first day as a 'pro'

[CoolWhip11 0]

On April 19th I won $1417USD (which is notable cause I'm in Canada) in a multi. While this news is nothing special, how the events transpired definately is. Just the day before I had told myself that I was going to take poker serious and see if I could make enough as a job this summer (I'm a university student who just finished a degree, and money has been very tight for me the past 4 years). So now with school done I wanted to try my hand - pun intended- at being a pro poker player. And what happens my first day as a 'serious' player - keeping an indepth journal, with time logs etc. Well, I won (with my ring game totals included) $1500 US - which is over 1700 for me. I'll leave the post at that, for lenght purposes, but I'd be very interested to hear some of your guy's feedback on my first day as a 'pro' player.

[custom36 4]

I want more information. Hands, strategies, the table, everything. Screw length - post it all!

[BigBabyJesus 0]

Good for you. Don't really know what else to say because I don't know your situation. There may be another job out there that is amazing for you too, but sounds like you are off to a good start. Maybe posts some key hands or start a blog for people to follow.

[Swift_Psycho 1]

I'll leave the post at that, for lenght purposes, but I'd be very interested to hear some of your guy's feedback on my first day as a 'pro' player.Uhh...how are we supposed to give you any feedback at all except that making 1500 in a day is good? You didn't give us anything to give you feedback on.

[Meatwad 0]

good luck! i'm graduating in under 4 weeks :dance: but playing poker full time is not for me...although since i still want to take one last summer off before finding a career it's definately an option. :think:

[JohnnyCache 0]

Don't drop it all. Pay yourself a "salary" out of your winnings for pocket money - I do a quarter, 25%, - and bank the rest for major purchases, unforseen occurances, and bad runs. Keep records, and don't ever give in to the temptation to skip logging a loss. Your book is your conscience, it tells you if you're for real or not, and it helps you play to win by spotting the holes in your games.Good job on the quick score.

[SOWhatKid 0]

winning 1500 doesn't make you a pro! it should have read I am ambitious to make big money in poker.

[custom36 4]

winning 1500 doesn't make you a pro! it should have read I am ambitious to make big money in poker.

:doh: He is a pro that made $1500 his first day of being a pro. Pay attention swift.

[adidas freak 0]

Congrats on your successful first day...all i can say is take it one step at a time and save for the rainy day.good luck...keep us updated on your progress

[Smasharoo 0]

Don't forget to post when you broke.Winning a lot when you decide to take poker seriously is probably the worst thing that can happen to most people.

[CobaltBlue 662]

Keep records, and don't ever give in to the temptation to skip logging a loss.

To be honest...after I have a really terrible session, I skip logging it for a while. It's mostly a matter of not wanting to face the red ink at that moment. The site that I use keeps a decent log of your activity, so I can go back after a couple of days and record everything (hopefully after I've posted a winning session in the meantime). I find this to be a bit more palatable.

[custom36 4]

Don't forget to post when you broke.Winning a lot when you decide to take poker seriously is probably the worst thing that can happen to most people.

Agreed, only when you lose your bankroll can you turn pro. :roll:

[Eclipse17 0]

Keep records, and don't ever give in to the temptation to skip logging a loss.

To be honest...after I have a really terrible session, I skip logging it for a while. It's mostly a matter of not wanting to face the red ink at that moment. The site that I use keeps a decent log of your activity, so I can go back after a couple of days and record everything (hopefully after I've posted a winning session in the meantime). I find this to be a bit more palatable.

I did the same...I was logging my winning/losings for a while and then when i hit a crazy streak of losing, i just stopped the will of logging anymore.

[ldudeus 0]

well first of all, congradulations on your big win :-) second, u said that because you decided to take poker seriously and you won $1400 that you are now a pro. I dont think that 1 big win makes you a pro in any wayu.You should track your results over several years and then make your decision if you want to make Poker as your carrer choice.I mean, i have made $1900 in a day playing poker and im only 16.Howver, im not rushing anywhere to become a pro....after all, it is Just 1 win.gl w/ your poker carreer.-Leo T.

[Bluffs2005 0]

Well, unlike a 'real' job. You don't necessarily keep what you make. You may win $1500 today and it will take some time but you may lose it all.Let us know how you do at the end of summer. I suspect you will findyou could have made more at a real job!

[bigkg 0]

Don't forget to post when you broke.Winning a lot when you decide to take poker seriously is probably the worst thing that can happen to most people.

Harsh...but true.

[Ucsbrat 0]

Well dude im happy for you.... 1500 in any moment is always welcome in my roll so we all know your stoaked.... Im actually entering my senior yr next yr in college, and truth is im definately going to make a run at it in vegas this entire summer..... I was there last week and realized that it is def a better location, because players are better there that equaled tighter plyrs....... which equal'd to me being a much smoother loose agressive player... went real successful.... and though I don't know if this pro tag your putting really applies, your ability to win a tournament can obviously transpire well in big games.... one thing ive been saying for awhile now ... is that i think that any player with good fundamentals will go far in any tournament.. The reason why is because they dont make foolish mistakes... their straight shooters and even the more experienced players try to play at them waaay too hard, and they end up losing their chips to focused minds..... anyway.. enough of that good luck on your journey man...... maybe along the way we'll bump heads

[Makavelli 0]

So, how have you done over the past twelve days?

[Makavelli 0]

with school done I wanted to try my hand - pun intended- at being a pro poker player.

don't do that.

[Nostalgae 0]

Let us know how you do at the end of summer.  I suspect you will find you could have made more at a real job!

But what fun would that be? I don't think when we are older we will look back and say, "Wow I'm glad I took the 'real' job instead of taking a risk at something great." Or maybe he finds out poker isn't great at all and just takes the real job in a few months from now.

[TejasPoker 0]

as long as you won't end up homeless, have some fun over the summer

Winning a lot when you decide to take poker seriously is probably the worst thing that can happen to most people.

I can vouch for that one

[Uppie_ 0]

smash always seems to come off harsh but i enjoy his jim rome like brutal honesty he keeps everything in perspective for the dreamers who see him as just an arrogant prick. I suspect being a poker pro will soon become one of the more failed jobs out there. I wish you luck and all but i would look for a job they are hard enough to find with out having to answer questions about gaps in your resume and stirring up uncertainty of why doesn't this kid have a job yet what are other employers seeing that i am not and play poker part time and only take it up as a profession when you r making a years salary in six months. the real world isn't a nice safe place like college was but GL and have fun.

[potpumper43 0]

I have been a low level "Pro" for a year now. I would say it is about the lonliest, most stressful occupation you can imagine (internet). Poker was a lot more fun when it was a very lucrative hobby. I am back looking for a job. The problem with explaining the employment gap is already apparent. No one wants to hire an admitted "gambler". This scenario can make an interview a minefield, because you basically have to lie to cover up the gap. Lying in a job interview is not a great way to get a job. Thankfully i have some friends who are business owners who are going to claim I worked for them the past year. It still makes for uncomfortable explanations why I have changed jobs twice in 3 years. This is a deadly situation in an interview, they will pick up on the fact that you don't like the questions. My advice to anyone considering becoming a "pro" would be to play at least 3 winning years first, have the bankroll to play 10-20 , 15-30 or higher, and have a nest egg of one year's bills. It seems like a very romantic lifestyle but it is a lot like any other job, except without the security of a weekly paycheck and benefits. Good luck to all of you.

[CoolWhip11 0]

I JUST finished school, and I'm pursuing a career as a journalist. But I thought it would be alright to see how far I can take this poker thing. I still have a job and everything. I haven't claimed to be a 'pro', when I put "my first day as a 'pro'" I put the word "pro" in quotations deliberately, I thought it would be evident that the quotation marks denote a sense of sardonicism almost. As far as some people writing "well what have you done sense then", or "you're going to lose all your money". First off, I can't lose it all cause most of it already went towards debt (I'm a poor ass student remember), and secondly, I've been ridicilously busy with school, moving, etc. so I've been playing minimal hours. The point of my post was that I decided to try poker seriously, but I didn't wake up and say "i'm a pro now." I woke up and said "today I'm taking poker seriously, and want to see if I have what it takes to rely on poker for money." And what happened the first day I did that? Well, I won $1500. If you don't realize the magnitude of that then...well, don't reply to the post.