Two Plus Two Older Archives  

Go Back   Two Plus Two Older Archives > Internet Gambling > Internet Gambling

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 08-02-2005, 01:10 PM
bball904 bball904 is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 8
Default 1 Year Anniversary of Online Poker Career

I am writing this mainly for therapeutic reasons, but hopefully it will give many readers another perspective of trying to play this game for a living. Many people claim that one major drawback to being a professional gambler is that you don't serve any positive purpose. I somewhat agree with that, and hope this post will provide some contribution to others.

Yes, it has been a full year of not going to work and playing poker for a living. It has been several months since I've posted on 2+2, but most all of my posts have been in the STT forum and playing party sng's has been the primary source of my play.

First of all, some background information: I am not the typical college kid that decided to play poker and live cheaply instead of going to school or finding a job. I'm 36 years old and left a 6 figure salary because I couldn't take any more of the corporate bull sh!t anymore. Did I think I was going to replace that income level playing poker? No, I honestly didn't, but I felt I could average $1,000 a week at the time which to me would be sufficient income to accomodate the lifestyle change that being my own boss would provide.

Now, for the results:

Month Hours Profit $ / hr
Aug 192 $4,855.85 $25.29
Sep 175 $2,281.67 $13.04
Oct 115 $1,263.83 $10.99
Nov 223.5 $3,718.23 $16.64
Dec 163 $60.03 $0.37
Jan 148.5 $6,088.37 $41.00
Feb 123.5 $4,444.63 $35.99
Mar 114 $2,772.44 $24.32
Apr 87.5 $976.62 $11.16
May 84 $737.79 $8.78
June 116 $658.05 $5.67
July 101 $(949.68) $(9.40)

Total 1,643 $26,907.83 $16.38

For the first three months, probably 90% of my play was limit ring games at various sites inlcuding Stars, UB, Absolute, and Party. I played mostly 3/6 and some 5/10. My results were fairly good but not quite in line with my $1000 a week goal. I did get married in mid October which kept me off the tables for a couple of weeks.

It was on Nov 1 that I committed myself to the 1 table sng's at Party. Frankly, the ring games had gotten too boring to be playing long sessions as I had been doing. When I started playing the sng's, I loved the fact each tourney was over in less than an hour and it was a new challenge. I had a good month in November, but ran very very cold in December. I really attribute the bad numbers in December to variance.

In early January, I finally got a 20" LCD and moved from 2 tabling to 4 tabling. I ran extremely well for close to 3 months. However, sometime in late March, there was a turning point that likely will turn out to be the reason my poker career will not last. I simply lost my passion for the game that I had had for the prior several years. I no longer got up in the morning anxious to open up some tables. The bad beats and lost coin flips started to become annoying instead of inspiring. It had gotten to where I felt that I need to force myself to play instead of constantly wanting to play. I no longer had my web browser constantly surfing the 2+2 boards.

The results speak for themselves. Not only are my hours way down, but I know that my play has suffered as well. I had one stretch in April where I completely lost my aggressiveness for several weeks and was playing very weak tight. At other times I knowingly am playing overly aggressively at the wrong times.

In terms of ROI: I've played almost exclusively $55 sng's. From Nov 1 to Mar 31, I played 1619 55's with a 17.4% ROI for $15,440. From April 1 to June 30 I played 760 55's with a 3.5% ROI for $1,450 and in July I played 247 55's with a -6.9% ROI for -$935.

So, what is the bottom line? On one hand, making $27k and $16+ per hour at home, on my own time, going to the gym or the golf course whenever I want, is a much improved lifestyle to selling yourself as a whore in the corporate world. However, the real story is that playing poker for a living truly does fit the adage... it's a tough way to make an easy living!

Hopefully my 2 year report will be much better.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-02-2005, 02:06 PM
Derek in NYC Derek in NYC is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 130
Default Re: 1 Year Anniversary of Online Poker Career

What a discouraging post.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-02-2005, 02:13 PM
gildwulf gildwulf is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: 3/6 six-max and $20-50 SNGs
Posts: 846
Default Re: 1 Year Anniversary of Online Poker Career

How much money did you really expect to make 2-tabling the $55s? You would have made way more money 8-tabling the 20s and 30s for way less hours.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-02-2005, 03:33 PM
Exsubmariner Exsubmariner is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Now Declassified
Posts: 71
Default Re: 1 Year Anniversary of Online Poker Career

Thank you for posting some reality. I appreciate your candidness.
X
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-02-2005, 04:27 PM
vindikation vindikation is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 181
Default Re: 1 Year Anniversary of Online Poker Career

Thanks for the post.

So are you going to continue to be a pro poker player?
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-02-2005, 04:36 PM
Uglyowl Uglyowl is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 66
Default Re: 1 Year Anniversary of Online Poker Career

Going from a small company to being bought out by a large company, I can agree the corporate world does suck! I am taking the summer off and will find a job with a smaller company.

Hope year two is better for you! Remember though, you had no commute, no wear & tear on your car, no gas, and cheap lunches [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 08-02-2005, 05:01 PM
crazy canuck crazy canuck is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Toronto canada
Posts: 657
Default Re: 1 Year Anniversary of Online Poker Career

Thanks for the post. Here is some advice for you:

To cope with the boredom, you should learn other types of poker games and formats.

Also, you should learn cash games...I believe you would make that much from rakeback at 5-10 6 max (assuming 4 tabling).

Good luck!
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 08-02-2005, 05:01 PM
solucky solucky is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 50
Default Re: 1 Year Anniversary of Online Poker Career

like the post, but 4 month with 7-900 would scare me as a proplayer. Hope you do better the next month!

cross my fingers, you will never play my 0,5/1 tables
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 08-02-2005, 05:23 PM
Mister Z Mister Z is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Florida
Posts: 201
Default Re: 1 Year Anniversary of Online Poker Career

Wow, thanks for the dose of reality. Do you think it was all the success you had in January that led to becoming less interested in poker? I assume your wife is bringing home some good bacon. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 08-02-2005, 05:29 PM
BluEsiNsOuL BluEsiNsOuL is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 135
Default Re: 1 Year Anniversary of Online Poker Career

So first 5 months of your poker career was just 2-tabling. I consider it was a huge waste. If I ever decide to do it for a living I will start 8 to 12 table in no time.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:53 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.