A Surprisingly Hard Decision

TilTandWiN · #1 07-28-2007, 03:00 PM

I have a reasonably difficult decision to make at the moment and was wondering if I could hear some opinions.

I am a young kid - (very recently 18) - and love poker. In fact one could easily say that I love poker too much. Luckily for me I am a winning addict, and am coming to the end of the best month of my life, up $1650 playing micro stakes NLHE. This is A LOT of money for me. I expect that I will move up to 100NL within the two to three weeks (with a bank roll of $3500) and hopefully earning more money.

However poker takes up a stupid amount of my time – and at this point time is very important as I am preparing to beat the intense competition that applying to the top universities involves – but then again I have known this for a while but have never really done anything about it: the problem with being an addict.

I then read The Bigger Deal by A. Holden and found a quote that made me question my obsession at this age. It was from a conversation between the 2006 EPT Champion, Jeff Williams, and the world famous Lee Jones. It basically stated that poker would be around for a long time, so don’t rush into it and do the important things first – like school.

So – should I quit?

prodonkey · #2 07-28-2007, 03:03 PM

quit school obviously

thac · #3 07-28-2007, 03:04 PM

If you can't control how little you play, then you should quit. Education is so much more important than poker, but if you can go to school and then play poker for an hour after classes/studying, and on the weekend a bit, I don't see what the problem is. Just don't get over your head in poker and forget about school.

castigar · #4 07-28-2007, 03:05 PM

Stay in school. Work hard to get a good job and when you have free time, play.

KEW · #5 07-28-2007, 03:18 PM

Do not quit school and DO NOT quit poker..The majority of these boards(very rough est) do both..So why can't you...School is tough and time consuming but there is PLENTY of free time as well...

If you think school leaves you no time wait for the rude awaking "the real world" and family responsibilities has for you..

If you are as you say an "addict" you need to get yourself under control before you self destruct...

Mike Kelley · #6 07-28-2007, 03:24 PM

Poker is a fun hobby. I don't think it would be as fun if you had to win.

Kasane · #7 07-28-2007, 03:24 PM

Never, ever quit school if you don't have to. Take it from someone who's been there and had to go back 20 years later to finish up. Not because your parents tell you to. Not because society tells you to. But because it's your own enrichment -- you'll be better at everything you ever do in the future. Poker included.

Money will always be there, your youth will not.

"Youth is wasted on the young," is just too damn true. Sheesh.

Capone · #8 07-28-2007, 04:03 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Stay in school. Work hard to get a good job and when you have free time, play.

[/ QUOTE ]

I couldn't agree more. Go out do as many girls as you can, get a good education, a good job, have fun with your friends and family. And when you have spare time play poker as a hobby/part time job. DO NOT LET IT CONSUME YOU, and don't quit, just make it a hobby.

tubasteve · #9 07-28-2007, 04:06 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Poker is a fun hobby. I don't think it would be as fun if you had to win.

[/ QUOTE ]

this is 100% true

barryc83 · #10 07-28-2007, 04:07 PM

Ummm are you questioning quitting poker for the sake of school or quitting school for poker? I'll assume the latter. This is so stupid man you don't even know. I'm not trying to be insulting, but you made $1650 in one month, big deal. I don't know where you live, but unless it's BFE you will live like a poor person in most parts of this country. Go out and find out how much health insurance, car insurance, rent, and utilities cost and see how far $1650 gets you.

Plus, college is fun as hell, especially your freshman year. Live in a dorm, meet people, drink beer/experiment, meet girls, profit. It's that simple. Poker isn't going away man. Also, college is the perfect time to really get good at poker. Sure you have classes and homework and stuff, but you will have plenty of down time to get better at this game. I wish that I could of known about this website when I was in college. Instead of wasting time on Halo, Madden and NCAA FB, I couldve been grinding. I couldn't even imagine being a pro at less than 400nl.