Going to try playing live 1/2 for a living....

[lefty rosen]

If you want to play there as pro. You better move there. That way you don't need to drive much, if at all. If I had the disposable cash(and balls) I would try that at Niagara falls at their dummy 2/5 NL games.

[DaveduFresne]

Thanks but I already have a BA in History and am a New York State certified Social Studies teacher.

As long as I make myself a legitimate poker player and not one who just gets by through skinning the fish, I don't think I have anything to worry about long term. I'm sure poker is here to stay at least through my lifetime, even if its popularity wanes.

[DaveduFresne]

I'm not sure why I'm going to bother defending myself, but I will just for ego's sake I guess....

First off the KJ hand. I don't know if you play any live poker at all, but its a lot different than internet poker. If you're a nit in a live game and just wait to hit sets, or preflop wait for AK, or big pairs, you won't make much money. If I sit there for an hour and fold, or maybe limp into two or three hands, and then I wake up with pocket Aces and want to raise it up, most likely the whole table will fold. (You're also missing out on a lot of +ev by folding hands like KQ or AQ, when so many players are willing to call of their stack with top pair no kicker.) Online this doesn't happen so much because there isn't the continuity of a live game. Based on my knowledge of the game, his most likely pushing hand was Ax or a small pocket pair. The only thing I was afraid of really was a hand like KQ, where I could be dominated. But more likely it was a coinflip or a 60/40 hand with enough dead money in the pot to justify the call as long as I was pretty sure the other deepstacked player wouldn't come in or reraise me.

As far as my general advice goes, I've been successfully playing online for a living since last November. It hasn't always been smoothsailing, but I've never been broke, and I've slowly built my bankroll while keeping up with my bills and other obligations. Granted, my game still has a lot of areas where it can use work, but at least in the low stakes forum, I feel fairly well qualified to give advice and suggestions.

I initially brought up your post on the trips hand to another player not to insult you, but to give him perspective on your advice, which based on the posts I've read, is fairly weak tight, even for online play.

However, the insult I added on the last post was silly and childish and for that I apologize.

Good luck at the tables,

David

[Rick Nebiolo]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think this level of poker will slowdown that much. It's too cheap for the reckless gambler or rookie player. Every year there is a new crop of 21 year olds.

[/ QUOTE ]

I hope you're right but good times don't last forever.

I grew up in a different world (graduated from college during the Carter years). It wasn't quite the depression but we had high unemployment, high-interest rates, and high inflation. It was rare to find college kids with decent cars, nice clothes and so on and I'm actually stunned by what young people have to spend today.

[ QUOTE ]
Trust me I bet the horses for years and the same losing players show up for years and take their beatings every week.....

[/ QUOTE ]

Seems to be a bad example. Horse racings popularity has declined - the industries biggest problem is the lack of new players.

~ Rick

[Rick Nebiolo]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks but I already have a BA in History and am a New York State certified Social Studies teacher.

As long as I make myself a legitimate poker player and not one who just gets by through skinning the fish, I don't think I have anything to worry about long term. I'm sure poker is here to stay at least through my lifetime, even if its popularity wanes.

[/ QUOTE ]

If and when the influx of new players declines, the games will toughen up, especially the NL games.

If you have a possibility of working a decent job with health insurance and still have time to play part time (and during the summer if you are a teacher) I'd advise going that way. The best part time players are just as tough or tougher than full time players and are respected within the poker community. If and when poker becomes less profitable they have a lifeline.

People like myself are potstuck now that we've been out of the normal workforce for years (e.g., I entered poker when the defense department related aerospace industry dried up). You aren't potstuck yet.

I've been posting on this forum for about nine years and for personal reasons I've always avoided the "should I play for a living threads and how much BR do I need threads". This time I let my guard down but in all seriousness I hope you don't make this choice.

Regards,

Rick

[dtbog]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know if you play any live poker at all, but its a lot different than internet poker. If you're a nit in a live game and just wait to hit sets, or preflop wait for AK, or big pairs, you won't make much money. If I sit there for an hour and fold, or maybe limp into two or three hands, and then I wake up with pocket Aces and want to raise it up, most likely the whole table will fold.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is not true at Turning Stone 1/2 NL... not in the slightest.

I don't play that way, but I know people who do, and they don't suffer from a lack of callers when they pick up a pair of aces.

[BoogerFace]

[ QUOTE ]
As long as I make myself a legitimate poker player and not one who just gets by through skinning the fish....

[/ QUOTE ]

What the hell is this supposed to mean? You only want to beat 'good' players because it's some how less immoral?

NL is war - with chips. I'd rather play drunks who are having a good time than with the best poker players in the world. A pro has got to play poker to win. And not feel ashamed about it. (Not that I'm a pro.)

IMO you should stick with teaching. It's more respectable and all.

[ComboProf]

Well I guess you could live on it, but it wouldn't be great