Random Advices
I have been playing poker for 4 months and 9 days, for a net profit of $9,653 with a $500 bankroll. I started out very well, winning $2,300 on my first cash game of poker at the Venetian, $2/$5 NL. The next outing, I lost $300, which was my daily allowance for a session. During this time, I engaged in conversations, and one old man told me that I should start at the $1/$2 NL until I build up my bankroll and have a better grasp of the game.
Since then, I have been playing $1/$2 NL. July was a tough month for me as I lost $3,405. Rather than just using my reasoning skills on the odds and probabilities (I am a math major), I started to check out poker books at the library, watching a lot of videos on you tubes, reading a lot of forum, reviews hand analysis and comments. Basically, you name it, I have done it to improve my game. My studious approach to the game has helped me tremendously. I would have won instead of losing in the month of July if I had done all of these, but better late than never.
So, in a little of more than 4 months, I have earned more money than working full-time as a dealer at a casino in Las Vegas. The winnings go to my poker bankroll, as i hope to build on it while continue to work. Trust me, it is not easy working 40 hours--sometimes more (OT), and then try to grind it out at the poker table. However, I feel young despite being 40 years old.
I have aspiration to become a poker pro. Despite the fact that I have been winning, that one month in July kind of scare the crap out of me because of the ups and downs in this game.
I have read articles where so many of poker pros that I have seen on TV are actually broke or needed to be staked by someone else.
Of course, I am a nobody in the poker world, so I don't know anyone; therefore, it is unlikely that I will have someone to stake me. I am using my own money, which I have a limited amount.
I intend to continue working for at least one year, while building up my bankroll.
I need a poker pro or someone who knows a lot about the life of becoming a poker pro to answer me the following questions:
1) Assuming I quit my job to turn pro and my monthly expenses are $800, how many months do i need to reserve for this journey?
2) Even though I am doing fairly well at $1/$2 NL, do most pros play at $2/$5? If so, what kind of a bankroll do I need so that i can ride the high and lows. Please take into consideration of #1 when answering this question.
3) What are the indications that tell me that I have failed besides going broke?
4) Is it worth it to hire a poker pro for training? I used to play pool fairly well. In my quest to be a world class pool player, I have hired pro pool players to help me with my game. Unfortunately, it backfired, and I ended up being a worse player than I was before. Maybe I did the wrong thing by hiring more than one pros to help me because I hear voices when I am down on my shots. As a result, I was indecisive and missed my shots.
5) Anything else that is important that i have failed to ask yet essential to become successful in this game, please feel free to add on.
Thank you!
5)
Holy crap, not another one. You are the fourth person with a similar thread in this week. Check out the Active posts to see the discussions in those threads for answers to most of your questions.
If you don't mind me asking, how many hours of play did you accumulate in 4 months 9 days?
@Pokerdogg
Not a very pleasant post. Write again after a winning day!!!
@alf1052
Not a very pleasant post. Write again after a winning day!!![/quote]
Ok, guess I can give it a second go after today's winning session...
Holy cow, you are the fourth person to post a thread this week regarding turn pro! A lot of your questions have been discussed in those threads, I suggest you take a look at them.
If you don't mind me asking, how many hours of play did you accumulate in 4 months 9 days?
Same as any other job - this is up to you. I'd suggest minimum 3 mos. living expenses.
Play wherever you win, and within your bankroll. The smallest size bankroll you should have is 20 buy-ins. i.e. if you play 1-2 with a 200 buy-in, then have absolutely no less than 4k. A conservative amount would be up to 100 buy-ins. Just search around for threads on bankroll management. Everyone has a different style and depends on your needs (single life vs. family), and your game.
Failure comes in more forms than broke, as you allude to. Bad health, tilt, etc. If you're going pro, get yourself into a good routine of eating healthy and exercising. It's too easy, given poker's surroundings, to fall into very bad habits that will wreck your game and life.
It all depends on who you hire. Some folks are scammers. There are a lot of great online resources you should first consider. Get used to reading them regularly, watching videos, and then if you need personal attention, consider a coach. Personally, the online resources seem more than adequate, because you get such a variety of feedback from different types of players.
Stick with 1-2 and build your bankroll and personal savings (for living expenses) up a lot higher. You're going to experience significant swings and need to be prepared, especially as you're beginning. Also, get a good app to track your winrate by game and casino. Make sure to take good notes of hands where you lost, and post them on the forums to get feedback on your game.
Actually my advice for some one who wants to turn pro is don't move to Vegas to play $1-$2 NL. Get yourself rolled to move to LA and play $30-$60 or higher.
@Rocketpoker92
This line of thinking is exactly backwards. Don't quit your job and turn pro and see if you can make it. Have a reliable job that pays the bills and perhaps even offers some benefits. Play poker in your spare time -- maybe 10-15 hours on weeknights and 16-20 hours on weekends. See how that goes for six months. Look at not only the $/hr win rate but how you feel. Can you put in an 8-hour day and be playing solid poker at the end? Do you still enjoy playing now that it's more than a hobby?
Once you have an established win rate and that number is enough for you then think about quitting your regular job.
@Pokerdogg
Not a very pleasant post. Write again after a winning day!!![/quote]
Ok, guess I can give it a second go after today's winning session...
Holy cow, you are the fourth person to post a thread this week regarding turn pro! A lot of your questions have been discussed in those threads, I suggest you take a look at them.
If you don't mind me asking, how many hours of play did you accumulate in 4 months 9 days?[/quote]
Damn, I like that Pokerdogg. Great response. But, how much did you win?
@Rocketpoker92
1) How are your monthly expenses $800? I would recommend 6months of expenses+ another bankroll of 50BI's so 1/2 $200Maxx50 = $10,000.
2) Pro's play a game they consistently win at if they are winning at 1/2 they will move up to 2/5 BUT you have to have the bankroll for 2/5 first so $500x50BI's = $25,000
3) Even going broke doesn't mean you are failing.
4) The problem was not that you hired a pro to teach you pool, it was you. You have to get all those thoughts out of your head and be confident in yourself before you even consider going pro. And yes once you do that it would be wise to hire a winning poker player.
5) You have to be happy in Life first, you can not let outside factors influence your decision's on the poker table. If you have had a bad day chances are you are going to have a bad day at poker.
I could go on and on about these things but this is the just of it. You need to research research and when you think you are finished researching do more. Talk to Benton on here he will tell you a little of the in's and out of poker. It's not what it is on TV the very FEW Phil, Phil, Daniel, Phil's of the world are extremely RARE. And I think I am right in saying in this ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BROKE at one point in their lives. Like BROKE BROKE!
The poker life is not glamorous it's not how ESPN portrays it on TV. The poker world is dark and scary and their is ALOT of things that regular people that play $1/2 2/5 do not see.
onq7, what do you mean by dark and scary ?
Ok maybe dark and scary was the wrong wording. But it's not some glorified way of making money.
@Onq7
+1
How many pros have you heard say, "The hardest way to make some easy money" or something similar?
@little arrows
Let's just say that there some unsavory characters and some of them you know from TV and some of them you know once your are plugged into the scene.
Please remove this rerbilled clown from the website. 2 pages of Spam on every post about some kind of b.s. purse.
Thanks for the notice, meetmeinfrisco. All 'rerbilled' posts were deleted and they were banned.