For those who do this for a living...

[mack848]

[ QUOTE ]
I suggest you keep your day job until you have at least 500K hands in poker tracker, you're playing 15/30 comfortably and you have a 600BB bankroll. It shouldn't take more than a year and a half to reach these goals playing part time. If you still think you have what it takes, go for it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with most of the advice given in this thread, but the notion that someone who has a crappy job needs to get to the level of playing 15/30 comfortably before turning pro is ludicrous. So long as the individual has the option of finding another 'crappy' job (and they are two a penny by definition)if it doesn't work out, then even doubling their income by playing at 3/6 or 5/10 is highly possible.

As I say, I pretty much agree with all of the other cautionary advice re. bank roll, taxes, health care etc.

[Reef]

[ QUOTE ]
I was in a virtually dead-end job, considering playing poker, and some smart old dude who used to be a social worker put it like this:

"you are young. you are only young once. you have no obligations, and no real responsibilities. Do what you want. Who cares if you regret it. By the time it comes to pay the consequences, you will be old and not able to do anything fun anyway."

i was sold.

peace

john nickle

[/ QUOTE ]

you heard it straight from the peacejohnnickle. In this case I disagree though.

to original poster: a few things- 3BB/100 over how many hands? (for the love of baby Jesus, do not say anything under 50k)... are you aware that it becomes a grind as well? Did you factor in other expenses like insurance? Retirement?

[lefty rosen]

Not worth it at all. Unless you have a wife that works and you want to be house husband don't contemplate it. For you to quit your job it should be a low paying one or one highly stressful, either physically or mentally. The pay isn't steady and a tilted run can screw up your bottom line badly......

[lefty rosen]

Case in point I was three tabling Party 2/4 for about 6 weeks and hit a mindblowing 200BB drop on a 300BB roll(Combination of bad luck and tilt after whacko beats). After that I was so gunshy I had to grind back my roll with 25NL sessions for the rest of the month. End of the month I won a grand total of 125 dollars I had about 3 months of that in a row last year. If thats your main source of income the welfare office here you come......... [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[MicroBob]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree with most of the advice given in this thread, but the notion that someone who has a crappy job needs to get to the level of playing 15/30 comfortably before turning pro is ludicrous.

[/ QUOTE ]



Indeed....this is akin to saying "in order to leave your horrid job with people you hate that pays only $25k/yr you better make sure that your new job pays AT LEAST $175k/yr. Otherwise, why would you want to leave the secure job?"


Also agree that all the other cautionary stuff is generally correct...as well as the stuff about proving that you are a winning player (beyond 20k hands).


The statement from a different post that if you have to ask on an internet chat-board then clearly the answer is no is ABSOLUTELY correct. If you don't KNOW then you shouldn't be doing it.


But the 15/30 thing is ridiculous.
With multi-tabling and bonuses and rake-back it's completely realistic to make $40-50k/yr at 2/4 and 3/6.
If you're currently making that much then the decision is up to you (especially considering the insurance and 401k stuff)...but if you only make $25k/yr and you have PROVEN that you can make $1k/wk playing online-poker why would you stay at your crappy job?


Also - building up a bankroll on 15/30 while keeping your low-paying crappy job would be kind of ridiculous.
After that much success at 15/30 (and after getting the bankroll to get there) you would have upwards of $20k or so perhaps....but would still be 'holding on' to your job that pays almost that much for the whole year.


All you need is to do the math.

I was making $13/hr or so at my regular job....and $25/hr at online-poker.

My regular job had SOME possibilitiy for advancement if I wanted to continue. Online-poker offered more flexibility and the possibility of doubling my income with increased bankroll and additional study.

do the math. you don't have to beat the 15/30 to make a living at this.

[lefty rosen]

You can get by 3 or 4 tabling 1/2 if you are willing to live modestly. You just will have to play [censored] load of hours. It all depends what living standards you want. Myself I was a true pro I would probably want to make about 50K but live on 25 or 30k and bank the rest. Spending to the penny what you make when you speculate for a living is recipe for a disaster at some point...

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
You can get by 3 or 4 tabling 1/2 if you are willing to live modestly. You just will have to play [censored] load of hours. It all depends what living standards you want. Myself I was a true pro I would probably want to make about 50K but live on 25 or 30k and bank the rest. Spending to the penny what you make when you speculate for a living is recipe for a disaster at some point...

[/ QUOTE ]

When I first turned "pro" I was 4 tabling the 1/2 6max games and only playing about 25 hours a week, so lots of hours still arent needed [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

But then again, im also single, had no car payment, live in AZ where housing is cheap, so I wouldnt recomend it unless you are young and can live on like 2K a month

[ShortBus]

Here's something else to consider, LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION.

As Alobar said, Arizona is cheap, which means you'll have to make a lot less than you would if you were living in New Hampshire or other high priced places of living.

I too live in arizona, (i'm fairly young) and only need a few grand to live a comfortable (though not overly rich) life. Low limits are def.. beatable but you have to be able to put in the long hours to play so low and make enough money to survive on.

Consider what the cost of living is in your area and if you can make that much playing for a living.

It's never easy, but it's doable.

[mack848]

[ QUOTE ]
Here's something else to consider, LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION.

[/ QUOTE ]

And if you happen to like in the UK, health care and taxes are not much of a consideration. Mind you housing is pretty expensive.

[mack848]

[ QUOTE ]
You can get by 3 or 4 tabling 1/2 if you are willing to live modestly. You just will have to play [censored] load of hours.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think anyone should consider turning pro playing as low as 1/2. That would be a hell of a grind.