Is The Real World Beckoning forJeffage?

[Jeffage]

Hey everyone. I really love this forum and the people in it. I check it several times a day, posting as much as possible. My game has improved tremendously. The problem really is, I just can't do it anymore. I graduated college a few months back and the job market pretty much sucks. No question about it. I can't get a decent job no matter what I do. So I played some online poker. ALOT of online poker. And a lot of casino poker at The Taj Mahal. And I've done pretty well, I mean...I'm not making a ton but I'm paying my bills. And then I made a horrific mistake. I was running bad online, real bad. And I went to Taj this weekend and got my clock cleaned. Did I tilt, you ask...maybe. But I basically dropped over a dime at 10-20 like it was nothing to me, but it was something to me. In fact, it was a lot to me. My AQ went down to Q2, my AA went down to KJ twice, I could go on and on. I wasn't going to win. But I didn't leave. I let the losses pile it up. I went into the pit, something I hadn't done in over a year and pissed away a ridiculous sum. And here I am. I'm not broke. I'm not in debt. I'm not gonna starve. But, I can't do this anymore. I want to get a job, I want a normal schedule, and to live like a normal person. I want to go to Taj like once or twice a month and play 5-10 or 10-20 seriously, but also to have fun with it. I'm not having any fun today, and I don't even feel like eating. This isn't a sob story. I know, bad run yada yada. But, poker is in me. I'm not going to quit...I just can't make it my entire life anymore. I have a job interview tomorrow. A good job. I want to get it, it's been a good 6 months, but the real world is beckoning. Comments, commiserations appreciated.

Jeff

[Jimbo]

Jeffage,

I am sorry to hear about you bad run of cards. Perhaps it is good it happened early in your poker life rather than later. It seems as if you had considering turning pro, which can be very good yet everyone is not cut out for the life. Your post above shows the emotional damage that can result from a bad run of cards may be too much to shoulder at this point in your life. My advice is to take the job, enjoy poker as a recreational activity and hit the lottery for a 100 million! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Best Regards,

Jimbo

[Bob T.]

Hi Jeffage,

I play about 10-20 hours a week, combined between online and live poker at lowlimit or the low end of midlimit, I have fun, have extra money for vacations, my employer pays for my benefits, and if I run bad, I might have to get a part time job to pay for the vacations, but the consequences aren't ugly beyond that.

Good luck in the Job Interview.

Good luck,
Play well,

Bob T.

[J_V]

I am not sure how much money you have, but all poker players go through periods where they feel a little financially unstable. Also, we all feel sick after losses. I remember when I first started playing four years ago, I jumped up to 2-4 and lost 200 dollars. I couldn't sleep. I contemplated quitting then, thinking this game was too brutal and had to much stress to continue. However, I never did, and I am very glad I made that decision. As you move up in limits, you will desensitize yourself to monetary losses. Now it takes about 15 times what if used to before a loss really bothers me. 1000 at 10-20 is a tough loss but anyone that has played for a decent time at that limit has suffered the feeling. If you keep playing and keep playing well maybe you'll be lucky enough to experience the feeling as a winning 50-100 player or 75-150 player. I heard a piece where Jennifer Harmon said she didn't sleep the first time she lost 3000, the first time she lost 10,000 and cried her eyes out the first time she lost 100,000. Don't quit!

[Mason Malmuth]

Poker is a great second job for many people but a poor first job for those same people. That may be the case with you. If it is, and you have recognized it, don't despair. You'll still have plenty of time to play the next 30 or 40 years.

MM

[PokerBabe(aka)]

Good Luck, honey. Poker will be around when you want to play again, and there is no shame in working. Take care, Babe

[Nepa]

Jeffage, I feel your pain, The job market has really sucked for over a year now(I'v been underemployed for about 11 months). Good luck on the job interview, I'm starting a new job tomorrow.

I'v got an idea for you. Why don't you take a shot at the WCOP at the Taj in Dec. I know from reading on here that you are not a tournament player but what the hell. Roll the dice and play a 300 or 500 event. With a win, job or not, you can put some cash in your pocket. At worse, you have another good post for 2plus2. Good luck.

I read this forum because it is a monitored board, unlike RPG. But some of the language in this thread is frankly very disturbing and the accountability lies directly at your feet for controlling it.

In this very thread, the word "WORK" was used 9 times.

If having to read that wasn't emotionally scarring enough, my wife also read it and bought into some of the advice.

Where is the sense of humanity that this group use to have. This is devastating to have to read.

[afish]

Jeffage:

Just curious -- were you playing 10-20 on Saturday at a table (I think it was 35) with a crazy older woman in seat one who was blowing a big wad of cash, a guy with funky little metal sunglasses in seat 10, and a bald guy in seat 9?

It seems like you know the answer to your question -- you need a job. Poker is a hobby, not a career.

[StoneAge]

I don't know what kind of job you are looking for but IMHO poker is a great second job. I work seasonally teaching natural history and primitive technology so I play poker in the offseason - and if I go broke I have my hunter/gatherer skills to fall back on! It does help to have a bit of disregard for money to help take thousand(s) dollar losses.

I think I have played 10-20 with you at pokerroom.com- is that so?

[Jeffage]

I was at that table. Who were you there? Bald guy in 9 or someone else? Unfortunately the crazy older women was blowing a huge wad of cash that WAS mine previously. She was killing the game for over 2k at one point before losing just about all of it. I was not playing my best toward the end, so I'm sure you got the impression I was a dumb kid, which I earned on that night...curious who you were there. As for your advice...I agree. It is a great game to play and one where you can meet interesting people, learn lots of things. You can also supplement your income quite nicely with it. But as a job, it leaves a lot to be desired. It's time to get back to reality.

Jeff

[Jeffage]

Stone Age, yes we have played together on Pokerroom frequently. I respect your play highly, and that is not common of most on that site =). I've made a lot of money playing there (basically most of what I've made playing poker), and enjoy it a great deal. As for your idea, I like it...I need some structure and want poker to be A source but not THE source of my income.

Jeff

[Jeffage]

I really appreciate you taking the time to reply to my post. When I first started playing, I was a completely clueless player and lost lots of money. Then I found your books and turned into a winner with a lot of hard work. It is amazing how many players you have influenced, and how many have read HPFAP. But as for your comments, you are correct...I think few people can do this for a living AND live a fulfilling life. You yourself have branched out into the publishing field and seem to enjoy it a great deal. I think poker will be a game I will play forever, but I will enjoy it much more when my rent isn't riding on the river card. Thanks for providing this site, and your books.

Jeff

[afish]

Yes, I was the bald guy in 9. I assume you were the kid who left and asked that we save your seat for a while since you might return. (You also made a comment to me when I won a big pot out of the BB with Qh9s when the flop was all hearts (nine high) and crazy woman raised the flop). You were on mega tilt and should have left earlier. I actually was feeling bad for you, and I was happy you didn't come back. I am sorry to hear that you went to the pit instead.

I remember one hand where I raised with pocket queens before the flop and the flop was three handed (including you and a guy on the button). There was a ragged flop, you bet, I raised, and the button called cold. You and the button proceeded to call me down when it should have been obvious I had an overpair (I couldn't have been bluffing two players out of that pot).

Good luck.

PS: The woman lost all of her money at 10:30 pm, reached into her pocket for $200 more, and blew that off in 30 minutes.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

This reply more than likely belongs on the psychology forum, but your situation reminds me of a quote I once read from former Bills QB Jim Kelly. I think it speaks well to a trait you (or anybody) needs to be successful at poker or at anything else.

After throwing 3 picks in the 1st half, Kelly came out firing on the first series of the 2nd. When asked later how he could do that so confidently after stinking it up so soon before, he said "I'm an optimist with a short memory."

Your age is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Its a plus because, you have more time to learn and adapt. It's a minus because you haven't been around long enough to see that bad situations are a normal part of life, and that if you don't let them get you down, you'll bounce back.

hang in there.

[Jeffage]

Yes, that was me asking for my seat to be held. As sick as it is, I probably would have lost less there than I did at Green Chip Blackjack, but I was out of control at that point. I considered going home, but the bus station in DC is such a ghetto at that hr, and getting a cab isn't too easy. I'm not trying to stroke your ego here, but with the possible exception of weird sunglasses guy in 10 (who I have seen play very high limits), you were the best player at that table and looked the part. You played extremely well and made few mistakes. Good to finally know who you are after all the talk we have done on this forum. As for the hand you had QQ, I remember it and I remember knowing I was beat but I couldn't fold. I had some kind of slightly lesser overpair like 1010 or JJ (it's all hazy) that I had limped with pre, you raised, and I was to timid to reraise you. I was trapped. I think you may have bet the flop, I raised, and you reraised and I just wanted to rip my cards in half and scream out on the boardwalk or something. And yes, you are right...I was on major tilt at the end after being beat legitimately out of like 700 I should have left and saved myself the pain of another 4 stacks or so. Im sure you remember my AA losing the that greasy old all in's KJ and then losing to him again when he's all-in, etc. Ok, so I made a BAD first impression...sorry buddy, not usually like me. Maybe we can grab a bite at (gasp) Bombay or something next time we're both in town (though I may humbly be back at 5-10). Take care.

Jeff

[Homer]

Hey Jeff, I'm sorry to hear about your misfortune over the past week. I'm sure you are feeling a bit down on yourself right now, but please don't. You have been playing 10/20 and winning, which is quite impressive for anyone, let alone for someone your/our age. I'm sure you realize that you made a mistake by going on tilt and blowing off some cash that you shouldn't have. Yes, you made a mistake, but you can still consider yourself fortunate that this mistake didn't cost you too much. You can still pay the bills, and I'm sure you have learned a lesson or two from this. I appreciate the fact that you don't want to do this for a living anymore. I can't imagine how stressful it must be at times. Often, I think that I'd like to be in your shoes (or someone else out there making money playing poker), but then I grind out a long session barely breaking even or suffering a small loss, and I realize how difficult it would be in reality (and this is at low-limits). I don't think I could ever do it, so I admire the fact that you have been able to do so. I think you could still do it if you wanted to, but the real question is if you want to. It sounds as if you definitely don't, at least not right now. Hopefully, this interview will land you a job, and you can start to enjoy the game again when you play. I don't mean to say that you won't take the game seriously anymore, just that it will become a profitable hobby that isn't going to determine whether or not the electric bill gets paid. Instead it can determine how much money you can blow while on vacation. Hopefully you will still get down to the Taj once in a while, and we will be able to meet up for lunch/dinner.

-- Homer

p.s. - There's nothing wrong with going into the pit once in a while, if you can find things to do with a very small -EV. Play blackjack with basic strategy (with comps it is almost break-even), play some of the better video poker games (.25 9/6 JOB), etc.

[StoneAge]

excellent post

[afish]

Thanks for the complement, although I'm not sure I want to "look the part," whatever that means.

Actually that was my first trip to AC since August. Between my girlfriend and work, I find it difficult to play as much as I used to.

You didn't make a bad first impression, but you were just donating chips by the end of that night. I'd say you were calling with approximately 40 percent of your hands, and it seemed that almost every hand was you, the old lady, and one or two other players.

Not sure when I'll be down again, but I'll look for you.

--AFish

Ok, this is a bit crude, but why are we feeling sorry for the guy? Are you not looking to find a guy just like him, on a full blown tilt and try to grab a seat on his left next time you are in a game?

[Fitz]

We are trying to help the guy because that is what this forum is about. It is here so we can all learn and improve our game. Personally, I don't like playing with somebody on full out tilt; it causes a great deal of tension in the game, and since I play relax and have fun, it is counter productive.

[Homer]

Who says we are feeling sorry for him? This statement implies that we are pitying him, which I don't think is the case....

-- Homer

[MCS]

Ok, this is a bit crude, but why are we feeling sorry for the guy? Are you not looking to find a guy just like him, on a full blown tilt and try to grab a seat on his left next time you are in a game?

Sure, but that doesn't mean I want someone likeable to be on tilt.