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#13
05-30-2005, 09:08 AM
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Re: Becoming a pro
My advice is don't do it. Poker is a brutal game and not one I would want to pay my mortgage by playing. Also, try and get a mortgage as a 'professional gambler'. It can be done, but its tough.
You're young so the best thing I can tell you is to do as well as possible in high school, get into a good college, and find a good job after college. Poker will always be there so you might as well get your education out of the way while you can. When you look at a lot of the 'pros' [tourney players], many have sideline businesses (and college educations). Poker is not their sole source of income. Sure, for some it is, but I think you will find that the happiest people overall have balanced their life with another profession. So, if you still want to be a pro, just remember one thing. If you have a bad day at the office, you still get payed; if you have a bad day at the tables (or week, or month, or year), it costs you a lot of money. Best of luck in whatever you choose. 
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#14
05-30-2005, 10:47 AM
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Re: Becoming a pro
Do it. Take a shot. In all seriousness.
I will probably be one of a few lone voices that will encourage you to take a shot, but I believe that at a young age, whilst your enthusiasm is still high, your living costs are still low, and the game is still as profitable as it is right now, you should go for it. Just bear in mind that life as a poker professional, is A LOT HARDER than college, and you need a ridiculously high amount of self-discipline to be a professional poker player(or to in fact work in any self-employed career). Because if you feel you have the work rate, focus, and a true love for the game, who are we to tell you not to do it?
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#17
05-30-2005, 02:18 PM
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Re: Becoming a pro
poker sucks. it's boring. and sucky.
go to school and play poker on the side. once you've made $100,000 playing poker, reevaluate the situation. if you still want to go pro at that point, by all means, do it. most people on these forums have a job and play poker on the side. they seem to be happier in general than the people that exclusively play poker for a living.
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#18
05-30-2005, 05:27 PM
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Re: Becoming a pro
My guess is you've watched Rounders one too many times and you want to be on ESPN and the Travel Channel. So if you really want to do this...
Study poker books. Play as often as you can within reason. Work hard in school. Go to a good college. Get a well paying job (hopefully something you enjoy) because its a much easier and more consistent way to build a bankroll. Be sure to set some money aside to play with. Play poker on your free time making frequent trips to casinos, not just playing online. See how you do in cash games. Enter some big tournaments. But first you must realize that what you see on TV is hardly representative of what a tournament is actually like for the typical player. Of course it looks glorious when they show the last few tables of the WSOP where everyone gets knocked out only to win a mere 20 or 30K. Don't lose sight of the fact that about 700 players lose 10K in that event. These 700 losers include many of the best players in the world. "WSOP ANYONE CAN WIN" most people just lose though. I'm not trying to discourage you but you should keep in mind that its not all fame and glory when it comes to tournaments. The same goes for trying to become a pro by supporting yourself with poker alone. Many people fail at this because very few people have the discipline to do it. Retire some day and play as much as you like. Also you could go to college and become an internet billionaire when you're in your late 20s and then sell your company leaving you with enough money to support a family and play all the poker you want. These 2 plans have 2 things in common: poker (obviously) and COLLEGE So my biggest piece of advice is to go to college. As long as you have a job you will always have money and thats what you will need to play poker. <font color="black"> </font>
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