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

[blackize]

Forgive me if this is posted in the wrong area.

I am almost 20 years old and taking a break from school. I started playing internet poker for money back in November, I had some ups and downs at first but since about February it has been almost entirely up. Between February and April I won about 700 dollars playing poker at levels around .25/.50 and .50/1 with about 3.8BB/100. In April I took a $215 deposit and turned it into 1200 within a few weeks. I had to cash out all but 20 dollars to pay some expenses.

I currently have a part time job(10-20hrs a week) which I am using to fund my poker account. My parents are on my ass telling me that I need to get a real job with health benefits where I am working full time and have a "future" and am doing something "productive". I explained that I was going to try to play poker as a living as soon as I got my bankroll sufficient to play 2/4. My parents laughed at me and said that less than .1% of the population is successful playing poker.

So I pulled out my Poker Tracker stats and showed my BB/100 over the last 30k hands at the varying limits. I explained the concepts of EV and multitabling and how much money I could reasonably expect to make.

They kept insisting that poker is based on luck and I kept giving examples to refute it. Then they changed their argument to the fact that I should be doing something to "help" society. I am intelligent and have always done very well in school, and they want me to use my intelligence to better mankind. I brought up how they had always taught me to find something I enjoy doing and the money will come. I said that I really enjoy poker and make a good amount of money doing it so why shouldn't I try to make it a full time thing. They talked in circles for a bit and finally I ended the conversation.

Ive been thinking that the reason they don't want me playing poker for a living is because they want to be able to say they are proud of what I do. They do not have any problems with my playing poker for fun or to supplement my income, but they want me to have a full time job. Is there any way I can convince them that poker:

A) is skill based
B) uses my intelligence to an extent that keeps me satisfied
C) is something I enjoy and am successful at

[Alex/Mugaaz]

Your parents are right. Probably not what you are looking to here but that's the truth.

There is absolutely no reason you can't play poker and finish school while having a decent job. However, there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a part time job and playing poker for secondary income, you're parents should be able to agree to that. Funding your poker playing with income from work is pretty stupid though. You should be able to pay all bill with income from your job and use poker income for everything else, this is the ideal set up.

Once you get to the point where having a job is a futile waste of time - I.E. you have 9 months of living expenses saved up + your additional bankroll, then just playing poker while you go to school is fine, and by that time your parents should agree.

Poker playing makes a lousy career but a great hobby.


There is no need to try to convince your parents of anything - they won't be, period. You can do both, the only reason not too is laziness, you know it.

[Jacob_Gilliam]

I'm an english teacher who travels to other countries to teach (currently in Mexico). I enjoy playing poker and have found a hobby that pays for itself and then some. But if I had to play 8-10 hours a day everyday to support myself I'd blow my brains out. There's a lot of jobs that you can do which would be more fulfilling than poker (and pay better). Playing poker hour after hour isn't fun, it's a grind. Stay in school and find something that you would be interested in doing for the rest of your life.

[blackize]

[ QUOTE ]
You should be able to pay all bill with income from your job and use poker income for everything else, this is the ideal set up.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am pretty close to achieving this, my part time job does take care of 90% of my monthly bills and poker easily covers the other 10%.

[ QUOTE ]
There is absolutely no reason you can't play poker and finish school while having a decent job. However, there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a part time job and playing poker for secondary income, you're parents should be able to agree to that.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have no intentions of not returning to school. I discovered the past semester that my heart just wasn't in school and I was not working nearly as hard as I should have and my GPA dropped because of it. I then decided that I should wait until my desire to learn has returned again.

I am content having a part time job while playing poker, but my parents really want me to get a 9-5 job.

[ QUOTE ]
There's a lot of jobs that you can do which would be more fulfilling than poker (and pay better). Playing poker hour after hour isn't fun, it's a grind. Stay in school and find something that you would be interested in doing for the rest of your life.

[/ QUOTE ]

I dont find playing poker hour after hour to be a grind, but that is just me. 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. I am a aerospace engineering major and it is something that I am VERY interested in doing for the rest of my life. The average starting pay for an Aerospace engineer is roughly 45000 per year. So assuming that I can continue to win at 2+BB/hr/table I would make more than if I went into my chosen field. The only reason I am not continuing to pursue my degree is because I don't want to be spending money on college if I am not going to be putting my full effort forth. I like to do the best that I can at whatever I do and I just can't do that at the moment.

[Alex/Mugaaz]

I'm sorry for being blunt with someone I obviously don't know, but then the problem seems to be you, not your parents. They seem to be completely right then. They said they want you do more with your life, and you just said that you are unable to focus on things you know you should be doing.

I was not saying poker was a grind (it can be, but I dont find it so). It's just not rewarding. You never really get a sense of accomplishment. Poker is just money, treat it as such. Thats why I said get a job you want and play it on the side. You can have a rewarding job and not have to live like a pauper.

You are right about that most jobs now aren't worth it to you compared to poker - I certainly understand and agree with that. Find a happy medium with a prt time one and work on your poker. Make sure you work on bankroll management as your #1 skill, prove to yourself you're not some degenerate gambler. Keep records of everything. Never take money for bills and expenses to pay for poker. And never rely on poker winnings in order to pay bills unless you have an absurd amount stashed away.


You're capable of doing this. As you continue on your way you ma find you lose interest in poker and enjoy a normal job, or you may find the opposite to be true. There is no way you'll ever know for sure unless you do both for a while. Don't pretend you do already.

[John Bedtelyon]

I've been through the same thing. I'm 20 years old but am still in school. I go to Michigan State University and am about to get a degree in Physics.

My mom says the same things your parents do, and I just gracefully take her words of wisdom. That's not a bad thing to do, "just smile and nod."

Don't patronize your parents though, they may not think like you or I. I find it to be a great way to pay bills and to support any expenses I have. I think you're good to persue a career in poker, but I wouldn't think you should try it just playing 2/4 limits. Pick up other games as well. Once you get better at more games, you can get a game anywhere, generally at any time. Especially online...maybe try big multitable tournies. They're a great way to makea lot of money. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

JMB

PS, don't tattoo something poker related on your forearms, parents will hate that

[Bob Moss]

I didn't read your whole post, but I did notice you want to go pro as soon as you're beating 2/4? I'd recommend waiting until you are playing 10/20 or 15/30 or higher. If you plan on 4-tabling or 8-tabling, sure you'll have a good hourly rate, but it's so tough to put in the hours doing that, and you won't improve very fast. Whatever you decide to do, good luck.

Bob

[blackize]

It isn't something I SHOULD be doing RIGHT NOW though. Education has and still is very important in my life. I pride myself on my education and intelligence. I decided that I needed a break from school before I ever started taking poker seriously.

My parents aren't happy with me having a part time job and playing poker on the side. A 9-5 job that I am qualified for would be a complete grind. I could always get a job waiting tables or at Best Buy or something, but my parents are pushing me to look for jobs with the federal or state government. Jobs where I would be an underpaid file clerk.

Given the above, let me rephrase the question. How do I convince my parents that I don't need to have a 9-5 job with the government to be "doing" something with my life?

Alex, I really appreciate your advice on bankroll management and hopefully I can follow it without trouble.

[blackize]

My posts didn't mean that I wouldn't take shots at upper levels. They were made based on a game I know I can beat already with a good hourly rate. I enjoy playing several tables for hours at a time, that may change if I were to start doing it on a daily basis. If I were to make poker my sole income I would gradually move up through limits once I became sufficiently bankrolled and money was set aside for expenses and bills for the month.

[bernie]

[ QUOTE ]
It isn't something I SHOULD be doing RIGHT NOW though. Education has and still is very important in my life. I pride myself on my education and intelligence. I decided that I needed a break from school before I ever started taking poker seriously.

My parents aren't happy with me having a part time job and playing poker on the side. A 9-5 job that I am qualified for would be a complete grind. I could always get a job waiting tables or at Best Buy or something, but my parents are pushing me to look for jobs with the federal or state government. Jobs where I would be an underpaid file clerk.

Given the above, let me rephrase the question. How do I convince my parents that I don't need to have a 9-5 job with the government to be "doing" something with my life?

Alex, I really appreciate your advice on bankroll management and hopefully I can follow it without trouble.

[/ QUOTE ]

How do you do it? Easy. You put your money where your mouth is. You move out and pay all your own bills solely on your own income from playing cards not depending on your parents for anything.

Until you live under your own roof and self sufficient, you're under their watch and rules. Get a job, play on the side until you save enough to go alone.

Good luck.

b