Poker as a living. How to deal with my family?

[benza13]

You really think that there is a better time than one in which you are only responsible for yourself to do something like this where you might have to survive on a limited income for a period of time. I know that once you start to establish yourself, get a house, get a family, it would be much harder to attempt poker as a career.

Also, I have discussed with plenty of people and businesses are increasingly looking for people with life experience. Most people do not stay at their first job very long anymore, they look at it as a jumping off point, so get some life experience and figure out what you really want to do before you end up with a mortgage and bills and are stuck in a job that you hate that you can't risk leaving. Sure, poker probably isn't going to work out for most people (the vast majority), but right now is probably the golden age of poker with a higher percentage of fish than we'll see ever.

Also, do you really think that the US government can regulate the internet and internet commerce with offshore companies like the poker websites. They are not going to be able to do anything about you doing business with a company in Gibraltar or Aruba over the internet through regulations.

[eastbay]

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Also, I have discussed with plenty of people and businesses are increasingly looking for people with life experience.

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LOL! Sitting at a poker table is not "life experience."

eastbay

[bigalbr]

A) Your parents and most of the posters are right. Don't quit school and become a poker player.

B) Why aero instead of mechanical? Mechanicals can get aero jobs, aeros are stuck.

C) Your resume will not look good to an engineering employer if you graduate, then start playing poker "professionally". If you have to try this, stay on a track to graduate at some point. Play poker, but stay enrolled and don't let your grades drop. It's very difficult to get an engineering job if you have no experience and aren't a new grad.

[TimM]

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Not to mention I have to pay my own tuition

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Why do you have to pay your own tuition?

It seems like everyone who makes these "parents want me to get a job" posts has to pay their own tuition.

Did you fail a lot of classes, and you're not telling us about that part?

[Brash620]

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I don't believe that I have seen any jobs for which I am qualified where the pay is better than $32 an hour(assuming I 4 table 2/4 with a 2BB/100 winrate). In fact 32 x 8hr x 5 days x 52 weeks= 66560 per year.

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Your taking a big risk assuming that you can beat 2/4 for 2BB/100. Yeah you can beat .25/.5 but so can a retarded monkey half the time. 2/4 and 3/6 is where you start runnig into good players who take poker seriously. If you can make $350 a month playing for quarters take it.

[Trix]

Have you even tried playing 8 hours/day for 5 days ?

[Jakesta]

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I have seen any jobs for which I am qualified where the pay is better than $32 an hour(assuming I 4 table 2/4 with a 2BB/100 winrate).

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Maybe this had been addressed, but how did you calculate this?

Assume you can get in 250 hands per hour playing 4-tables of 2/4 on Party. At 2BB/100, that's only $20 per hour, not $32.

[rtadoyle]

As a recent college grad, who is still unemployed, here's my opinion: get a job, play a little on the side, and establish a nest egg.

There are so many expenses that you have to deal with- health insurance, car insurance, food, rent, etc - that you want guarenteed income so you can budget accordingly. You need to make sure you are secure before you start doing a job where you might not get paid for weeks at a time. As you start succeeding in poker, then you can slowly reduce your hours, but still, get a decent job to assist you. You will be able to move up in limits faster if you have another catalyst besides your poker to increase your bankroll as well.

I am trying to get a job right now, and I don't think I will have a problem doing so, due to work experience and a degree from a good institution. Note how I didn't say career - I'm trying to find something now to just pay bills, and get some experience. Once I am financially stable, I will look for a beter job or a career while still employed - which is perhaps the best piece of advice I can give the originaly poster:

The best time to look for a job is while you have one.

Work a regular job, or go back to school. That doesn't mean you can't play poker at the same time - you'll just be playing less of it. Get something to fall back on.

Off to pick up a suit for an interview on Monday!

[blackize]

No I did not fail a bunch of classes. I left my last semester with a 2.5 GPA. 2.5 is a terrible GPA compared to what I am capable of, but I have had to pay my own tuition since the beginning. The 2.5 GPA is the reason I am taking a break from school. I know I am capable of much much better, and don't want to waste my time and money if I am not putting forth a full effort.

Also I chose Aero Engineering because I had originally planned on joining ROTC and going into the Air Force. I have since changed my mind about that, and it is not too late for me to change over to a Mechanical degree.

[steve968574]

You are seeking useful, genuine advice, so you shouldn't resent this blunt assessment of the situation: How can you be so confident in your poker game when you need on-line hand-holding just to stand up to your parents?

I think you're a skillful player who needs to shore up his game and his economic situation before making the leap. It's not that hard to finesse the 40-hour week to make it work toward your ends...a no-brainer job that will give you benefits and your own place, with a minimal investment in responsibility and brain fatigue, is very do-able. Don't flee the full-time work thing--if you are smart you will find a way to manipulate it and use it as a springboard to get the life you want.