Profesional Poker Career: 1 Month Check-In

[TheMetetron]

[Cross-posted to my blog: http://nick.moreles.com/blog/ ]

Well, I hit a nice little week-long crap streak at $3/6 (approximately down 200+BBs or so). Then it was time to move and I'm just now getting completely settled in to the whole thing. Place finally has all of the furntiture (the most important of which is the bar that is now fully stocked) with the exception of coffee/end tables. Also need to get some decoration up on the walls, but I'll get around to it eventually.

Back to poker, once I got the basics moved in after 2 days off, I got back into the swing of things and have put together a week and a half of positive $$ play, which has me almost back to even for the month on the poker income side. Sucks to think I am half way through the month and I'm still down $200.... I'm going to have to talk to the boss about a raise or something.

Of course, I am still not getting in nearly as many hands/hours as I want and as I write this it is actually making me think that I need to go back and play some more tonight. Only 16 hours last week and only 5 hours the first 3 days of this week... completely unacceptable and I can't possibly expect to make a living off of so few hands.

Also did my taxes and despite almost $10,000 in online winnings last year from casual play, I got a refund of about $150 (which then went straight to my state taxes). The only thing that bailed me out was about $900 in education credits. Otherwise I would have owed about $750 to the wonderful government. I just grouped my net win for the year (none of which, except for my initial deposit was ever withdrawn) due to lack of actual records from the year. I wish there was another way for me to do it, but not much choice. This year I will likely be filing as a professional so Sched C will be for me. Need to find a way to get some actual deductions somehow... only have my one 2001FP so far. End of the year might be a good time for a new computer and another 2001FP. Once I turn 21 (April) I will be able to deduct .32 (or whatever it is now) per mile for my car gas/devaluation on trips to the B&M casino which is nice since my car is worth almost nothing anyways. Hopefully, I can make up my standard deduction.

So, today was mostly just lounging around and doing my philosophy for the week online. It was all due today, so I of course, waited until today to do it. Biology until 2 tomorrow and then come home and hope to start the weekend off right with a lot of hours. I already know I wont play much on Saturday night because I'm going to the club and its possible I won't get much time in Friday night either. My goal is to somehow squeeze 20 hours this week in and I hope I can do it.

Anyways, here are my numbers for this endeavor so far, as well as some of my PT stats (like you care):

Daily Poker Income: +$213 -- Daily Poker Hours: 1.95 -- Daily Poker Hands: 758

Month-to-Date Poker Income: -$193
Month-to-Date Rakeback/Bonus: +$1,330
Month-to-Date Total Income: +$1,137

Year-to-Date Poker Income: +$3,061
Year-to-Date Rakeback/Bonus: +$2,461
Year-to-Date Total Income: +$5,522

Total Online Bankroll: $10,494
Year-to-Date Tax $$ Saved Away: $2,000

Current Database $3/6 Poker Tracker Stats

Total Hands: 20,368 -- VP$IP: 13.50 -- PFR%: 8.24
Amount Won: $658.58 -- BB/100 Hands: +.54
WtSD%: 30.82 -- W$aSD: 55.52 -- Aggro: 2.40
Att. to Steal Blinds: 25.2% -- Fold SB: 87.5% -- Fold BB: 70.9%

If anyone wants to point out any problems with my stats feel free too... except of course that I'm running like crap over 20k hands and my win-rate should (hopefully) be a lot higher. Oh and you should all try to steal my blinds because I think that numbers looks waaay too high. Also note that I'm not sure when this actual database started, but it was pretty recent and doesn't include the whole year.

So far, I think I am doing okay at this whole thing. Started out @ $15/30, made the drop down to $3/6 after realizing I was a bit in over my head and needed the stability to make sure I didn't lose it quickly. Falling into a nice $3/6 rhythm and wil probably be here for at least another month. At that point, it's either the $5/10 SH or $5/10 full. I might mix one or the other with my $3/6 in about a month and see which one I end up liking more. After that, it's all up in the air. I'm able to make rent and pay for my school, as well as furnish my entire brand new apartment, so I'm doing pretty good I think. I wasn't expecting to move out on my own, but the opportunity arose, so I jumped on it. It's not too different for me as I've lived on my own before and I don't think my parents have actually paid for anything of mine since I was 14 (and old enough to figure out ways to make my own money); the only added expense was really rent and a little bit of food (and utilities).

As for others looking to make this jump, I'm not sure what advice I really have. If you are reading this on 2+2, check out my blog [ http://nick.moreles.com/blog/ ] and for those of you reading this on my blog.... well, look down. I can say it hasn't been anything too unexpected, but I did start this whole thing with a crappy downswing @ $15/30 followed by a few days of stability and then a huge downswing @ $3/6. It really sucks having to deal with that emotionally, but at the end of the day, it is all worth it. I wear my PJs to work, the commute is great, and most importantly of all, I get to sleep in. I'd recommend it to anyone who thinks they have a shot at making it. I'm sure I'll be back on 2+2 posting another update probably around my birthday time (beginning of April).

Any and all comments appreciated.