How Did You Know When To Quit The Day Job?

[Dirtydutch 8]

OK, it's still a ways off for me at this point, but not so far off that I don't daydream about it when I'm at work.When did you know it was time to quit the day job to just concentrate on poker?I'm up $13k in 17 days from an initial investment of $50.Been playing for years, but never took my winnings and tried to make more from them, always cashed out and took the wife to dinner or something. This time, I tried to build more and did.I also have a dream of owning my own photography business, mostly portraits and weddings. I think that if I can get the $13k to $100k in the next 6-8 months, I can get all the pro equipment I'd need and have a large enough roll to live off of and play poker to supplement until the photography got going.It just kills me knowing that every day I come to work for a 9-10 hour day, killing myself at a job I hate, then I go home, sit at the computer, and make 2-3 days pay in 1.5 hours at poker. Literally, it's costing me money to come to work!How'd anyone else handle the transition?Keep in mind I have a wife and 2 kids...

I went so long without seeing this shit ...It's like 50% TP/MM threads in here.

[InertGrudge 0]

I can't speak for the veracity of the OP's run, but I can quote something that speaks to its plausibility..."With a little loan from his buddy, Freddy had 60 bucks, not a dime more. It was 1pm. He sat down in a $3-$6 game and won $400 in an hour and a half. He quit, hoping to perhaps play $10-$20 or $15-$30. As he listed himself for these games, a three-handed $20-$40 game opened up right next to the board. He watched the game for a while. 'They were playing so bad, I had to take a shot,' he declared. 'The minimum buy-in was $200. I played for about two hours and won $4,400.' His $60 was now up to about $5,000. He cashed out and then saw a $100-$200 hold'em game. 'They were playing horribly,' he said. 'The buy-in was $2,000. I didn't even play for an hour and I was up $24,000. That was big money, money that I never had before.'He cashed out again and then found himself surveying the big games. 'That is my style,' he stated. 'When I am winning, I don't give up.' He found a $200-$400 mixed game, in which they were spreading stud, lowball and hold'em, and he took a seat. 'I had never played lowball in my life,' he laughed. 'The buy-in was $5,000. I played for six hours and eventually they kicked it up to $300-$600. By 5 o'clock in the morning, my bankroll was up to $96,000. I ran $60 up to almost $100,000, and since then, I have never looked back."

I love that story. But 120 BBs in less than an hour at 100-200 at a live game? I mean, let's say you see 40 hands an hour, which may or may not be true. You're winning 3 BBs a hand. If I win that an HOUR, I'm happy over the long run.That makes me vomit.

[TheCinciKid 0]

I can't speak for the veracity of the OP's run, but I can quote something that speaks to its plausibility..."With a little loan from his buddy, Freddy had 60 bucks, not a dime more. It was 1pm. He sat down in a $3-$6 game and won $400 in an hour and a half. He quit, hoping to perhaps play $10-$20 or $15-$30. As he listed himself for these games, a three-handed $20-$40 game opened up right next to the board. He watched the game for a while. 'They were playing so bad, I had to take a shot,' he declared. 'The minimum buy-in was $200. I played for about two hours and won $4,400.' His $60 was now up to about $5,000. He cashed out and then saw a $100-$200 hold'em game. 'They were playing horribly,' he said. 'The buy-in was $2,000. I didn't even play for an hour and I was up $24,000. That was big money, money that I never had before.'He cashed out again and then found himself surveying the big games. 'That is my style,' he stated. 'When I am winning, I don't give up.' He found a $200-$400 mixed game, in which they were spreading stud, lowball and hold'em, and he took a seat. 'I had never played lowball in my life,' he laughed. 'The buy-in was $5,000. I played for six hours and eventually they kicked it up to $300-$600. By 5 o'clock in the morning, my bankroll was up to $96,000. I ran $60 up to almost $100,000, and since then, I have never looked back."

This story is insane. Makes me want to try something similar.

[Dirtydutch 8]

I love that story. But 120 BBs in less than an hour at 100-200 at a live game? I mean, let's say you see 40 hands an hour, which may or may not be true. You're winning 3 BBs a hand. If I win that an HOUR, I'm happy over the long run.That makes me vomit.

I hope everyone I play reads this story and finds it empowering.

[runthemover 39]

I quit because of the inappropriate touching.

[AAsnake88 0]

I can't speak for the veracity of the OP's run, but I can quote something that speaks to its plausibility..."With a little loan from his buddy, Freddy had 60 bucks, not a dime more. It was 1pm. He sat down in a $3-$6 game and won $400 in an hour and a half. He quit, hoping to perhaps play $10-$20 or $15-$30. As he listed himself for these games, a three-handed $20-$40 game opened up right next to the board. He watched the game for a while. 'They were playing so bad, I had to take a shot,' he declared. 'The minimum buy-in was $200. I played for about two hours and won $4,400.' His $60 was now up to about $5,000. He cashed out and then saw a $100-$200 hold'em game. 'They were playing horribly,' he said. 'The buy-in was $2,000. I didn't even play for an hour and I was up $24,000. That was big money, money that I never had before.'He cashed out again and then found himself surveying the big games. 'That is my style,' he stated. 'When I am winning, I don't give up.' He found a $200-$400 mixed game, in which they were spreading stud, lowball and hold'em, and he took a seat. 'I had never played lowball in my life,' he laughed. 'The buy-in was $5,000. I played for six hours and eventually they kicked it up to $300-$600. By 5 o'clock in the morning, my bankroll was up to $96,000. I ran $60 up to almost $100,000, and since then, I have never looked back."

You too, can follow his footsteps, make millions, and wear the ugliest shirts ever....

[DanielSon 0]

Obvious solution to all this. If your dream job is doing the photography thing and not to play poker then don't quit your day job. Since your up to 13K and you need 100K for the photography dream, take a shot and play at 10/20 or 20/40 in your spare time. If you get up to 100K then quit your job and do the photography thing, if not well you had a good shot at it for only a $50 investment and still have your day job. No need to turn pro if it's not your dream in the first place.

[cu in 4years Dan 1]

OK, it's still a ways off for me at this point, but not so far off that I don't daydream about it when I'm at work.When did you know it was time to quit the day job to just concentrate on poker?I'm up $13k in 17 days from an initial investment of $50.Been playing for years, but never took my winnings and tried to make more from them, always cashed out and took the wife to dinner or something. This time, I tried to build more and did.I also have a dream of owning my own photography business, mostly portraits and weddings. I think that if I can get the $13k to $100k in the next 6-8 months, I can get all the pro equipment I'd need and have a large enough roll to live off of and play poker to supplement until the photography got going.It just kills me knowing that every day I come to work for a 9-10 hour day, killing myself at a job I hate, then I go home, sit at the computer, and make 2-3 days pay in 1.5 hours at poker. Literally, it's costing me money to come to work!How'd anyone else handle the transition?Keep in mind I have a wife and 2 kids...

i remember when i had the same dream. my first few posts were all about my hopeful move to TPMM. i had then been playing for longer than most of the FCPers at about 11 years. but trust me when you start thinking it is really a long way off

[Jordan 1]

You go pro when you get as excited about winning 13k in 17 days or whatever, just as losing it.It's hard to get your head around, but that's why so many people fail at the occupation. Very few can do it. You probably can't, I probably can't.If you don't understand the above, you aren't ready, and the above should be a small part of it, although for many it's a big part. So seriously, if you can't follow the above, you're not ready. Just the fact that you made this topic, shows you aren't ready.Get more hands, a lot more, and then just start to think about it. If you ever get a proper bankroll, think of what a downswing would feel like to lose 25% in 6800 hands, just as fast as your multipliled your roll. It'll happen.lol at your 6800 hands or whatever.- Jordan

[NortonFan 0]

Think hes broke yet?

[nickforgot 0]

i set the over/under at 5 days

[mtdesmoines 3]

Think hes broke yet?

Five bucks says if we get an honest answer it's under $8K.

[danlux 0]

It'd be awesome if this guy updated us.

[mtdesmoines 3]

It'd be awesome if this guy updated us.

Don't hold your breath.

[Lasombra 0]

I can't speak for the veracity of the OP's run, but I can quote something that speaks to its plausibility..."With a little loan from his buddy, Freddy had 60 bucks, not a dime more. It was 1pm. He sat down in a $3-$6 game and won $400 in an hour and a half. He quit, hoping to perhaps play $10-$20 or $15-$30. As he listed himself for these games, a three-handed $20-$40 game opened up right next to the board. He watched the game for a while. 'They were playing so bad, I had to take a shot,' he declared. 'The minimum buy-in was $200. I played for about two hours and won $4,400.' His $60 was now up to about $5,000. He cashed out and then saw a $100-$200 hold'em game. 'They were playing horribly,' he said. 'The buy-in was $2,000. I didn't even play for an hour and I was up $24,000. That was big money, money that I never had before.'He cashed out again and then found himself surveying the big games. 'That is my style,' he stated. 'When I am winning, I don't give up.' He found a $200-$400 mixed game, in which they were spreading stud, lowball and hold'em, and he took a seat. 'I had never played lowball in my life,' he laughed. 'The buy-in was $5,000. I played for six hours and eventually they kicked it up to $300-$600. By 5 o'clock in the morning, my bankroll was up to $96,000. I ran $60 up to almost $100,000, and since then, I have never looked back."

isnt that the Story about Ted Forrest?

[hblask 1]

But my winning is more than a simple turn in variance. I was a math major in college

This made me laugh. I was a math major in college, too, it doesn't mean you can maintain a winning lucky streak better than most.

I honestly believe that if you truly love a particular field, and you're focused and disciplined, and have well thought out long-term goals and plans ....

This is the part where your post falls down. It doesn't appear that the OP is particularly focused, disciplined, or put much thought in this. Assuming the story is true, which is questionable, it is clearly a gigantic fluke, and developing plans of quitting in a year is like basing a retirement plan on PowerBall.

[ncperrotta069 0]

It'd be awesome if this guy updated us.

'doubt we will ever speak to him again since he hasnt been online in a few weeks

[AC BillP 0]

For your idea of variance--NO!!, Sorry: 5000 (your 6,600 hands) random Monte Carlo trials would be more than enough to show your win is NOT variance. BUT as a math major-- you know darn well there has been replacement, the conditions changed (both players and bet size) and other things varied-- causing this result to be statistically invalid. ----------You're on a good luck streak---I'd recommend you set aside $5,000 for your wifes savings account for a family emergency, and keep playing just like you are!!! --------If you run it up to $25,000 or so, I'd strongly recommend you try to buy into a pre-existing photo business. Then persue your dream of photograhy.-----You'll be happy that way, make more money, and with the money you can play poker all you want!

[Abbaddabba 0]

Five bucks says if we get an honest answer it's under $8K.

You only get honest answers from people like this when they have been fortunate enough to keep it up.The vast majority of them disappear into a puff of shame.