I hate my job, could I become a great player ?

[Toffler]

Most people would envy my current situation. I make $140,000 per year. Unfortunately, I loathe my job. I am willing to do any amount of study to become a professional player and would settle for a $20,000 pay cut but no more. I think I'm intelligent enough as I graduated with honors in chemistry from UNC, Chapel Hill and have a graduate degree. I have no "feel" for poker and tend to play mechanically based on the books I have studied. The weakest part of my game is reading hands. By nature I am weak tight, but have overcome this through study, but when things are going poorly I will sometimes slip into weak tight mode.

So, is it possible? Do you have to be a natural? I am willing to do anything to get there over a 2 year period if it is possible.

Toffler

[Jazza]

i think it can be done

read all books from 2+2, post hands here on 2+2 regularly, be thinking about poker in your spare time too including any interesting hands you played that you can remember, read other posts from 2+2 regularly

this will probably work, but nothing's ever guaranteed

[mosquito]

Sure it's possible, but to make 120K after a couple
of years is probably against the odds.

Not to say it can't be done, but you will have to
work your a$$ off AND catch a break or two along
the way....

[Andy B]

It would be much, much harder for you to make $120K/yr playing poker than it would be to find a job you hate less than your current one. If you become a professional poker player, you just might start to hate poker even more than your current job.

[olavfo]

[ QUOTE ]
By nature I am weak tight, but have overcome this through study, but when things are going poorly I will sometimes slip into weak tight mode.


[/ QUOTE ]
I think this a very common profile and I certainly have had to work hard to become more consistently tight-aggressive myself.

If you haven't read it already, pick up The Psychology of Poker (Schoonmaker). It discusses how your psychological makeup affects your play. It gave me a lot to think about and helped me push my game in the tight-aggressive direction.

If you want to succeed at Poker (or any form of gambling) you have to be brutally honest with yourself. This book is helpful in that respect.

olavfo

[PokerFink]

It's possible, but unlikely and difficult. And to get to six figures in one year is an incredibly lofty goal. And as Andy B said, you might end up hating poker just as much as your current job.

Futhermore, part of poker is that some people just have a natural skill for it. You said youself you don't; this could make getting to a six-figure poker salary, especially in one year, almost impossible.

Post from High Stakes NLHE

Read that, it's about Bruiser. Shows it can be done, but is difficult.

[jwg152]

Well, I've basically done it... so it can be done. But let's get one thing straight before you go any further: playing poker professionally is a job, and if you are lucky you will loathe playing only part of the time. How do you get to the level where you can make 100k? First, you have to read and reread (not all) everything out there. Second, you have to play constantly. The most important asset to have in poker is experience. Third, you have to think about the game and honestly assess your progression and then challenge yourself by playing at higher levels. That being said, the toughest part of playing for a living is not understanding and eventually mastering the game - it's everything else. (bankroll management, stress, etc.) On whether you have the necessary talent, only time will tell.

[zaxx19]

[ QUOTE ]
Most people would envy my current situation. I make $140,000 per year. Unfortunately, I loathe my job.


[/ QUOTE ]

Well, how much do you love/need money?


[ QUOTE ]
I am willing to do any amount of study to become a professional player and would settle for a $20,000 pay cut but no more

[/ QUOTE ]

Apparently you dont hate your job as much as you like your medium to large income.

Sounds like you want to be able to play poker without taking a huge risk financially....if thats true you might NOT be a natural poker player in my estimation.

[Toffler]

.

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Most people would envy my current situation. I make $140,000 per year. Unfortunately, I loathe my job.


[/ QUOTE ]

Well, how much do you love/need money?


[ QUOTE ]
I am willing to do any amount of study to become a professional player and would settle for a $20,000 pay cut but no more

[/ QUOTE ]

Apparently you dont hate your job as much as you like your medium to large income.

Sounds like you want to be able to play poker without taking a huge risk financially....if thats true you might NOT be a natural poker player in my estimation.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. Being able to tolerate only a 1/7 loss in income means he is extremely highly strung about his money, even when he's making quite a bit of it. This seems to me like the opposite of the attitude you need to play poker seriously, since in poker even the world class players can have the occasional quite significant downturn.

Perhaps this rigidity or fear or loss regarding money is because of a large accumulated debt, say a big alimony and child support nut to get over, a high mortgage, or a habit of just basically spending too much money?

If so, then the income you make or don't make from poker isn't your problem so much as your debt load and/or lack of savings and/or reasonably liquid investments as a cushion in your life.

Perhaps you need to be on a more sound financial footing before you consider whipping the rug out from under your own feet by quitting your job.

Not that I know your situation; just stabbing out a few guesses that may or may not match where you're at.