If you were me..............

[flair1239]

[ QUOTE ]

I know. I've had a few 150 drops, and just had a 200BB drop. I think I'm dealing with them OK, as I KNOW it is not about NOW but about the long road. That said, if I have a 500BB drop, I'm not sure how I'll react.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you want to talk about 500BB drops PM me. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[gila]

I just recieved my certificate to teach in Jan. Alas, I have not even thought about looking for a job, nor will I.

[Tilt]

If I were you, I'd take a year off, this year. The poker boom will probably never be more profitable than it is now.

I would definitely go back to teaching though. The retirement benefits are great, and it has other more meaningful rewards which you will remember once you shake off some of your burnout. And poker is a better hobby than a job.

During your year off, however, you should take your game to new levels. Not just limits, but you should learn other games, NL and non-hold em games, as well. Travel to casinos. Learn tournament poker. If you dedicate yourself to improving and expanding your game(s) you will find that you can make more than you do now at poker, possibly much more (and possibly at a different game). Then you may be in a position to substantially complement your salary as a hobby.

[stigmata]

If you could build your bankroll whilst doing this it might be worth it. E.g. If half your profits were for living expenses. You would vastly improve over the course of the year, and also be able to move up stakes pretty quickly. In that way, you might make six figures.

[PokerBob]

[ QUOTE ]
If you could build your bankroll whilst doing this it might be worth it. E.g. If half your profits were for living expenses. You would vastly improve over the course of the year, and also be able to move up stakes pretty quickly. In that way, you might make six figures.

[/ QUOTE ]

I live relatively simply. I could easily survive on rakeback alone. Well, not "easily" as I intend to pay my taxes, but I could likely live if I cleared 2K/month.

[Durs522]

PokerBob,

I really think you should go for it. It sounds like this is something you have thought about and really want to do. You have a huge bankroll, and enough living expenses to get you through the hard times. This will probably be the only time in your life you will be able to do this since you don't have a family to support. I'm truly a believer in doing what you want in life. Life is a gift, and you have to make it what you want. If you want to try playing poker for a year so you can travel or have free time you should do it. What's the worst thing that can happen? If you go on a large downswing you have the savings to support yourself. Even if the worst happens and you go broke, you are obviously intelligent enough to get a job making $2k/month until you can get your teaching job back.

I wish you the best of luck in your choice.

Durs

[flair1239]

Bob,

Your benefits package turn this.

Yes you could gross more playing poker. But you are going to be incurring additional expenses.

Off hand I would say matching social security would take out a chunk. The replacing your health insurance. As well as retirement benefits and stuff like that.

If you were saying you were going to go get your masters or something like that, I would say it is a good idea. But not for a career.

I know sometimes you like to let off steam after bad runs. But I wonder if keeping your teaching job might be better for your emotional health as well.

[PokerBob]

[ QUOTE ]
Bob,

Your benefits package turn this.

Yes you could gross more playing poker. But you are going to be incurring additional expenses.

Off hand I would say matching social security would take out a chunk. The replacing your health insurance. As well as retirement benefits and stuff like that.

If you were saying you were going to go get your masters or something like that, I would say it is a good idea. But not for a career.

I know sometimes you like to let off steam after bad runs. But I wonder if keeping your teaching job might be better for your emotional health as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

But what if I kill a kid? [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

I don't intend to make poker a career.

I agree that the benefits package is important, but at what point do I give that up? Is it worth 10K? 20K? IF I KNEW I was going to make 100K, would it be worth it to give up the benefits? I know the insurance comes out to abouy 5K, and I will miss out on some matching funds from the 403(b) which amounts to about 1500. I am guessing the year of pension I will miss is worth about 4K. Assuming I made 70K, I intend to put at least 7K of that into retirement.

I have taught for 9 years. I can always go back. I will have more free time, which I think many are overlooking here. I live simply. I don't needs lots of money, but IMO there is a lot to be made now with online poker. I don't think it is absurd to think that I could be at 10/20 and winning at more than 1bb/100. I am a nut and work really hard on my game. I'm rambling......

[flair1239]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Bob,

Your benefits package turn this.

Yes you could gross more playing poker. But you are going to be incurring additional expenses.

Off hand I would say matching social security would take out a chunk. The replacing your health insurance. As well as retirement benefits and stuff like that.

If you were saying you were going to go get your masters or something like that, I would say it is a good idea. But not for a career.

I know sometimes you like to let off steam after bad runs. But I wonder if keeping your teaching job might be better for your emotional health as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

But what if I kill a kid? [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

I don't intend to make poker a career.

I agree that the benefits package is important, but at what point do I give that up? Is it worth 10K? 20K? IF I KNEW I was going to make 100K, would it be worth it to give up the benefits? I know the insurance comes out to abouy 5K, and I will miss out on some matching funds from the 403(b) which amounts to about 1500. I am guessing the year of pension I will miss is worth about 4K. Assuming I made 70K, I intend to put at least 7K of that into retirement.

I have taught for 9 years. I can always go back. I will have more free time, which I think many are overlooking here. I live simply. I don't needs lots of money, but IMO there is a lot to be made now with online poker. I don't think it is absurd to think that I could be at 10/20 and winning at more than 1bb/100. I am a nut and work really hard on my game. I'm rambling......

[/ QUOTE ]

I am not doubting anything you said. I guess I am just more or less putting myself in your position.

With me it is hard to visualise because I have a two year old, am divorced and making child support and alimony payments. Stuff like that, so stability has to be near the top of my priorities.

Overall, your situation sounds close to ideal. I would like it better if you were already at 10/20, with 1000BB BR. Because if you hit a bad patch you could drop down to 5/10 and still make your "nut". Where I think now if "Armageddon" happend, you would be looking at 3/6 and that would make it tough.

[PokerBob]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Bob,

Your benefits package turn this.

Yes you could gross more playing poker. But you are going to be incurring additional expenses.

Off hand I would say matching social security would take out a chunk. The replacing your health insurance. As well as retirement benefits and stuff like that.

If you were saying you were going to go get your masters or something like that, I would say it is a good idea. But not for a career.

I know sometimes you like to let off steam after bad runs. But I wonder if keeping your teaching job might be better for your emotional health as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

But what if I kill a kid? [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

I don't intend to make poker a career.

I agree that the benefits package is important, but at what point do I give that up? Is it worth 10K? 20K? IF I KNEW I was going to make 100K, would it be worth it to give up the benefits? I know the insurance comes out to abouy 5K, and I will miss out on some matching funds from the 403(b) which amounts to about 1500. I am guessing the year of pension I will miss is worth about 4K. Assuming I made 70K, I intend to put at least 7K of that into retirement.

I have taught for 9 years. I can always go back. I will have more free time, which I think many are overlooking here. I live simply. I don't needs lots of money, but IMO there is a lot to be made now with online poker. I don't think it is absurd to think that I could be at 10/20 and winning at more than 1bb/100. I am a nut and work really hard on my game. I'm rambling......

[/ QUOTE ]

I am not doubting anything you said. I guess I am just more or less putting myself in your position.

With me it is hard to visualise because I have a two year old, am divorced and making child support and alimony payments. Stuff like that, so stability has to be near the top of my priorities.

Overall, your situation sounds close to ideal. I would like it better if you were already at 10/20, with 1000BB BR. Because if you hit a bad patch you could drop down to 5/10 and still make your "nut". Where I think now if "Armageddon" happend, you would be looking at 3/6 and that would make it tough.

[/ QUOTE ]

I see your point. I forgot to mention that I have 5K in my box at Canterbury, so I guess that could be part of my roll, too. Basically right now I have 26K. I think that should be enough to count as roll + 5-6 months security. I hope.