Looking For Some Advice..

[MyPlayIsRAB 0]

Hey everyone;Well university is almost done for another year, and I've started looking for a summer job. I basically need to make about $5,000 canadian ($4200ish US), which is really not a problem. Here's my curveball.I've done quite well for myself playing poker. I don't play high stakes by any means, but I've been a consistent winner at 1/2 limit and .5/1$ NL over the past 8 months.I was a complete donkey and saved only like 400$ at the end of last summer on top of rent for the year.. so basically I played for a living, earning around 100$ a week (maybe 15 hours of play max, at 25/50c NL), which was enough for groceries and bills and going out once a week, because I had no choice.2006 has been amazing for me poker-wise. In February, I won a MTT for about 1400$, and made 3 other final tables for another 500$. I'm up around 800$ in the last week playing .5/1 NL on Hollywood Poker (finally made the transistion up a level as my BR allowed it). I've been a pretty steady winner since about October now, with the usual variance bs and donktastic drunk nights.So, basically this is what I'm getting at. Should I get a 40 hour a week summer job, and play poker on the side for another 10 or so.. or play poker fulltime for 40 or so hours a week? I think I could make around the same money either way, but the summer job is guaranteed while the poker would be skeptical. Any inputs would be great, especially from people who are around my age (21) and have made similar decisions.Patrick

[shinychicken 0]

Get a job for 25-30 hours a week and play poker the rest of the time. You can always quit either one if they don't go well.

[TB17 0]

Dont play poker full time if you can help it.

[ROGUE06 0]

Get a job for 25-30 hours a week and play poker the rest of the time. You can always quit either one if they don't go well.

That is definetly your best out since it is steady and guranteed. On the other end, if you are very confident with your skills and feel you can consistently win at your limits, then keep it up and put more time in. The good thing is you have a few more months until summer so over that time depending on your results should easily judge your decision. Good luck either way tho.

[CrazyIrish 0]

Take the sure thing and keep working on the poker on the side. There's no bigger stress than knowing you're playing with and for your rent money.

[MyPlayIsRAB 0]

thanks guys. all your input is really valuable. i was already leaning towards working 32 hours a week (four days a week instead of five, 8 hours a day) plus poker on the side for about another 20, 2 hours a day after work and 8 hours on the 5th work day plus weekends. its a guaranteed way to go, and if i do really well at the poker id probably keep the job regardless for tax purposes.patrick

[CobaltBlue 662]

Going against the crowd, I'll say this...I quit waiting tables when I realized that I was making more money playing poker. It also reduced my stress and gave my schedule more flexibility.

[Akward 0]

Serious.

[anselm 0]

I'll be the voice of unreason and say stick with poker. You're young man, take advantage of it. Play poker, watch movies, read, play video games. Find your own hobby. In between mopping up the fish you have total freedom of schedule - when you sleep, eat, etc. We're not talking about earning enough to support a family and afford a home in the suburbs so live it up while you can.

[Jordan 1]

if you want to play poker as your only source of income over the summer your mental game better shapen up or you'll drive yourself mad.if you arent mentally strong, eventually something will snap and you'll lose a lot more than you are prepared to.if anything, you should have enough to pay bills without work for a few months before you solely play for a living...if anything, i'd get a job temporarily that you work parttime, and play poker on the other side.you should be able to tell once you are ready to play solely poker...i did over last summer and I wasn't ready. I made decent money, but I blew up at the end of the summer and tilted off more money than I should have. Coming from that I learned a lot...but it's still something you really need to be prepared for emotionally...or just live and let learn.good luck..- Jordan

[MyPlayIsRAB 0]

if you want to play poker as your only source of income over the summer your mental game better shapen up or you'll drive yourself mad.if you arent mentally strong, eventually something will snap and you'll lose a lot more than you are prepared to.if anything, you should have enough to pay bills without work for a few months before you solely play for a living...if anything, i'd get a job temporarily that you work parttime, and play poker on the other side.you should be able to tell once you are ready to play solely poker...i did over last summer and I wasn't ready. I made decent money, but I blew up at the end of the summer and tilted off more money than I should have. Coming from that I learned a lot...but it's still something you really need to be prepared for emotionally...or just live and let learn.good luck..- Jordan

ths is great advice. thanks jordan. i anticipate having a 1500 roll by the start of the summer, so i should have some padding anyways

[looshle 6]

Don't get a job, you don't need one. I tried the whole working + playing until I realized how much time I was wasting. If you go broke, get a job. But you won't, we both know it.

[Dirtydutch 8]

What's "TP/MM"?

[DrawingDeadInDM 0]

..Work part time, play the rest.

[MyPlayIsRAB 0]

lol i cant believe this went 13 replies with nothing sarcastic.. new forum record

Don't get a job, you don't need one. I tried the whole working + playing until I realized how much time I was wasting. If you go broke, get a job. But you won't, we both know it.

im not sure if youre being nice or a jerk.. sw?

[looshle 6]

serious

[etip 0]

ths is great advice. thanks jordan. i anticipate having a 1500 roll by the start of the summer, so i should have some padding anyways

1500 is probably not enough, at least for 1/2 NL. I go through half of that easily in one bad session. I have been averaging $30/hr over the past 100 hours of 1/2 NL (300 max buyin) and I don't even think that the 100 hours of experience that I have trying to be a "real" pro qualify me for saying how badly things can go - in other words I'm sure they can be much worse than what I have experienced. Two or three bad sessions in a row and you're broke... that's no good.I suggest finding a buddy and pooling your resources. That's basically what I did last summer, although I played 3/6 live (yeah, I know, blech) and NL tournaments online. If you do that, 30/hr can support two college kids for a summer. I would suggest a total bankroll of at least 3000 to give it a shot for the summer, 1500 is cutting it kinda close.EDIT: my bad, you said 1/2 limit and i suck at readingRE-EDIT: can you really support yourself at the stakes you're playing?

[JaNnN 0]

Dude, don't go and sit behind a computer for 40 hours a week. If a regular job pays somewhat the same as poker does, go for the regular job. At least you have some social interaction with your collegues(sp).I would go mad at staring at 2-3 tables at the same time for so long and keep concentrated, and at those limits have your whole bankroll on the line which is of course very stressfull.If I would play poker for a living, I would make sure there is a casino damn nearby to play some live ringgames. And play the tourneys on the internet because if you can handle yourself well in a tourney they are +ev.Good luck with your choise.Jan

[TheWatchMan 0]

im in exactly the same position.playing 1 2 NL, but hi lo.last week i turned $50 on stars into around $1000, purely by constantly playing h u 20 dollar sit and goes. i cashed out £500, and then took the remaining $200 and did exactly the same thing, turning it into $1000.then i was thinking i'll turn this into to a larger bankroll, so i can have enough to go travelling after this summer.i got it up to $2,013 playing NL omaha hilo $1 $2.then i decided i needed a laptop so i took $500 out..... this left me with $1500and then in a spate of bad luck, i was down to about $400, and i lost that in a $2 $4 game being an idiot.i think you can play these limits with $1500, but if you have a bad session, you could lose it all.heres an eg of my luck... im TheWatchManPokerStars Game #4373056042: Omaha Hi/Lo Pot Limit ($1/$2) - 2006/03/22 - 03:02:53 (ET)Table 'Gordonia' Seat #4 is the buttonSeat 1: J.S.P. ($71.90 in chips) Seat 2: BetJo ($143.50 in chips) Seat 3: SpankyFluke ($271.15 in chips) Seat 4: 3.14159... ($107.65 in chips) Seat 5: dontfold33 ($127.10 in chips) Seat 6: TheWatchMan ($110.25 in chips) Seat 7: mustafa ($200.10 in chips) Seat 9: checkchecks ($120.65 in chips) dontfold33: posts small blind $1TheWatchMan: posts big blind $2*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to TheWatchMan [Qc Ad Ah 3d]mustafa: folds checkchecks: folds J.S.P.: folds BetJo: folds SpankyFluke: raises $5 to $73.14159...: raises $5 to $12dontfold33: folds TheWatchMan: raises $32 to $44SpankyFluke: calls $373.14159...: calls $32*** FLOP *** [Tc 7s 2d]TheWatchMan: bets $66.25 and is all-inSpankyFluke: raises $160.90 to $227.15 and is all-inTheWatchMan said, "lol"3.14159...: calls $63.65 and is all-in*** TURN *** [Tc 7s 2d] [3c]TheWatchMan said, "poker jokerpo#"*** RIVER *** [Tc 7s 2d 3c] [8d]*** SHOW DOWN ***TheWatchMan: shows [Qc Ad Ah 3d] (HI: a pair of Aces; LO: 8,7,3,2,A)SpankyFluke: shows [Td Th As 4s] (HI: three of a kind, Tens; LO: 7,4,3,2,A)SpankyFluke collected $2.60 from side potSpankyFluke collected $2.60 from side pot3.14159...: mucks hand TheWatchMan said, "jhdold;f;fksdf"SpankyFluke collected $160.50 from main potSpankyFluke collected $160.45 from main potTheWatchMan said, "sFSfgfgwefg"TheWatchMan said, "wfgs"TheWatchMan said, "fg"TheWatchMan said, "sfs"TheWatchMan said, "fs"TheWatchMan said, "f"TheWatchMan said, "sf"TheWatchMan said, "sdf"TheWatchMan said, "f"TheWatchMan said, "sdf"TheWatchMan said, "SDf"TheWatchMan said, "sdf"*** SUMMARY ***Total pot $329.15 Main pot $320.95. Side pot $5.20. | Rake $3 Board [Tc 7s 2d 3c 8d]Seat 1: J.S.P. folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 2: BetJo folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 3: SpankyFluke showed [Td Th As 4s] and won ($326.15) with HI: three of a kind, Tens; LO: 7,4,3,2,ASeat 4: 3.14159... (button) mucked [2c Ac 6d Qd]Seat 5: dontfold33 (small blind) folded before FlopSeat 6: TheWatchMan (big blind) showed [Qc Ad Ah 3d] and lost with HI: a pair of Aces; LO: 8,7,3,2,ASeat 7: mustafa folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 9: checkchecks folded before Flop (didn't bet)if bullshit like this happens 4 times in a row, youre ****ed.having said that i know ill make it again next week, as long as i dont start thinking like a loser.. and spending like a loser.so i wont be getting a job. espescially due to the fact that ive been playing in games where the standard bring in is an hours pay in a shitty job with an annoying boss.my reality is didtorted even by playing seemingly low limits.but getting a job is the "sensible" option. id just get a job if i was stone broke and had to eat.i got FPPs to play with, when they run out, who knows, i might be a barrista again..but i sincerely hope not.good luck. i have every confidence you'll succeed.

[Vogelb5 0]

We've talked before and I'm in a similar spot. I'm currently in college and play online for my only income. I would say to stick with poker during the summer IF you can realistically reach the amount of money you said you need by playing your same game. If you'll have to move up before your ready or play differently to force things, get a job. But if your able to play and grind up to what you need.. do that.Playing 4-9 tables at a time for many hours a day certainly gets annoying, but it's better then some silly part time job that us college kids can get. Definately learn to play omaha and/or stud as a break from the grind sometimes. Obviously drop down limits so you don't blow your profits while you learn, but I need the break sometimes and you'll go back to NL with a fresh start. Especially during the summer, the freedom is beautiful. You can drop whatever anytime and hang out with friends that are also back from college. If your working, your going to miss alot with friends. We can always just join a game when we get home or something. Good luck to ya, just make the smartest decision for your situation.

[fatman 1]

..Work part time, play the rest.

Yeah, work part time for a while so that you have enough money for your bills, build up your bankroll then quite the job...full time jobs suck!

[StrippersNBlow 0]

1500 is probably not enough, at least for 1/2 NL. I go through half of that easily in one bad session. I have been averaging $30/hr over the past 100 hours of 1/2 NL (300 max buyin) and I don't even think that the 100 hours of experience that I have trying to be a "real" pro qualify me for saying how badly things can go - in other words I'm sure they can be much worse than what I have experienced. Two or three bad sessions in a row and you're broke... that's no good.I suggest finding a buddy and pooling your resources. That's basically what I did last summer, although I played 3/6 live (yeah, I know, blech) and NL tournaments online. If you do that, 30/hr can support two college kids for a summer. I would suggest a total bankroll of at least 3000 to give it a shot for the summer, 1500 is cutting it kinda close.EDIT: my bad, you said 1/2 limit and i suck at readingRE-EDIT: can you really support yourself at the stakes you're playing?

See you at Ameristar this weekend

[Mercury69 3]

Job first, poker in spare time.If you do well at poker, it'll feel so much better because it'll be like cake icing and you'll have the security of a regular pay from your job, not to mention the fact that you can't really put Pro Poker player on a resume.

[Balloon guy 158]

neither.Travel, you guys between college need to take advantage of the one time in your life where you can throw on a backpack and see something. Hitchhike through Central America, or up the western coast, or Europe. Get out and see the world.You will have plenty of time to stay in one place and work or play poker.otherwise, put your whole bankroll on black in roulette and see whether you need to get a job or not for the summer. either way your decisoin will be made for you and you won't have to struggle to decide.As some one who has made alot of bad and good decisions in life, you will regret not doing things that you wanted to more than the things you do try and fail at.

[MyPlayIsRAB 0]

Job first, poker in spare time.If you do well at poker, it'll feel so much better because it'll be like cake icing and you'll have the security of a regular pay from your job, not to mention the fact that you can't really put Pro Poker player on a resume.

this is the route im going to take. but yeah, poker player on a resume = -ev inlong run.

neither.Travel, you guys between college need to take advantage of the one time in your life where you can throw on a backpack and see something. Hitchhike through Central America, or up the western coast, or Europe. Get out and see the world.You will have plenty of time to stay in one place and work or play poker.otherwise, put your whole bankroll on black in roulette and see whether you need to get a job or not for the summer. either way your decisoin will be made for you and you won't have to struggle to decide.As some one who has made alot of bad and good decisions in life, you will regret not doing things that you wanted to more than the things you do try and fail at.

ive already been almost everywhere in the world i want to go (caribbean, europe).. only place left to go is some remote pacific islands... lol