My Plan To Turn "pro"

[element2122 0]

Note: Long post, I apologize in advance. Ok, so I'm a frequent reader of the forums, but never really post, so having said that, I'll now toss on my flame retardant suit in case this topic bores/pisses off anybody. I've done several searches on turing pro, but I wanted everybody's opinion on my plan. Thoughts, concerns, etc. I've been playing poker for about the past 2 years. My buddy gave me Lee Jones' "Low Limit Holdem", I started out at .50/1 limit and was hooked shortly after. I gradually became sick of limit I moved onto NL. I started at the $10 dollar buy in games, then moved up to the $25 buy in and onto the $50. It was at the $50 buy in game where I decided to start taking poker more seriously. Like I said, I'm a frequent reader of the FCP forums and I remember Ricker or somebody talking about creating a spreadsheet and keeping track of every session, wins/losses, total bankroll etc. So this is what I did. After doing this for about 8 months I'd been consistenly winning and had about $1500 in my account (I've made constant withdrawals, I think I'd be closer to prob 10k overall since the day I started) and decided I was ready to move up to the $100 NL games, but knew I didn't have the funds to handle the swings. So I talked to a buddy of mine (also a very solid player) and he agreed to match me if I put in 1k, and from there we'd just share the acct and split the profits 50/50. So, earlier this month I put 1k into an account and moved up to 50/1 NL (my buddy just this weekend is getting his 1k in also). Immediately we started winning a good amount of money. Averaging about 1k a week (and yes, we've taken some horrendous beats). Today our bankroll's at $4900 and the accts getting I'd say about 15-20 hours of play a week. About a week or so ago I was talking to my gf telling her how we'd been doing and she actually suggested I look into taking on a part time job and then spend more time playing poker. It's funny, up until that point it had always been in the back of my mind, but I never really seriously considered it. So I gave this a lot of thought, I also brought this up with a friend of mine who's opinion I respect to get some feedback, and to be honest, this is something I'd love to do. I'm 26 and I sit in a cubicle all day doing a job I'm pretty uninspired to be doing. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I won't always have a chance to do something like this. I can't very well up and quit my job at age 38 to follow some pipe dream. So I did what anybody would do in my situation, I came up with a plan...I don't want to be stupid about this and be like, "Oh, I'm turning pro tomorrow!! Woohoooo!!!!" after a few good weeks at a higher limit. So, this is where I really want everybody's feedback. I completely understand how variance works, and my roll's pretty avg right now. So what I want to do, is work for a year and continue to play part time. Add to my roll whenever I can (which is hardly ever cause I make a paltry 33k a year. But, MANSION + Steelers=bankroll funds) and move up in limits when the time is right and my bankroll can handle it. I really like sharing an acct with somebody else (I'm actually looking at adding a 3rd person) because A. it helps with the swings B. it really helps me keep my sanity C. it'll be more difficult for other players to keep notes on us because we play different styles So, that all being said, I want to play for a year, keep my sh*tty little job and build my roll. Come next August, if all goes well (IE. This ridiculous anti online poker bill is either put on hold or shot down in the Senate. Sidenote: Is anybody else out there sweatin this bill like I am?!?!?) I'm going to quit my job and go back to teaching tennis part time. It's sad, but I can work for 1/2 the hours I do now teaching tennis and make as much as I do with my current job working 40+ hours a week. Plus I figure if I'm doing poorly with the poker, I can look to pick up more hours teaching. From that point, I'd decide if I ever wanted to quit teaching tennis altogether to play full time, or continue to teach part time and play. So there u have it, my plan to turn "pro". I'd love some insight from anybody who's playing online full time, or anybody who's considered doing this. At this point it's just a goal I have, so any feedback or advice would be much appreciated. Thanks for everybody's input. -Element

[kennyg1966 0]

MM

[FatBurger 0]

If you can make as much teaching tennis, why haven't you been doing that all along?

[nickforgot 0]

dftpwygb

[suicideking 0]

Well if you're ever going to do it, do it now. Don't wait until you have kids to take care of.

[LITTLEPOPPA 0]

Note: Long post, I apologize in advance. Ok, so I'm a frequent reader of the forums, but never really post, so having said that, I'll now toss on my flame retardant suit in case this topic bores/pisses off anybody. I've done several searches on turing pro, but I wanted everybody's opinion on my plan. Thoughts, concerns, etc. I've been playing poker for about the past 2 years. My buddy gave me Lee Jones' "Low Limit Holdem", I started out at .50/1 limit and was hooked shortly after. I gradually became sick of limit I moved onto NL. I started at the $10 dollar buy in games, then moved up to the $25 buy in and onto the $50. It was at the $50 buy in game where I decided to start taking poker more seriously. Like I said, I'm a frequent reader of the FCP forums and I remember Ricker or somebody talking about creating a spreadsheet and keeping track of every session, wins/losses, total bankroll etc. So this is what I did. After doing this for about 8 months I'd been consistenly winning and had about $1500 in my account (I've made constant withdrawals, I think I'd be closer to prob 10k overall since the day I started) and decided I was ready to move up to the $100 NL games, but knew I didn't have the funds to handle the swings. So I talked to a buddy of mine (also a very solid player) and he agreed to match me if I put in 1k, and from there we'd just share the acct and split the profits 50/50. So, earlier this month I put 1k into an account and moved up to 50/1 NL (my buddy just this weekend is getting his 1k in also). Immediately we started winning a good amount of money. Averaging about 1k a week (and yes, we've taken some horrendous beats). Today our bankroll's at $4900 and the accts getting I'd say about 15-20 hours of play a week. About a week or so ago I was talking to my gf telling her how we'd been doing and she actually suggested I look into taking on a part time job and then spend more time playing poker. It's funny, up until that point it had always been in the back of my mind, but I never really seriously considered it. So I gave this a lot of thought, I also brought this up with a friend of mine who's opinion I respect to get some feedback, and to be honest, this is something I'd love to do. I'm 26 and I sit in a cubicle all day doing a job I'm pretty uninspired to be doing. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I won't always have a chance to do something like this. I can't very well up and quit my job at age 38 to follow some pipe dream. So I did what anybody would do in my situation, I came up with a plan...I don't want to be stupid about this and be like, "Oh, I'm turning pro tomorrow!! Woohoooo!!!!" after a few good weeks at a higher limit. So, this is where I really want everybody's feedback. I completely understand how variance works, and my roll's pretty avg right now. So what I want to do, is work for a year and continue to play part time. Add to my roll whenever I can (which is hardly ever cause I make a paltry 33k a year. But, MANSION + Steelers=bankroll funds) and move up in limits when the time is right and my bankroll can handle it. I really like sharing an acct with somebody else (I'm actually looking at adding a 3rd person) because A. it helps with the swings B. it really helps me keep my sanity C. it'll be more difficult for other players to keep notes on us because we play different styles So, that all being said, I want to play for a year, keep my sh*tty little job and build my roll. Come next August, if all goes well (IE. This ridiculous anti online poker bill is either put on hold or shot down in the Senate. Sidenote: Is anybody else out there sweatin this bill like I am?!?!?) I'm going to quit my job and go back to teaching tennis part time. It's sad, but I can work for 1/2 the hours I do now teaching tennis and make as much as I do with my current job working 40+ hours a week. Plus I figure if I'm doing poorly with the poker, I can look to pick up more hours teaching. From that point, I'd decide if I ever wanted to quit teaching tennis altogether to play full time, or continue to teach part time and play. So there u have it, my plan to turn "pro". I'd love some insight from anybody who's playing online full time, or anybody who's considered doing this. At this point it's just a goal I have, so any feedback or advice would be much appreciated. Thanks for everybody's input. -Element

Don't forget fixed costs. Health Insurance being a big one. Also, once u are playing poker for a living. You need to make sure of the commitment and dedication of the possible 2 others that now have access to your bankroll. Nothing can be more frustrating than you having a few great sessions and having them negated by others. It can lead to a lot of frustration. At the very least, stop losses and guidelines should be in writing so not to be misinterpreted. Investment in Poker Tracker and meetings to use this info to improve your game collectively as a "team" is important. I'm sure you have already considered some of these basic things and if so, apologies.

[WhatArunAA 0]

I think what you guys need to do.. is go to a website that gives you alot of your rake back.. like WPEX.. use the money you get in rake back ( to pay for expenses) and then take the profit you guys make, and move up in stakes and limits. This way you will still have money coming in even if you lose.. and you can still gauge how well you are doing as a player. I wish you the best of luck in whichever route you do take.

[throwemaway 0]

I think the sharing the bankroll w/ other people is a terrible idea...Tilted sessions and downswings are bound to happen, and how are you going to deal w/ those losses? Maybe right now its not that big of a deal, but if you end up doing it full time, I would seriously suggest having your own accountSounds like you would have a lot more fun and make a lot more money just doing the tennis thing anyways...Good luck to you

[Tantalar 0]

I hate to be an ***, but I think it is illegal to share online poker accounts. Its a really good idea though I have to admit... as long as you and your friend agree that you are at the same level of skill/tilt control. Its really awesome that your doing so well. Im primarily a tournament poker player and have net profitted close to 7k this year from doing $30 and $10 tournaments on UB. If only UB added some shorthanded $2/$4 Lo8 tables...Id say that whatever you do, if your in it for the long haul... and your serious about it... get rakeback if you dont have it already. Currently I am getting $400 a month in rakeback. from playing $2/$4 and $3/$6

[mikeysong 0]

I think what you guys need to do.. is go to a website that gives you alot of your rake back.. like WPEX.. use the money you get in rake back ( to pay for expenses) and then take the profit you guys make, and move up in stakes and limits. This way you will still have money coming in even if you lose.. and you can still gauge how well you are doing as a player. I wish you the best of luck in whichever route you do take.

I don't think rake affects NL nearly as much as it does in limit. Keep playing fishy games and destroying them man :)I would suggest keeping tennis part-time and doing this, at least you'll always have a constant flow of income no matter what, right? Also, tennis is a great way to let off some steam and a great way to enjoy the outdoors, i.e. it's not fun being locked up in your house every day. And...you get paid for it!Also, do you completely trust your friend with 1/2 your funds? Let alone a 3rd guy?! Dude, money is money and like they say, friends and money = oil and water. I wouldn't be comfortable sharing the majority of my funds with another person, no matter how close. Build up to a point where you're comfortable, split the BR, and work it on yourself.

[petro1010 0]

so the people you share your account with have full access to all funds? Im assuming you all play from different computers at different times? I would just make sure I trust the people I share the account with and make sure you know their not going to have a drunkin poker night or have their 12 yr old nephew hack into their account and try and "build" it for them.

[tskillz187 0]

Shared bankroll is cool for awhile, but there will inevitably be hard times. Everything is all well and good when you are winning but when you go through a downswing it won't be as easy, especially if you are still logging in winning hours, but your bankroll decreases, I've done this and it sucks.You will end up hurting your friend's feelings, critiquing his play when he least wants to be critiqued, etc. The best thing to do is continue your shared roll for a bit, do your job thing, find another way to get health insurance and other benefits, then when you are ready after this year go for it. I would split from your partnership before the end of the year though, just so you can have a go at it part time when it is just you.Goodluck and it's always nice to see people not blindly chasing the dream.

[360f1 0]

Overall your plan is good, but you need more specifics. Like how much is enough bankroll to do what you want? Figure out your living expenses and how much per day and per session you need, at minimum to live. Then work backwards to your bankroll. You also need to set goals. The successful average (not big name) pros I know all set goals and have the discipline to stick to those goals. If you reach the goals consistently, then adjust.Its not rocket science, but the more specific you can be with your plan, the greater the chance that you'll achieve success. Without specifics, how can you even measure whether you're successful?

[Highlow16 0]

Ok, heres what you need to do this right. First, your own account. You cant rely on other people. Second, 45 max buy ins for the limits your playing (The more the better). Third, health insurance. If you cant get a cheap policy look into it on cardplayer. They offer health insurance for poker players. 4th, have ATLEAST six months of living expenses. DONT LIVE OUT OF YOUR BANKROLL. I did, and trust me... just dont. 5th, part time job at first is good. 6th, MAKE SURE your girlfriend really does support you on this. If you lose over six months you may be able to handle it but she may not. Most importantly, make sure you are mentally prepared. Other than that... TP/MM

[throwemaway 0]

And btw...if thats your g/f in your avatar... If its not...Still.. Shes smokin

[bmwmcoupe 0]

funny i ustoo teach tennis also before turning pro, my advice is please wait till you consanstly make more then 15k a month before quitting any job, Very hard to get loans when u are professional poker player, so u gotta put alot of cash down. I don't regret at all turning pro im 22 drive a 80k car and a brand new condo, just saying this to say, its possible to make it. I had the best year of my life last year and i wish you the same

[hank213 1,823]

While sharing on online bankroll may be okay when you're first starting, I wouldn't do so forever. Money changes people. They may be extremely trustworthy now, but if you ever get some serious cheddar in there, the temptation may prove too great. That's the cynical view. Another perspective is that sharing a roll, especially if you bring in a 3rd person, may become unwieldy later, people arguing over their cut or changing sites etc. Like I said, it seems to be working for you now, and that's great but I would seriously be looking toward the future. Whenever you withdraw funds from the roll set a percentage aside for your own personal future roll or something along those lines. One ounce of preparation now will lead to a lot less perspiration down the road.Bonne chance!

[Love4hockey 0]

And btw...if thats your g/f in your avatar... If its not...Still.. Shes smokin

That's not his girlfriend. That picture has been on the internet for a long time.

[wsox8 10]

yeah world px is nice.. come play omaha h/l .25/.50. We need more players

[matt21sz 0]

I hate to be an ***, but I think it is illegal to share online poker accounts. Its a really good idea though I have to admit... as long as you and your friend agree that you are at the same level of skill/tilt control. Its really awesome that your doing so well. Im primarily a tournament poker player and have net profitted close to 7k this year from doing $30 and $10 tournaments on UB. If only UB added some shorthanded $2/$4 Lo8 tables...Id say that whatever you do, if your in it for the long haul... and your serious about it... get rakeback if you dont have it already. Currently I am getting $400 a month in rakeback. from playing $2/$4 and $3/$6

Bingo!!! We have a winner!! While not illegal in the truest sense of the word, sharing a single account at a website is against the terms and conditions of most, if not all, of the major poker sites available to us. I would use extreme caution if you plan on the continued use of the joint account/bankroll. While it isn't likely, a site would have the authority to freeze your account and all funds in that account if they discovered multiple players using the account.Other than that, it seems OP, that you have a decent head on your shoulders. I wish you the best of luck.

That's not his girlfriend. That picture has been on the internet for a long time.

Maybe it actually is a picture of his girlfriend and he has simply had it posted on the internet for a long time. It is doubtful though, because she's my girlfiend....yeah, sure is. Her and Jessica Alba are willing to share the duties.

[Royal_Tour 0]

Note: Long post, I apologize in advance. Ok, so I'm a frequent reader of the forums, but never really post, so having said that, I'll now toss on my flame retardant suit in case this topic bores/pisses off anybody. I've done several searches on turing pro, but I wanted everybody's opinion on my plan. Thoughts, concerns, etc. I've been playing poker for about the past 2 years. My buddy gave me Lee Jones' "Low Limit Holdem", I started out at .50/1 limit and was hooked shortly after. I gradually became sick of limit I moved onto NL. I started at the $10 dollar buy in games, then moved up to the $25 buy in and onto the $50. It was at the $50 buy in game where I decided to start taking poker more seriously. Like I said, I'm a frequent reader of the FCP forums and I remember Ricker or somebody talking about creating a spreadsheet and keeping track of every session, wins/losses, total bankroll etc. So this is what I did. After doing this for about 8 months I'd been consistenly winning and had about $1500 in my account (I've made constant withdrawals, I think I'd be closer to prob 10k overall since the day I started) and decided I was ready to move up to the $100 NL games, but knew I didn't have the funds to handle the swings. So I talked to a buddy of mine (also a very solid player) and he agreed to match me if I put in 1k, and from there we'd just share the acct and split the profits 50/50. So, earlier this month I put 1k into an account and moved up to 50/1 NL (my buddy just this weekend is getting his 1k in also). Immediately we started winning a good amount of money. Averaging about 1k a week (and yes, we've taken some horrendous beats). Today our bankroll's at $4900 and the accts getting I'd say about 15-20 hours of play a week. About a week or so ago I was talking to my gf telling her how we'd been doing and she actually suggested I look into taking on a part time job and then spend more time playing poker. It's funny, up until that point it had always been in the back of my mind, but I never really seriously considered it. So I gave this a lot of thought, I also brought this up with a friend of mine who's opinion I respect to get some feedback, and to be honest, this is something I'd love to do. I'm 26 and I sit in a cubicle all day doing a job I'm pretty uninspired to be doing. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I won't always have a chance to do something like this. I can't very well up and quit my job at age 38 to follow some pipe dream. So I did what anybody would do in my situation, I came up with a plan...I don't want to be stupid about this and be like, "Oh, I'm turning pro tomorrow!! Woohoooo!!!!" after a few good weeks at a higher limit. So, this is where I really want everybody's feedback. I completely understand how variance works, and my roll's pretty avg right now. So what I want to do, is work for a year and continue to play part time. Add to my roll whenever I can (which is hardly ever cause I make a paltry 33k a year. But, MANSION + Steelers=bankroll funds) and move up in limits when the time is right and my bankroll can handle it. I really like sharing an acct with somebody else (I'm actually looking at adding a 3rd person) because A. it helps with the swings B. it really helps me keep my sanity C. it'll be more difficult for other players to keep notes on us because we play different styles So, that all being said, I want to play for a year, keep my sh*tty little job and build my roll. Come next August, if all goes well (IE. This ridiculous anti online poker bill is either put on hold or shot down in the Senate. Sidenote: Is anybody else out there sweatin this bill like I am?!?!?) I'm going to quit my job and go back to teaching tennis part time. It's sad, but I can work for 1/2 the hours I do now teaching tennis and make as much as I do with my current job working 40+ hours a week. Plus I figure if I'm doing poorly with the poker, I can look to pick up more hours teaching. From that point, I'd decide if I ever wanted to quit teaching tennis altogether to play full time, or continue to teach part time and play. So there u have it, my plan to turn "pro". I'd love some insight from anybody who's playing online full time, or anybody who's considered doing this. At this point it's just a goal I have, so any feedback or advice would be much appreciated. Thanks for everybody's input. -Element

question,who handles the withdraws for the account?? does everyone have access to the same neteller info or howvere you used to put the money on.what happens when you're at 10k, and u move up limits and then drop to 8k after a bad month of beats, is someone going to get scared and want to take their 50% and split???You really cant invest too much into this, its not a good idea. Its short term showings, and not long term investment. Make some money take your half and start playing higher yourself, you'll make more money than sharing 50/50

[Stylin_Fish 0]

Turn Pro/Lose Thousands.

[element2122 0]

question,who handles the withdraws for the account?? does everyone have access to the same neteller info or howvere you used to put the money on.what happens when you're at 10k, and u move up limits and then drop to 8k after a bad month of beats, is someone going to get scared and want to take their 50% and split???You really cant invest too much into this, its not a good idea. Its short term showings, and not long term investment. Make some money take your half and start playing higher yourself, you'll make more money than sharing 50/50

Fist of all, thanks for the input so far, definitely some good things in mind. Feel free to keep it coming. Secondly, let me respond to a few things. 1. Shared bankroll/accts: I'd trust the guy i'm sharing my roll with my life. We've been good friends for years. He'd never get scared, take his 50% and split without talking it over with me first, and even if he did, I'd have no problem with it. He can stay in and share an acct for me as long/little as he wants. We also discuss goals, limits, stop losses and I can say this, I've noticed that sharing an acct helps my tilting cause I know if I'm acting like an idiot it's somebody elses money I'm jeopardizing. We also have a set amount we want to get to before we start withdrawing some funds for ourselves. I definitely will/am looking to save money for myself if the time comes for me to play on my own again and I think that's important to not lose sight of. Right now sharing a roll is working great, I have zero complaints and so far it's just been loads easier on the mind. 2. Rakeback/Bonuses: I never play on a site without getting some rakeback or bonus. That's just retarded to not take advantage of those things, it's like nailing a French prostitute without a jimmy hat on. Not that I've done this of course...3. I got out of the tennis industry when I graduated because I thought it'd be a good idea to get some experience doing other things, not to mention I wanted to use my diploma for something other than showing little Duncan how to hit a volley. even if it was for less pay. I figured I could always go back to tennis as a safety net.I forgot this. 1. I also am the one handling the deposits/withdrawals. I keep a spreadsheet of all acct activity. 2. No the avatar's not my girlfriend, but god, I do wish she were sometimes.

[Dratj 0]

Fist of all, thanks for the input so far, definitely some good things in mind. Feel free to keep it coming. Secondly, let me respond to a few things. 1. Shared bankroll/accts: I'd trust the guy i'm sharing my roll with my life. We've been good friends for years. He'd never get scared, take his 50% and split without talking it over with me first, and even if he did, I'd have no problem with it. He can stay in and share an acct for me as long/little as he wants. We also discuss goals, limits, stop losses and I can say this, I've noticed that sharing an acct helps my tilting cause I know if I'm acting like an idiot it's somebody elses money I'm jeopardizing. We also have a set amount we want to get to before we start withdrawing some funds for ourselves. I definitely will/am looking to save money for myself if the time comes for me to play on my own again and I think that's important to not lose sight of. Right now sharing a roll is working great, I have zero complaints and so far it's just been loads easier on the mind. 2. Rakeback/Bonuses: I never play on a site without getting some rakeback or bonus. That's just retarded to not take advantage of those things, it's like nailing a French prostitute without a jimmy hat on. Not that I've done this of course...3. I got out of the tennis industry when I graduated because I thought it'd be a good idea to get some experience doing other things, not to mention I wanted to use my diploma for something other than showing little Duncan how to hit a volley. even if it was for less pay. I figured I could always go back to tennis as a safety net.I forgot this. 1. I also am the one handling the deposits/withdrawals. I keep a spreadsheet of all acct activity. 2. No the avatar's not my girlfriend, but god, I do wish she were sometimes.

Why don't you get pokertracker?Also, I think you have to play bigger than 100 nl to make a decent living. I wish I could pull in 15k a month like BMW coupe. Damn, that's sweet.

[Jordan 1]

these posts seem to come up every few weeks...I think if you are posting this you aren't ready to play pro.get more experience...save more money so you can take out money from your bankroll to support yourself for a year in advance...stuff like that.I don't really know your total agreement with sharing the roll, but that would be hard to do and play 'pro'...i wouldn't quit a job till you have your own roll and it's in the $20k range...but hey, that's just me.good luck.- Jordan