live??

[RydenStoompala]

I'd do it for a while, planning to hit grad school or moving into something better when the time is right. No harm done wasting a year or two at your age and you may even meet some characters who come in handy in your future career. I'd pick Vegas over elsewhere because the cost of living is not too high, the tourist traffic is very high and the community is more desirable than the ones surrounding other gambling centers. You'll also want good tournament choices, which Vegas has to an infinite degree, and a huge variety of games, again a Vegas given. Plus, there's the outrageous quantity of amazing women.

When you get there, make a serious attempt to stay as healthy as possible. It's pretty easy to start skipping sleep, exercise and a good diet and you will start looking like you're 50 before you are 30. Just pretend your mother is making your lifestyle decisions (other than the poker-for-a-living decision) and you'll do fine. Just like with your bankroll, there will be some variance in the lifestyle area, but don't pull a Stu Unger.

There is some very good advice in the previous posts. This is one of the better threads I have seen on the topic.

[CHEFXCASINO]

I'll tell you, I had moved to Vegas and tried to make a living at poker. I kept records and played limit hold'em as well as a few other games to break up the boredom. It has to be the hardest thing to do. I had a limited bank roll. I made some great friends in the process. Anyways I didn't succeed in my attempt to become a pro.
Their was a young man that Al Capone Jr. and I knew in Vegas that came out there with $70,000 that his mom left him when she died. In a year of playing and paying his bills to live he was dead broke, and had to crash on my floor for 2 months before he decided to leave the city of lights. I don't know what happen to him, but we never heard from him again.
Playing poker for a living can be done. But you have to one of the best and very lucky. Don't quit your day job. Play for the love of the game. If you turn it into your job you'll start to regret your decision.

[ThaHero]

I want to thank all those that made responses in this thread. I'm 23 and live in L.A., so going pro has always been something I've considered. It seems like poker is more suited to be a stepping stone to whatever it is you really want to do. My generation was really lucky to have this boom come. OTOH, many in my generation were unlucky as they lost a lot of money and maybe took a step back on their future.

I work a crappy $9/hr job and it sucks to wake up every morning like this. After realizing what the real world has to offer without some type of degree or certification, I really want to get back into school. However, working at this job and with the stuff I have to pay for, I just can't. My plan is to hopefully use poker as a way to at least drop down to part time on my job as I make more playing poker, save up some money, and finish school. Plans never go the way you think they will though. Good luck to the OP.

[spino1i]

I think some people are overestimating how hard it is to make a living off of poker live. I think a strong 5/10 NL player, for instance, should have no problem making a living. 2/5 is pushing it though, and you will have to work long hours.

[Machmood]

playing for a living is MUCH harder then people think. When your winning everything is great, but what happens when u lose a few buy ins?? many people start chasing money, their game deteriorates, they completly lose focus of the rest of their life and focus only on poker and "winning their money back". a few tips i would give sum1 is as follows.

1. GO into the venture extremly over bankrolled. Your gonna take your lumps along the way, figure out your money managment, this will allow to take some loses and not freak out. Belive me this is VERY important, it will rleiv stress and let u just "play your game"

2. Dont be so result oriented. Just go into the casino and play solid poker. If your at the table for 8 hours and down 50 bucs, and feel like ur gettin anxious and frustrated go home and call it a day. a 50 dollar loss isnt really a bad day in the long run, but a tilt out -400 is.

3. Dont allow poker to take over. have hobbies, and other things you do with your time. I reccomend getting in the gym almost every day to relive stress and keep ur mental edge. This will keep u sharp at the table and ur brain focused.

4. enjoy every day. Remeber u made this choice because u love poker, and in reality it is easy money. Dont lose site that your doing what u love for a living. Some days r gonna be [censored], just keep it in perspective