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

[LImitPlayer]

I'd teach and it's not even close.

[ QUOTE ]
I have 30K hands at 2/4, 70K at 3/6, and 60K at 5/10 6max. I am over 1bb/100 total.



[/ QUOTE ]

I don't thnk you have a high enough winate to justify it.

What is your winrate broken down into each limit?

1BB/100 over all 3 limits isn't spectacular. Your beating the game which is good but you need a much higher winrate to try and go pro in my opinion.


WHat happens if 3 months down the road Rakeback ends?

[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.

[PokerBob]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd teach and it's not even close.

[ QUOTE ]
I have 30K hands at 2/4, 70K at 3/6, and 60K at 5/10 6max. I am over 1bb/100 total.



[/ QUOTE ]

I don't thnk you have a high enough winate to justify it.

What is your winrate broken down into each limit?

1BB/100 over all 3 limits isn't spectacular. Your beating the game which is good but you need a much higher winrate to try and go pro in my opinion.


WHat happens if 3 months down the road Rakeback ends?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't have my numbers in front of me, but at 2/4 it's like 2.2, 3/6 is 1.7 and after dropping 200BB in my last 5K hands my 5/10 is at 0.88.

Rakeback dying would obviously suck, but that is why I have 5 months living expenses in reserve. How high should my win-rate be?

[highlife]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Why not do both?.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd like to have "me" time.

[/ QUOTE ]

It sounds like you have honestly thought this out thoroughly, and are also aware of both your talents and shortcomings in poker. The only thing you seem to underestimate is the amount that poker will take over your life and thoughts if you decide to play full time. A big downswing will severely criple your emotional health even away from the table.

[PokerBob]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Why not do both?.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd like to have "me" time.

[/ QUOTE ]

It sounds like you have honestly thought this out thoroughly, and are also aware of both your talents and shortcomings in poker. The only thing you seem to underestimate is the amount that poker will take over your life and thoughts if you decide to play full time. A big downswing will severely criple your emotional health even away from the table.

[/ 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.

[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.

[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.

[EStreet20]

I'd say teach and play part time. During your summers off play full time. Then one day retire with a nice pension/retirement benefits and you can have a nice moneymaking hobby.

Good luck,
Matt

[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