Poker for a Living

Jorge10 · #1 08-03-2005, 06:14 PM

I play a lot and win quite a bit I win enough so that I actually could make a living off it, about 4k a month, I have been playing for about 6 months, not rich by any means, but then again I play very low stakes .50/1 and 1/2 pot limit mostly, I use the money to pay for college and to help my parents with their bills they dont make much. I make more than them now, which is odd to say the least, but I really dont know how im going to return to school and be able to play like this with homework and everything.

I am starting to wonder where to go from here? I mean I really like poker and I enjoy it I have 28 poker books have read 19. I really like playing all forms of it. I have been concentrating on all forms of pot limit omaha, both high and low and have become good at it, but I play stud and limit holdem from time to time and am thinking of getting deeper into them because I have read books on them and I think I can beat the lower levels the few times I have played I do ok, I just make more in pot limit omaha games, lol.

I know I should finish school and thats why I have continued to go, but should I tone school down? I mean somehow balance it out so that I still continue my education, but dont take so many classes that I cant play poker? Or should I stop playing poker? Which is very hard as the money is needed at home. Just wondering what to do?

creedofhubris · #2 08-03-2005, 06:58 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I play a lot and win quite a bit I win enough so that I actually could make a living off it, about 4k a month, I have been playing for about 6 months, not rich by any means, but then again I play very low stakes .50/1 and 1/2 pot limit mostly, I use the money to pay for college and to help my parents with their bills they dont make much. I make more than them now, which is odd to say the least, but I really dont know how im going to return to school and be able to play like this with homework and everything.

I am starting to wonder where to go from here? I mean I really like poker and I enjoy it I have 28 poker books have read 19. I really like playing all forms of it. I have been concentrating on all forms of pot limit omaha, both high and low and have become good at it, but I play stud and limit holdem from time to time and am thinking of getting deeper into them because I have read books on them and I think I can beat the lower levels the few times I have played I do ok, I just make more in pot limit omaha games, lol.

I know I should finish school and thats why I have continued to go, but should I tone school down? I mean somehow balance it out so that I still continue my education, but dont take so many classes that I cant play poker? Or should I stop playing poker? Which is very hard as the money is needed at home. Just wondering what to do?

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Stay in school.

Move up in stakes.

Dan Mezick · #3 08-03-2005, 07:12 PM

Set up a system, take some out every month and dont jump around. Stick with what works. Move up when you have a bankroll twice what it is typically recommended to be.

Deal with it like a part time job and finish school no matter what.

#4 08-03-2005, 08:27 PM

Why not just teach your parents to play poker?

Jorge10 · #5 08-03-2005, 09:07 PM

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Set up a system, take some out every month and dont jump around. Stick with what works. Move up when you have a bankroll twice what it is typically recommended to be.

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I consistently beat these levels, I have been doing so for a while. I dont move up much because I have to take out money to pay for stuff, I did set up a very strong bankroll, but its growing very slowly because I take out cash to pay for my needs. I have been adding 1k every month for the last 4 months and now have about 6k when it comes to bankroll, everything else I take out to spend, I have more than enough for my levels and will eventually move up when I get it up there.

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Deal with it like a part time job and finish school no matter what.

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Thats the problem I have never had a job before, I think I might have to take less classes because itll take some getting used to. I am doing very well in school, just a little behind at the pace im going itll take me about 2 more years to finish, but if I take a few less classes it will be 3, but I wont be pressured and my GPA wont suck. Thoughts?

SittingBull · #6 08-03-2005, 11:51 PM

enough time to test ur long-term skill as a winning player.
U might be having a good temporary run.
I would recommend that U play on week-ends only. Concentrate on finishing college. If U need to help support UR parents,work a regular part-time job and go to school part-time.U really do not need the DOUBLE STRESS of helping UR financially strapped parents AND attempting to play poker for a living.
A part-time job and part-time school will NOT give u this double stress in UR life.
Playing poker for a living and going to school will place u in a a psychosomatic condition that u should avoid.
BTW, I would NOT recommend to my worst enemy playing poker full-time for a living .
I believe it is MORE of a curse than a blessing.
However,I STILL believe that U should follow UR dreams.
God will bless u for being a caring son.
SittingBull

Jorge10 · #7 08-04-2005, 12:41 AM

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U might be having a good temporary run.

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I thought that too, but I experienced one downswing, which cost me quite a bit, reasoning behind my bankroll not being any bigger. About 2 months later, I experienced the worst downsing I had ever experienced, for 2 weeks, to say every river messed me up would probably be a close description. But I still continued. My bankroll is better than ever.

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if U need to help support UR parents,work a regular part-time job and go to school part-time.

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Poker pays me more than any job I could get.

wackjob · #8 08-04-2005, 12:49 AM

If you fully believe you can be a long-term, winning player I would do a few things:

1 - setup times to play poker every day, just like a work schedule: maybe start with 3-4 hours and if you have the time do 5-6

2 - finish school, and if you have motivation, DO IT NOW! I [censored] that one up good by not taking advantage of scholarships & having fresh the information in my head

3 - MOVE UP! with a 6K bankroll you should be playing 2/4 or 3/6 at the minimum. My online operating bankroll for 5/10 is 2-3K(low, but works for me). If you crush the 1/2 games, you should be working the 2/4 & 3/6 until you have a 10K bankroll, and then playing 5/10. I've found 5/10 6-handed on party poker is one of the easiest games online.

4 - tell your parents to get a job!

Jorge10 · #9 08-04-2005, 01:22 AM

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4 - tell your parents to get a job!

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They work at walmart, we bought a house they can pay stuff, but are very tight, and sometimes they need a bit of help. Thats why I still have a bankroll, lol. If they were that broke I wouldnt be able to save anything.

[ QUOTE ]
3 - MOVE UP! with a 6K bankroll you should be playing 2/4 or 3/6 at the minimum. My online operating bankroll for 5/10 is 2-3K(low, but works for me). If you crush the 1/2 games, you should be working the 2/4 & 3/6 until you have a 10K bankroll, and then playing 5/10. I've found 5/10 6-handed on party poker is one of the easiest games online.

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I play pot limit games, requirements are really high, technically my bankroll is just about right for 1/2 pot limit. I am over the requirements for .50/1 pot limit thought, I have double what I need for that.
But yes I have been playing a lot more 1/2 than .50/1. This whole month was spent playing 1/2 I experienced the two week downswing at the beginning of the month, but I made it all back plus 3k this month off 1/2 so it was cool.

wackjob · #10 08-04-2005, 04:32 AM

Ever think about playing limit? Less bankroll needed, and perhaps less swings. And probably more fish than PL, but I cannot say for sure as I don't play PL very much(except Omaha Hi/Lo on occassion)