Tell the worst TURNING PRO STORY you have heard.

[BigSoonerFan]

Sixty year old man loses business (bankrupt) after thirty years.
Man gets job driving trucks.
Man saves about 40k over two years.
Man decides to try poker for a living, travelling around the country playing in tournaments and cash games.
After dropping to 10k after five months, man returns to truck-driving.
Man has heart attack and is released from job.
Man takes last 10k to Vegas. Busto.
Man emails ME asking for another 10k. "I can make it here"

Over sixty years old, bad heart, driving a truck again after somehow passing a physical.

Summary:
Man doesn't have gambling problem, but a reality problem. Thinks he's good enough to make a living but really isn't good enough to make money at all (loose-passive). Throw in poor money management, both at poker and overall, and busto.

[ACG2x]

While my story certainly can't touch the quality of Pants Optional's (him posting that reminded me of when I was a teenager I used to spam forums I didn't like by continually posting the entire first chapter of "Animal Farm"), I do know of two folks who were playing cards as a main/only source of income for a while and how they turned out-

A former poker dealer who quit or was fired for suspected collusion with certain players depending on who you ask did nothing but play cards at a different casino (specifically 4/20 and 5/60 spread). Guy was pretty good, a solid LAG player who talked and played loudly.

I played with him a few times and every time I'd be at his table, he'd dissapear for 5-10 min. at a time and then come walking back in. I later found out he'd muck in EP, MP, etc. and walk out to the blackjack or other table games tables during the middle of hands and drop $100, $200, etc.

I stopped seeing him for a while and asked other players at my table who I knew that knew him what happened to him. Someone said he ended up having to ban himself from the casino because he was losing whatever BR he built up at the poker tables at BJ, Pai Gow, 3-Card, etc. during poker hands. He obviously couldn't take money off the table, he'd just dip into the wallet and pull out a few c-notes and plunk them down at BJ, then race back to the table to be in the next hand of poker.

I know of several degens that take their poker winnings and blow it on BJ after a poker session but this was the first person I have heard of to blow anything he was up at the poker table on house games during the middle of a session.

In regards to the letter, we have in Minnesota a way you can 86 yourself from a gambling establishment. You sign an affadavit in the presence of a floor manager who signs it as well. Once you do, any time you are seen on casino property, you agree the casino can consider it trespassing and have you arrested.

The ban is entirely voluntary and you can lift it anytime by simply signing a retraction form. I don't know all the specifics and if there is a minimum time frame for the ban, but you can and this guy did do it.

As of today, it's still in effect I do believe.