Highlow16 0 Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 I have recently left my job to persue a career in poker. January was my first month which went pretty well. I started with a 15K b-roll, which i have acumulated over the past couple years. It was just time for me, it was always the dream(what 22 year old doesnt want to play poker for a living). Febuary has been a rough month for me. Ive lost about a third of my b-roll. To be completely honest some of these losing sessions I can attribute to my poor play. I feel like I havent been saving bets in the right spots (which when your running poorly is more important than anything). Its the difference between grinding out a break even session and a losing session. Maybe its because im stuck but i havent been trusting my gut. For instance. The board reads Q849 and I have pocket kings... Im check raised on the turn and i just know that im beat, but yet i call off 2 more bets out of frustration (I mostly play 5-10 and 10-20 limit). I have dedicated so much time to this game, studying, playing, to be making these mistakes. Im not one to complain about bad beats but this month has been especially frustrating in tournament play. In the 200K on full tilt, I had top two pair and went all in. Of course im called by KJ to hit the inside straight draw, countless times Ive been bubbling with 77 to 44 all in, or i have AK and the board reads A :icon_suit_club: K :icon_suit_club: 7 :icon_suit_club: and someone busts me when im all in with A :icon_suit_diamond: 3 :icon_suit_club: , hitting a club on the river. Again, i apolagize for the "im on a bad run" post because alot of its my fault and im sure it will turn around. I need to focus more... and I just wanted to vent.Take it easy Link to post Share on other sites
Jordan 1 Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 mental toughness is key to play this game for a living.i don't play for a 'living' right now, as I'm still living at home and am a student...but it is my job and am working at building up a solid bankroll to eventually move out and support myself with.being mentally prepared is the most important thing I think in doing this for a living...good luck to you...no shame in taking a break and getting a job for a while and getting back into it...sometimes that helps tremendously.over the summer i played as a job and quit poker for about 1.5/2 months and worked a real 'college' job in a restaurant...eventually quit that and got back into poker and since then my game and mental game has really developed and taken off in a much more positive direction.good luck.- Jordan Link to post Share on other sites
Highlow16 0 Posted March 1, 2006 Author Share Posted March 1, 2006 My plan is to play through March and see how things go. I know that im cappable of having a great month and that would certainly turn things around. From there I can re-evaluate where im at. I really feel that it boils down to my focus level. I am a firm believer in trusting your instincts, and I havent been doing that enough although i do have a much harder time online than in live play. I think online poker can move to quickly sometimes. Your just one second away from clicking that button where as in live play you can get a read on your opponent and have the time to make the right decision. Im gonna try and play more hours this month, try and stay positive and see how it turns out.Thanks for the advice Jordan. Link to post Share on other sites
looshle 6 Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Cash games are for suckers. Link to post Share on other sites
bfineman 0 Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 OP,Stay focused and don't lose sight of the fundamental rule of playing for a living: stay within your bankroll. As someone who also got slammed by February, it would be easy to get frustrated and do something stupid. However, good players will show a profit in the long term, and there's nothing you can do about short term variance other than play your way through it. Instead of looking at your February results, group everything together since you started in January and reevaluate your numbers. If you're still showing a good hourly rate, there's no need to sweat a bad couple of weeks. Link to post Share on other sites
xzanos 0 Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Well, if you KNOW you're not playing your best, you should take some time off and regroup. If you feel you're playing well, just in a downswing, I find it helps me to switch it up a little. Move from cash games to STT's, change games, or learn a new game. Gl, hope march is better for you. Link to post Share on other sites
Bubba83 0 Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 With your bankroll, I'd suggest staying away from the big MTTs as they have way too many entrants and create an incredibly amount of variance. Limit Hold'em can also create a lot of variance, though you do have the bankroll to be playing 5/10 and 10/20. This next bit of advice is for everyone with a job who wants to quit and start playing poker for a living. Don't. Cut back your hours on your job if you can, and start putting more hours into poker. Track your results with a STRICT system and analyze over months of play. If you're working full time 40 hours a week, switch to part time, 20 hours a week, and spend the leftover 20 hours a week into poker. Start getting the feel for depending on poker for HALF your income before you all of the sudden depend on it for your FULL income.Enjoy poker, remember why you started playing this game, and don't get too caught up in the moment.Good Luck. Link to post Share on other sites
CardWarfare 4 Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Enjoy poker, remember why you started playing this game, and don't get too caught up in the moment.i like that one.. kudos Link to post Share on other sites
Kangaroo 0 Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 chin up son, you'll come out playing well and winning soon. I saw you ft the 200k i think it was one time so i know you've got it in you.Personally if I were turning pro, that is starting to play for a living I think i'd definitely take the time to learn a few other games other than hold'em. O8 is an example, im a donkey myself and can still make some wins at the O8 tables, it's a bit of a gold mine.good luck. Link to post Share on other sites
Royal_Tour 0 Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 playing poker for a living isnt easy and not for everyone.dont think for 1 second that a simple thing like proper BR management will be your instant success in a poker paved future.Dont believe the hype, for every Zee justin and dreamclown groups, there is thousands of other winning players who think a few short term results is all they need to plan a decade of winning.dont mean to be a dick, i'm just being real so you think it through at age 22. Shit gets a lot harder than this.edit:, sorry, i guess i should clarify that it was your post and some of the issues you mentioned about saving bets that scared me a little.I'd hate to see you fold a big pot because you're down for the week and scared to go any further. You need to be willing to gamble, and knowing when to fold because you're beat is different than folding because you "think" you're beat. Link to post Share on other sites
DDiabolical 0 Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 February has been a tough month for me too, just haven't been able to get anything going.I think the best thing to do is take a break.Last night I started a session up hoping it was over, flop a set and lose to a higher set, -1 buy-in, few hands later on another table I get kings and lose to Aces, minus another buy-in, another hand shortly after I get my set on the turn and move in, get called by a straight draw and out another buy-in, all in the space of 5 minutes.I wish I was break-even by not playing than down and hoping "it'll be better this session". Link to post Share on other sites
BNH77 0 Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 I had a rough time in January but was able to get on a nice run in February and was able to win $1000 in a pretty small amount of playing time. We'll have to see what March Brings. Link to post Share on other sites
Highlow16 0 Posted March 1, 2006 Author Share Posted March 1, 2006 I appreciate the advice guys. Im gonna keep grinding and I know things will turn around. Ive also been considering playing a few different games. Im a winning O8B player so maybe ill focus on that for a while. This post was just a way for me to vent, i mean my girlfriend could care less when i tell her I missed a huge wrap draw or someone hit a gutshot to bust me out of tournament. Im confident in myself... it will all work Link to post Share on other sites
Mercury69 3 Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Sucks when the gf won't listen or try to understand...THESE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT, DAMMIT! Link to post Share on other sites
Highlow16 0 Posted March 1, 2006 Author Share Posted March 1, 2006 Actually shes cool with it. Ive turned her into a pretty solid player. It makes me jealous when she wins 3 sngos in a row! Link to post Share on other sites
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