Well, here's my "pro" post... would like advice as well as flaiming...

[EStreet20]

Hey guys, I'd basically like any thoughts on what you'd do here and want all of the pros to tell me what their biggest regrets are or if they have none. I'lll try to include all the necessary info for making this decision. Thanks in advance.

Here goes...

2001-2004 College, lots of drinking/fun but I also do very well and decide halfway throught that I want to be a cop (feel that it's my "calling" or whatever) so I graduate May of '04 with a degree in criminal justice and take the state civil service test as well as a couple of local "chief's tests".

I go to my old summer/break job as a janitor because it's easy money and I am basically a lazy sack of [censored] when I'm there. Spend my time out of work staying in shape and working on my poker game while beginning to show a profit online. I go back to this job just because I figure I'll get picked up by a PD fairly soon and just want a somewhat decent paying job with benefits.

14 months after graduation (now) I'm looking around and realize that I'm still the best educated janitor on the planet, and I still live with my mom and dad. I'm beginning to get disenfranchised with the whole political aspect of becoming a cop. Rekindling my thoughts I've kicked around of going pro. MY poker game has improved dramatically (I've now got the numbers to say with all confidence that I'm a long-term winner at 2-4) and I played 3-6 for two months with a decent WR (1.8 BBs I think, not on my comp so I don't have the stats for either). I know that's not a large enough sample size for 3-6 but im pretty confident I can beat it.

I live in NJ and I love it, but rent's through the roof in my area. I'm looking at places in Vegas because it's cheap. I don't have any kind of addictive personality that would draw me to the casinos to dump any kind of "real money" so the environment out there is not an issue as far as screwing my finances goes.

Last night, my two best friends (basically the biggest reason I'd stay in NJ other than Bruce Springsteen of course) are drunk at a party and we have a big blowout fight. We're talking it was gonna get physical.

Long story short, it was basically over a girl which I never believe in letting happen.


In the long form (read if you dare) my best friend since second grade dated girl for three months frosh year of college. After they broke up and cooled off for a while they became really good friends. I've met her a few times and last night we really hit it off when we were beer pong partners. We talked a lot and actually started getting to know each other personally for the first time and obviously a hookup looked like it might be on the horizon. My best friend gets jealous and starts guilt tripping me and I try to step back abd tell him to take it easy. This is obviously where the fun begins.

I decide at this point (after an argument where I said some hurtful [censored] to my best friend) that nothing good will come from me being here at this party and I'll walk home. It's right in my home town so no biggie. At this point our other best friend (In this case we'll call him Team America World Police because he feels he has to set everything straight whehter it involves him or not) comes out and convinces me that I should go back in and try to apologize for hurtung friend #1. So against my better judgement I do.

As these always go, drunkeness and emotiong get involved, we have a bigger argument and I of course look like the [censored] (even more than I really am) because it appears that I came back in the house specifically to start a fight with my best friend. Then Team America starts in on me so we argue a lot too. The thrilling conclusion to this story (long or short form) is that I'm pretty sure last night severed the only two friendships I've ever had that relly mean something to me. Basically I'm saying now that I have no ties to this state other than being on the list for a few PDs, which hasn't worked out so far anyway so I'm definiately really considering the move away by myself and go pro thing.

Now, onto my financial situation...

I have an adequate 3-6 BR. I have a car that I'm paying off more than my regualar payment so I'll be out of debt with that in a year and a half. My student loan costs are not bad (ie they don't force me to risk money I'll ever miss). I have an auto depositing stock plan which deposits a tiny amount of money every month and basically gives me some "fall back" cash for the future, and an ING direct account. I don't quite have three months worth of expenses but if I really scrimp this month (and maybe next) then with my shitty salary from my current real job I think I would. So now I'm trying to formulate a plan and I'll read any piece of advice, or contructive criticism (or flat out flaming) you guys give me as I try to evaluate the situation.

So my actual questions...

1. What would you pros do in my spot(if you weren't already pros obviously)?

2. Do any if you guys regret going pro and why?

3. Do you think there really is a "better" move for me as far as enjoying life etc and getting myself financially comfortable?

Thanks very much, good luck all!!
Matt

P.S. I can't wait to see how many replies answer question #1 with "fold" "check" "bet" "call" or "raise"

[kitaristi0]

I'm not a pro, and won't become one in at least 5 years, but i just wanted to say, that if you do go pro, please, for all of our sakes, start keeping a blog, because blogs are just fun.

[EStreet20]

haha we'll see other than this post, which would be a good first entry, I've never beenm the blog type, but I guess anything is possible.

[dogmeat]

Why are there always a half-dozen of these posts every day? Are you all unable to read, or do you think your particular situation is really that different from the other 500 posts about going pro?

Keep your regular job for the next few months.

Play 40 hours a week of online poker, 2-3 tables per hour.

After 13 weeks and 75,000 hands you will know what to do.

Dogmeat [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

[Paul2432]

I'm not a pro, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

I think turning pro could be OK for you, but I would wait a few months. First of all, it does not sound like you have enough money. I would think you would need at least $15K or so. My guess is you have less than half that.

Second, I think the day after a drunken fight with your life long best friend is not the best time to make this decision. Frankly, that you would let this happen, suggests you might not have the emotional stability to be a pro (or a police officer for that matter).

I may be way off here, but it sounds like you are depressed. You might want to try talking to a counselor even for just one session.

Whatever you decide I wish you the best of luck.

I hope my tone was not too harsh, but that is what you requested.

Paul

1. Talk to your two best friends now that you're sober and work things out. Friends are the best part of life and one night won't ruin a great friendship.

2. Try to get the girl (with your one friend's permission).

3. Play online until your BR overwhelms your income as a master of the custodial arts.

4. Good luck.

[EStreet20]

Hey guys thanks for the thoughts. And Paul don't worry about your tone or whatever, all you were doing was giving honest advice. I realize that yeah this definitely is not the time to "decide" to go pro. I guess I was just under the impression that since I didn't know if things would be cool between my friends and I so it might accelerate how quickly I went through with my decision to do so. Also, I know I'm not depressed, extremely bummed and all but thanks for that advice too. I am normally extremely emotionally stable, last night was just like "bizzaro matt" came out. But yeah, I guess I just have to try to straighten things out.

Thanks again,
Matt

[smartalecc5]

Defintely do not go pro. Could you see yourself sitting infront of your compmuter for 8 hours a day 4 tabling. Don't get me wrong, I love poker - but 42-4 hours a day is plenty for me. Also, at 3/6 your income isn't that huge.

[Cosimo]

Go for it. Move to Vegas as soon as you can afford the bus fare.

Just kidding about the bus fare. Finding a place to live without sleeping in your car would be cool. A few things, though:

* You're living with M&D, have a day job, play poker on the side -- but don't have 3 months expenses saved up. Where's your money going? Poker is swingy. The 300-500-1000 BB bankroll means you can keep playing through a downswing, but you won't be withdrawing money to pay expenses. That's what the 3-months-expenses is for; to pay the bills when you're in a downswing.

* You only live once. DO IT. Certainly the safe people enjoy their life, but what kind of life do you want? Moving to Vegas now is risky. It will be stressful, and maybe it will be a cubic asston of fun, too. Right now I'm building a bankroll so I can save enough money so I can spend snowboarding season in a mountain town. Every time I take my 30-minute drive to work or home, I'm thinking about just pointing the car west and going. I'd tell my boss right now to go [censored] himself, but I work for myself and that's a different dream that I'm also persuing. I've never felt so alive as working for myself. You've spent 14 months with the 'rents, working as a janitor. Are you going to maintain that safe lifestyle, or take a chance? Taking the chance is gonna be a hell of a lot of fun.

* Don't do things against your better judgement. You're not going to prove Team America wrong by following his suggestions and failing. And failing isn't a good thing anyway. Do the right thing. Do what you think is right.

* Friends do not sabotage friends. I have no room in my life for someone who's still stuck on a girl with whom he went out for a few months three years ago. Yeah yeah, talk to him now that you're both sober, and you can clean things up -- but do you really want to? Is this the sort of friend that you want to maintain? If he's gonna be a pussy about this girl, do you think he's ever going to not be jealous about a girl that you're with? "I saw her first!" Yeah, whatever. Find new friends. In Vegas.

[JihadOnTheRiver]

you most certainly should have had sex with the girl. friends are cool, sex is better.