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

[TheGame1020]

I don't know much as I am young man too but I would say do what you want to do. Your going to have to get up everyday and go to your chosen profession every for the rest of your life. Just make sure whatever you do your happy. I've seen too many adults at dead end jobs who lose their drive and just become drones. Don't become a drone at some BS job. Do what you want.

[mdeck]

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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.

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I totally agree. I love poker, but it's hard enough for me to play 4-5 hours a day 4 times a week, I don't know how I'd survive 8 hours a day 8-tabling for 5 days a week. Also, there's a lot less pressure when you don't need the money you win. I'm currently 19, and while making $1000/week is pretty sweet playing small stakes part-time, I'm still in school because I couldn't see myself depending on it for the rest of my life. I get more satisfaction from volunteering at the hospital (studying to be a doctor) than I do from having a +100BB day, but that's just me.

It would be nice not to have to worry about paying for medical school, though. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

edit to add: For such reason my parents have approved my online poker playing. They've realized that I am a winning player and am being responsible about bankroll management and keeping my prorities straight, like school first. I'd trust your parents on this one - You haven't even gotten past 1/2, yet - would you be able to withstand a 200BB downswing at 2/4 and still pay your bills if you dropped your part time job? Doubtful, and your parents know this, regardless of their attitude regarding poker.

[chesspain]

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Firstly, 2BB/100 does not equal 2BB/hour, since you will only be dealt approx. 65 hands per hours.

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You can easily get more than 100 hands per hour online. Even 2 tabling. Im not sure what you meant by your statement above.


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Bernie, my above statement was in regards to "per table," as the poster was assuming that he could make $32/hour averaging 2BB/100 while playing four tables of 2/4.

[sandsmarc]

A full time job is only 40 hours a week. That leaves another 30-40 for poker play. Everyone is happy. You're young, you should be able to handle a 70-80 hour work week with no problem. I've been doing it all my life and I'm in my upper forties. If you're a winning player and your disciplined and organized, the combined income of poker and a job will have you in your own apartment in no time.

[sandsmarc]

By the way, there isn't a 40 year old alive who doesn't know that they were a fool when they were 20. You will not be the first to buck that trend. So give your parents some credit for knowing something about life and what's really important.

[dabluebery]

What kind of expenses could you possibly have that your part time job is covering 90% of? Cell phone bill?

[cbfair]

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By the way, there isn't a 40 year old alive who doesn't know that they were a fool when they were 20. You will not be the first to buck that trend. So give your parents some credit for knowing something about life and what's really important.

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Word. And I'm only 31. No offense to the OP but give your folks (and the more experienced posters here) some credit and consider that they may have a broader view of what's at stake here.

I know you've already resigned yourself to taking a job of some kind before returning to school; you might now consider that it could be a great opportunity to grow and gain new experiences. Since your living at home and most of your friends are probably away, take the opportunity to set some lofty goals that will keep you playing in your spare time instead of going out and spending a bunch of money.

When I look back now at all the money I blew in my twenties just eating out and drinking in bars, I could probably retire ten years earlier if I'd just been agressive in investing half that money.

Here's a suggestion if you really want to blow your parents away... Take whatever job interests you most and save what you need to get back to school in spring. Then play poker as much as you can and build your bankroll to where you want it to be. Any additional funds from poker could go straight into your Roth IRA and you'd stand a very good chance of having $1,000,000 at age 50.

I would bet they'd be much more impressed by seeing you contribute the maximum to a Roth at your age than paying them rent.

cbf

[pzhon]

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LOL I just finished my first year of school and missed a lot of class and because of poker, which was a horrible idea. Although playing freerolls and $5 tourneys was a good time, it was still -EV.

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I'm not sure how much tuition is for you, but many college students pay about $100 for every hour of lecture.

Attend as though they are giving out $100 bills. Do the reading ahead of time so you get the most out of those classes.

[Zetack]

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Firstly, 2BB/100 does not equal 2BB/hour, since you will only be dealt approx. 65 hands per hours.

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You can easily get more than 100 hands per hour online. Even 2 tabling. Im not sure what you meant by your statement above.


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Bernie, my above statement was in regards to "per table," as the poster was assuming that he could make $32/hour averaging 2BB/100 while playing four tables of 2/4.

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I was wondering when somebody was going to point this out. And with table switching, restroom breaks etc, I wouldn't expect to average more than 200 hands an hour 4 tabling, which knocks you down to 16 dollars an our.

To the OP, your math sucks and your assumptions aren't any better. There's just no way with the limited experience that you have that you can assume a 2 BB/100 return when you start cranking out the hands and the hours. And I doubt you can 4 table eight hours a day for very long. Try it for two months straight and if you make it, then I'll buy that you if you still think you can do it long term that you have some sense of what you are talking about.

You may turn out to be a great poker player, but based on what I've heard so far from you, you don't have a clue whether that's true or not, and you don't really know if you have what it takes to be a long term grinder.

Look around though, at what the folks that are making it work say, and they almost universally say there's no way to come close to hours a week multi-tabling (except Brian, but ya know there's always gotta be one exception that proves the rule).


Do what you want to do, I don't care one way or the other, but at least go into it with your eyes open and your expectations realistic.

--Zetack

[Mike Cuneo]

Yeah next year I'm definitly going to way more classes and doing all the work I need to boost my GPA. Getting a good degree is definitly +EV.