A few questions for the internet pros

[BugSplatt]

Recently, I have devoted more time to playing online, with some success. I have the utmost respect for anyone able to do this for a living, in that I would think there must be times when it has to be exactly the same as anyone doing the nine to five thing at the office, aside from the fact you don’t have to get in a car and drive through rush hour traffic to and from work each day.

What do you do on those occasions when you wake up tired and don’t feel like “working?” Do you approach it the same as a regular job, where, for example, there is work and it has to be done? Or do you use the flexibility you have and take the day off, and not put the added pressure on yourself that you HAVE to play because there are bills that need to be paid?

Often times, while at work, I think about poker all day and can’t wait to get home to play. Then when I get home, maybe I am a bit tired, and I don’t bother. I think “tired” money can be just as dangerous as scared money, and I hate the thought of losing chips because of poor decision making. So I go for a walk instead. This is not a difficult choice for me to make - I don’t have to play.

What happens when you are feeling great but the cards are not cooperating? Do you remain in the games because you have a set quota of hands you have to play or hours to devote? Or what if in an hour you made a few huge scores, would you keep on playing or decide that you’ve made enough for one day? Again, it is easy for me to join or leave a game anytime I want.

What do you pros do?

Bug

[Al Schoonmaker]

Thank you for asking some interesting questions. I look forward to the answers.
Regards,
Al

[doughhater]

I love playing poker. As with any profession where personal performance determines profitability, this is a necessity. On those occaisons when I don't feel like playing, I don't. It really is that simple. I know that there will be plenty of times where I do feel like playing, and I know that I will get in plenty of hands.

As for short term success or failure determining the length of my sessions (winning or losing a few big pots early in the session), the answer is: it doesn't matter. If you are a winning player, the only thing that matters is how many hands you play profitably. If you lose a few big ones and feel like you can't play your best, you should quit. On the other hand, if you quit after winning a few big ones in an attempt to "protect your win", then you are giving up the opportunity continue winning.

Hope these thoughts help.

[GuyOnTilt]

Hey Bug,

I basically play when I feel like it with no set work hours or weekly quota. It ends up being about 20/wk on average, but I've taken a whole month off twice so far this year. This month I've been better and have logged 84 hours so far, taking a total of 10 days off completely. Logging "fulltime" type hours playing online poker would be near impossible for me and for the vast majority of online pros I've talked with. 2k hours/yr just isn't going to happen. 1k-1.5k is much more realistic.

GoT

[gonores]

I think if you factor in all the reading, analysis, 2+2ing, etc. inherent to to the job, 40 hours a week is doable, but you're right...more than 25 hours of play per week would kill me.

[fnord_too]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey Bug,

I basically play when I feel like it with no set work hours or weekly quota. It ends up being about 20/wk on average, but I've taken a whole month off twice so far this year. This month I've been better and have logged 84 hours so far, taking a total of 10 days off completely. Logging "fulltime" type hours playing online poker would be near impossible for me and for the vast majority of online pros I've talked with. 2k hours/yr just isn't going to happen. 1k-1.5k is much more realistic.

GoT

[/ QUOTE ]

I log more hours than this as a part time player I think. I don't know where the line between pro and not pro is drawn. I have a full time job, but I now also count on the money I win at poker. Affitionally, I am probably making more from poker right now than I am at my regular job. Furthermore, I spend a lot of time away from the table working on my game. I tend to be a bit obsessive, and poker is no exception.

I don't think playing 40 hours a week would be hard for me, but I may be deluding myself. Did you work down to 20/wk? I mean did you start off working more and got to the point where after 20 your play dropped? Or perhaps after 20 (on average) you were not making enough for it not to be worth your time to play more (i.e. you make enough to fit your lifestyle with 20/wk, and spending more is philosophically distateful, "there's more to life" and all that.)

Also, do you stick primarily to one game, or do you play several? I play shorthanded limit, tournies, some PLO, and some sit and goes right now. I also enjoy stud, stud/8, lowball tripple draw, and even omaha/8, but there just are not enough hours to play everything. Point being that when I feel like I am stagnating or getting bored with a game, I can switch to another game. (Though I have to keep games where I have a firm grasp of my expectation/variation in the mix to keep income at least at the minimum required level.)

[jokerthief]

There is a huge difference on mental fatigue when playing 4 tables a oppossed to 1.

[fnord_too]

I multi-table. (Usually 3 lately since I have been playing on the laptop, and I just don't have the resolution, but 4 on my desktop.) (Also, that is ring games, in tournies I try to only have one table going after the first hour or so, though sometimes I end up in three tournies 2+ hours deep at the same time.)

[ILikeApples]

I play online about 10 hours a day for 4 days a week. I spend the other 3 days at the local casino. That is, if I am not traveling or playing golf. To anwer your questions:

Q: What do you do on those occasions when you wake up tired and don’t feel like “working?”

A: I play golf. I never feel like I need to play but I am addicted to poker so I can't go for more than a couple of days without playing.

Q: What happens when you are feeling great but the cards are not cooperating?

A: No matter how good you are, you are going to run into bad cards once in a while. I have played so much poker that it doesn't affect me any more; I just keep playing.

Q: Do you remain in the games because you have a set quota of hands you have to play or hours to devote? Or what if in an hour you made a few huge scores, would you keep on playing or decide that you’ve made enough for one day?

A: No matter how much you have won/lost, you have to stay in the game if you think that you have a positive expected win rate.

[gergery]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey Bug,

I basically play when I feel like it with no set work hours or weekly quota. It ends up being about 20/wk on average, but I've taken a whole month off twice so far this year. This month I've been better and have logged 84 hours so far, taking a total of 10 days off completely. Logging "fulltime" type hours playing online poker would be near impossible for me and for the vast majority of online pros I've talked with. 2k hours/yr just isn't going to happen. 1k-1.5k is much more realistic.

GoT

[/ QUOTE ]

I am playing 20+ hrs a week right now, and posting/reading more than that and have a full=time job and family. I suspect there is something about my outlook on poker as a fun new hobby for me rather than as a profession or requirement, and its also somewhat of an escape.

Can you write a bit more about why you and your colleagues don't play more, what the thoughtproces etc is?