How To Become A Pro Poker Player

[PokerProdigy]

How come whenever someone asks a pro, how to become a pro, the pro always says "it's really hard, and only a few lucky/gifted people can do it, don't even try it, you're better off doing some other job."

Now I understand that being a poker pro is hard work, but I don't think it's one of those things that people can't "learn" to do if they want. For example, going to school and getting a Ph.D is very hard work, but people do it. And it's usually the people who are just really fascinated with the field, and therefore, they are really driven to get that Ph.D.

Who agrees or disagrees that being a good poker player is something that can be learned? And, more importantly why?

P.S. I am not talking about making $1 million dollars a year either, I am just talking about being a pro that makes like $20-30 an hour (and more).

[IShark]

Not hard at all. Especially these days with all the fish in the sea. If you can be patient and wait for good cards you are 75% of the way there.

I think nearly anyone (maybe up to 70% of the population) could learn and if you added the motivation of relying on it to pay bills then it's a cinch compared to getting the education necessary for a normal job (like automobile safety engineer, for example).

[PokerProdigy]

Ok, then the next question. Is how does one go about becoming a poker pro?

[Snoogins47]

I think that a lot of people have the intelligence to win at poker, but most people don't have the mental makeup, the emotional fortitude, the lifestyle, the priorities, etc. to make it work as a living.

As for how to go about it? Start winning. Start winning enough to pay bills. Quit other jobs. Pay bills.

[Al Schoonmaker]

Pros often recommend that you don't follow in their footsteps for a few reasons.

First and most important, you will probably fail. Two members of our discussion group are famous players with WSOP bracelets. They estimate the chances of success are between fifty and two hundred to one. Thanks to the internet and TV, those odds have probably improved somewhat, but they are still very bad.And nobody knows how long the poker craze will last.

Second, it is not a very pleasant life. If you had to work in an uncomfortable chair for hours on end, you would probably complain about the working conditions. Poker is not really fun when you HAVE to play to make your rent money.

Third, even if you can handle the life and are good enough, you will probably be wiped out by the swings or a health problem. Everyone in poker knows fine players who lost everything because of medical problems. Hardly any pros have health insurance.

Fourth, when you get to be forty or so and you're losing your touch or enthusiasm, it is very hard to get a good job. What do you tell future employees you have been doing for all those years? Why would they give you a good job?

Fifth, even if everything else goes right, you will probably end up broke. Hardly any pros have retirement programs. They just hope to keep winning. But, as you get older, you aren't as sharp. It is truly pathetic to see formerly great players -- including Johnny Moss who was once the best in the world -- struggling to beat small games to pay their expenses.

I am not a pro, nor do I want to be one. But I know lots of them, and most of the ones over forty are sorry they made that choice.

Regards,

Al

[SinCityGuy]

[ QUOTE ]
Hardly any pros have health insurance.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is due to their own stupidity.

Any self-employed person can purchase a decent, inexpensive plan that gives them good coverage. If there is a catastrophic situation, they might have to pay a couple of thousand dollars in deductables and co-pays, but that's certainly better than owing $50,000.

[chesspain]

[ QUOTE ]
Any self-employed person can purchase a decent, inexpensive plan that gives them good coverage.

[/ QUOTE ]

In most states, change the above to "...can purchase a semi-expensive policy that will cover catastrophic health emegencies."

[PokerProdigy]

[ QUOTE ]
I am not a pro, nor do I want to be one. But I know lots of them, and most of the ones over forty are sorry they made that choice.

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't know that you weren't a pro [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

I just want to be good enough to beat the low and middle limit games and make some "extra income" playing poker. I am a college student and am stressed about how I will pay the bills throughout school. I am just looking for some advice to make atleast $10-15 (but hopefully more like $20-30) dollars an hour, so that way I could help pay my way through school (because tuition, books, food, rent, etc...), and when I get out I could have an extra job that I enjoy where I could make a little bit of money on the side. So any advice would be greatly appreciated about the fastest way to reach my goal.

[warlockjd]

[ QUOTE ]
Not hard at all. Especially these days with all the fish in the sea. If you can be patient and wait for good cards you are 75% of the way there.

I think nearly anyone (maybe up to 70% of the population) could learn and if you added the motivation of relying on it to pay bills then it's a cinch compared to getting the education necessary for a normal job (like automobile safety engineer, for example).


[/ QUOTE ]

Please respond after you have done the following:


1. Quit your job.

2. Lost 1/2 your bankroll in one day.

3. You are running so bad that your confidence is shot and you don't even trust your reads anymore.

Of course, this can only happen to morons.

Being a pro is easy [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[SinCityGuy]

[ QUOTE ]
In most states, change the above to "...can purchase a semi-expensive policy that will cover catastrophic health emegencies."

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know what your definition of "semi-expensive" is, but I pay $190 per month for medical and dental insurance. To me, that's dirt cheap.

The medical has a $20 co-pay for office visits, $10 co-pay for prescription drugs, no deductible, and covers 80% of the expenses. I have to pay 20%, but that's capped at a $2,000 maximum out-of-pocket per year.