Re: Poker as a living. How to deal with my family?
 

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you wouldn't be laughed at at all if you had the 2 years of Tax returns to demonstrate steady income any more than any other self-employed person would be laughed at.

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I think that's not true. I think you will be held to a much more stringent standard (if you are given a real chance at all) if you list your profession as gambling than the vast majority of self-employed people. You have to understand how many people consider professional gamblers to be social deviants on the edge of self-destruction, even if they were ok for a couple of years.

Yeah, ultimately they just want to know you can pay, so if you've been making mad coin you'll probably be ok. But I don't think you're on a level playing field given all other things being equal.

I don't have the direct experience to back this up, other than general life experience.

eastbay

Re: Poker as a living. How to deal with my family?
 

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While I agree that playing poker for a living isn't the best idea for most people, now IS the best time to give it a shot. I'm sick of hearing people (my family too) saying: "poker will always be there your whole life, focus on X job or getting a good education, etc). Well poker might be there but it might not be as good (fishy) as it is now. The real truth is, if someone wants to get an education, college will always be there. And education continues to improve, while poker may not. Sure, going to college at age 31 or 32 isn't the best idea either, but neither is playing poker against a table full of pros.

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I guess it depends on where you want to get a degree from. I'm not sure an application from someone who's been playing cards for 5-10 years is really going to make a mark on the admissions committee at a selective program.

Similarly, I think you will face serious problems in selling yourself on the job market when your background is card playing.

Card playing is not much of a foundation for a next step. College is. That's the difference.

eastbay

Re: Poker as a living. How to deal with my family?
 

I usually don't agree with people this easily, but good points.

Re: Poker as a living. How to deal with my family?
 

School is not really that difficult. If you do not start skipping classes for poker you'll be in the clear.

Just another point of view...

Re: Poker as a living. How to deal with my family?
 

For the long term, poker as a career, don't even think about arguing with your parents now. It will just make them worry. Don't bring up the issue until you're ready to commit and have proven that you can make enough money to support yourself comfortably.

For the short term, I highly recommend playing poker as opposed to getting some remedial job. They don't give you health insurance and paid vacations at McDonalds. Your parents won't like the idea that you will be sitting at home all day (I know, I took a year off from school too) so just stay out of their hair and try to get out of the house every once in a while. You could also donate some money to charity to dodge the "better society" argument, even if its just for some trivial amount.

Re: Poker as a living. How to deal with my family?
 

LOL I just finished my first year of school and missed a lot of class and because of poker, which was a horrible idea. Although playing freerolls and $5 tourneys was a good time, it was still -EV. But, maybe it wasn't so bad after all. During finals week I won a $10 MTT at pokerchamps that got me on a win streak that saw me come from 2k in debt to 1k in the black.

Re: Poker as a living. How to deal with my family?
 

Well almost all of you have said to go back to school or to work full time and play poker on the side. And while I respect all of your opinions, getting a full time job(at least the kind my parents insist I get) is of no interest to me at the moment nor will it be until I finish college. I plan on going back to school next spring.

It seems I have little choice but to give in and get a full time job. Since I dont have nearly the savings or income to move out on my own at the moment I dont have any other choice.

Re: Poker as a living. How to deal with my family?
 

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I don't believe that I have seen any jobs for which I am qualified where the pay is better than $32 an hour(assuming I 4 table 2/4 with a 2BB/100 winrate). In fact 32 x 8hr x 5 days x 52 weeks= 66560 per year.

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Firstly, 2BB/100 does not equal 2BB/hour, since you will only be dealt approx. 65 hands per hours. Assuming that you can win 2BB/100 across four tables, which is a big "if" from someone who hasn't even begun playing 2/4, you are talking about making closer to $20 per hour.

Secondly, your calculations assume that you are going to play forty hours per week, fifty-two weeks per year, with no vacations? That's a pretty lofty goal from someone who right now is working a part-time job and struggling to maintain interest in his schoolwork, which I imagine is way less of a grind than you will find multitabling poker for forty hours per week.

In conclusion...either listen to your parents, who have the ability to look further into the future than you, or do as Bernie suggests and simply make your adult choices while accepting the consequences of your decisions.

Re: Poker as a living. How to deal with my family?
 

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Firstly, 2BB/100 does not equal 2BB/hour, since you will only be dealt approx. 65 hands per hours.

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You can easily get more than 100 hands per hour online. Even 2 tabling. Im not sure what you meant by your statement above.

b

Re: Poker as a living. How to deal with my family?
 

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You could also donate some money to charity to dodge the "better society" argument, even if its just for some trivial amount.

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Screw charity at this point in time. If he really wants to show his parents something, take that amount you say he should give to charity and give it to his parents as rent. That will go quite a ways in his parents eyes. Giving to charity isn't a sign of self sufficiency. Trying to pay your own way is. Even if it's a small step.

b