The 6785th "I'm going to play poker for a living" thread [LONG]

[Ray Of Light]

For the last year I have often thought, "If I had more time to devote to serious play and study of the game, I could easily play online poker for a living." ... so I am guessing that you haven't quite reached the stage yet where you could honestly make a living from poker.

Also, from the numerous questions that you pose at the end of your post, it sounds as if you haven't planned for your poker career.

Don't play poker for a living as a knee jerk reaction to quitting your job.

Normally, whenever someone decides to play poker for a living and posts about it, I am all for it. I mean your only live once, why spend the rest of you life going 'what if'.

But you seem to me, to be poorly prepared.

If you have savings, a bankroll, and you've consistanly won over a long period, then by all means go for. Otherwise, err on the side of caution for now, and look for some work... even a part-time position.

[ggbman]

My advice is to keep your job until you can make a similar amount playing poker, then go pro. If you keep working on your game, soon it can be an excellent imcome source, but you are jumping into this too fast.

[JohnnyHumongous]

[ QUOTE ]
My advice is to keep your job until you can make a similar amount playing poker, then go pro. If you keep working on your game, soon it can be an excellent imcome source, but you are jumping into this too fast.

[/ QUOTE ]

There is more to the equation than just income. I can make approx. 5 times what I make at my new job if I played poker full time (and my job is one of the best you can get out of college)... but I take the job because:

a) variation of daily/weekly/monthly/yearly job requirements and tasks;
b) development of a rich, useful skillset;
c) exposure to interesting people and ideas;
d) the potential to comfortably make as much as NBA basketball players by the time I'm 35, and maintain that multi-million dollar income for the rest of my life.

An office job is waaaaaay less intense on an hour-per-hour basis than playing poker professionally. And guess what? I can still squeeze in 5 or 10 hours of cards in my spare time.

"Also, from the numerous questions that you pose at the end of your post, it sounds as if you haven't planned for your poker career."

This is true. I just quit my job yesterday, so I am still fleshing out all the details, wondering if it is possible. I do intend to look for another job (probably part-time) within the next month or so.

I have heard that small stakes limit games are the softest, the easiest to crush as an expert player. I hope to be an expert player sooner rather than later and am trying to take steps in the right direction. Any advice is appreciated.

TMA