taking the plunge

[IBETUWIN 0]

hello all i am a fanatical student of the game of holdem with limit being by strongpoint, i read and absord almost everything i can find on the subject and would like to make the transition to LV to ply my trade, I have lived in Toronto, Ontario my whole life and have been playing holdem for ten years and regularily crush the local 10/20 and 20/40 games and am earning a comfortable income at this level, just wondering if this is any indication that i can make the grade in LV, how much tougher is the competition over all at these levels, i also play as high as 100/200 though it is not in my ideal comfort zone with a bankroll of about 60,000 usd. any input and advice would be great, and Daniel if you have any advice for a fellow canadian i would be honoured to hear it, thanks alot guys your a great bunch of poker enthusiasts in here,,,

[CoreyBrown 0]

I think if you have questions or doubts then do not go. When you get it in your mind and say "eff it, I'm gonna go take my shot at it" then get up and do that. If you go in scared, you go into lose.**i've never been to LV, but this is my mindset for all professions**

[Polakplayer16 0]

I say if you think you can compete or its very likely that you can make a little more over in vegas then do it. I'm sure theres a lot of dead money tourists in vegas at the 30-60 level. There might be a few good players but just go out for about 2 weeks and see.Read Phil Iveys interview at Card Player.com :!:

[tekn0wledg 0]

What I would do if you are going to make the jump is put aside about 6 months worth of expenses first to cover rent, car payments, food and entertainment etc.... keep it seperate from your bankroll and then make the move.This way if you are hurting in a bad streak you at least able to pay the bills and still live without worry.

[IBETUWIN 0]

great advice I've heard this before and have accounted on top of bankroll at least 6 months of living expenses, thanks for the advice and keep it coming guys this is all great

[pursxcorp 0]

are you kidding me? you have 60 grand and six months living expenses and you are afraid to play for a living? man, i had five g's in my pocket and moved to california to play pot-limit hold'em! you should read some of daniels posts about his youth... if you can't make it with that kind of money, you're never gonna make it...i played mostly no-limit when i was in vegas but found it was the easiest place to make money... much easier than california. the locals are very good, but it's obvious who they are. the great majority of players are tourists though. have no fear man... half the fun in being a gambler is the risk... you are more than well funded, that's for sure!

[Smasharoo 0]

I have lived in Toronto, Ontario my whole life and have been playing holdem for ten years and regularily crush the local 10/20 and 20/40 games and am earning a comfortable income at this level, just wondering if this is any indication that i can make the grade in LV, how much tougher is the competition over all at these levelsYou'll destroy the Vegas games at these levels if you have any sort of game selection skill at all.You can definately find a tough game in vegas, but you'll recognise it when you're in it.

[jayboogie 0]

That's a pretty impressive bankroll you've built up over 60, 000. Now, there's a lot of factors you need to put into play. A lot of them, not poker related, your bankroll should be fine to play with, but it's more or less a personal decision such as whether you want to leave your home, family, friends and etc and really pursue playing for a living in Las Vegas. I think you probably have the tools to do so if you so choose. I am from Toronto as well and have found games here to be pretty easy to beat. Most of the players here are honestly just not very good, so personally I think it'd be a lot easier just making a living here, but maybe if I built a bankroll as large as yours, I would reconsider as well. Whatever you decide, all the best and I hope you succeed.

[Kappa1873 0]

This is my first post here, so hello to everyone.My take on this poster is that he has a very humble attitude about his game. A lot of replies indicated that he was too timid to take the plunge to Vegas, but I believe that his humility could be one of the major reasons for his success. While it is true that confidence is key in poker, as well as anything in life, humility leads to more willingness to "be a sponge" as Daniel puts it. A lot of people walk up to the poker table with the belief that they are superior to everyone there and walk away "unlucky." :roll: It seems that the poster has the best demeanor and a healthy bankroll, so the rest is up to him. I say go for it! It's a common saying that we usually regret the things we don't do in life more than the ones we do. Good luck to you!

[Smasharoo 0]

Of course there's the very likely possability you could make more 4 tabling 5-10 online.Something to think about.

[TheIceman05 0]

No one's mentioned this yet: WHY are you considering going? It's obvious that you're not going JUST for the money. If you're beating a 100-200 game every once in a while, then you're DEFINITELY making some bank, right? Like you said, you're making a comfortable living. Do you think you can make CONSIDERABLY more in vegas? Are you looking to play 50-100 on a regular basis? Or are you just looking to test your mettle, see what you're made of?No matter what the answer, I just that's the most important factor. No matter what, it'll be somewhat of a sacrifice, as there will definitely be some downs involved (finding a place to stay, meeting new people, being the new guy, getting your ass kicked for the first time, feeling like you don't belong, etc)... but as long as you are COMPLETELY honest with yourself about your motivations- and you think there is some logical purpose to achieving those goals, whatever they may be- go for it. But...!!! ONLY GO IF YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST WITH YOURSELF ABOUT WHY YOU'RE GOING.Cheers,Ice

[KillerKop 0]

But only if you absolutely love playing poker more than anything else. Playing poker for a living is a lot different than playing a few hours a week even if you regularly crush your local game. Keep meticulous books on everything you do involving money exchange including personal expenses, NEVER lend or borrow money unless you absolutely must, try not to get too caught up in the Vegas lifestyle, and learn as many games in addition to holdem as you can. I'm sure I've missed a bunch but I think that's solid advice for someone about to go pro.

[pursxcorp 0]

just out of curiousity... how come anytime wants to be a pro poker player, they think of vegas? i know it seems like the logical place, but the poker action there just isn't good as it is in other places. southern california has more poker action than vegas by far, and it's a much better place to live... read the articles on daniel's website called, ' travel with me ' in which he details the different places where poker is played. i'm pretty sure you'll like LA a lot more than vegas, at least there is a complete life outside the world of gambling. i don't htink i could play full time in vegas because everything there is about the gambling... you are surrounded by it wherever you go. and to me, it makes a big difference, because i need an escape from the lows of poker. just something to think about. i think you're more than set when it comes to money and skill... and if you feel like going to vegas you can get there on a flight in less than an hour for less than a hundred bucks, or you can drive in about 5 hours...

[Mike Patton 0]

I say if you think you can compete or its very likely that you can make a little more over in vegas then do it. I'm sure theres a lot of dead money tourists in vegas at the 30-60 level. There might be a few good players but just go out for about 2 weeks and see.Read Phil Iveys interview at Card Player.com :!:

hey im looking on cardplayer right now but cant find that interview :?