going pro, or no?

[Al Schoonmaker]

I urge everyone reading this thread to read the one on the psychology forum started by revots33 on dropping out of college to turn pro.

I must add that Ed Miller and Mason Malmuth both have two degrees.

If you're going to turn pro, wait until you've gotten the essential credentials. They will give you something to fall back on if you can't make it or get tired of playing as a pro.

Regards,

Al

[tipperdog]

It's worth noting how many top pros seek a different job or work to make sure their kids take a different job. By my memory:

Barry Greenstein refused to teach his kids to play poker until they graduated college;
Paul Phillips tells aspiring pros NOT to turn pro (poker is a wonderful hobby and a terrible job, he says);
Doyle Brunson said he hoped Todd wouldn't be poker player and helped him only after it was clear he wouldn't change his mind;
Chip & Karina Jett have written repeatedly that they hope their new daughter doesn't become a cardplayer (and Karina adds that she hopes her daughter doesn't marry a poker player; how must chip feel!)
Roy Cooke sells real estate;
Mike Sexton is primarily a commentator;
Mason Malmuth is more of a book publisher than a poker pro;
David Sklansky had written previously that he hoped poker success would lead him to a major corporate information systems job (though I'm sure he's long since abandoned that notion);
Phil Hellmuth hawks books, boot camps, and related items; and
I could go on and on!

All of this leads to a simple question. If playing poker professionally is so great, why does it seem so many pros are trying to get themselves or their families out?

[slavic]

My monthly nut is quite a bit larger than yours. But I can tell you that hitting it is a pain, you will reduce your stress level quite a bit by taking that nut down a couple levels. Second 18K just doesn't seem like enough to me, I've had swings that large. Last there is something wrong if your winning 80% of the time. Your quiting while ahead and not continuing in a profitable game or trying to catch up in bad games too often, you have to set hard set time limits to play and if you do your session win rates should look much more normal. Otherwise you log a bunch of little wins and then a huge disaster, trust your play, forget how the cards came.

Oh and as Drew said get "Gambling Theory and other topics", it's an excellent read for anyone but critical if you plan to look at this for a living.

BTW even though poker is my only source of income, I don't call myself a professional. I have no problem heading back to a real job, it just so happens that poker "in todays environment" allows me to do other things right now. That's important to remember because if the landscape changes being a poker pro is going to suck.

[montechristo]

$400 a day isn't too hard even multitabling 100NL. My monthly nut is only 3K but I have been playing 2-4 tables and have yet to work over 18 days a month.

[Bob Moss]

I'm drunk so I didn't read your whole post but I think you should go pro. You only live once.

Bob

[trader77]

I can tell you nothing about going pro in poker. But as a professinal day trader i can tell you that you need at least one year of savings just to live off. This doesnt include your bank roll. After that if your good you will be ok.

[trader77]

Also if your good you will know soon enough. If you're not you will also know. If you know you're not good enough then re-evaluate your situation.