Poker Discussion
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I've been playing poker as my main source of income for 4+ years now... I remember when I first started, I couldn't get enough. Loved playing poker every free second I had. Lately, I find myself not even really enjoying playing poker, and playing basically just to make money. I'm sure a part of it is just playing too much throughout the years, but I also think listening to morons who run there mouth during everygame, and things like that, that have diminished my love for the game. Don't get me wrong, I still like it to an extent, just not half as much as I did 3 years ago..... I just was wondering if some other people who a large chunk of there income comes from poker are starting to feel the same way.... or if it's just me. It kinda bothers me that I feel like this, and wondering if its just a phase, or if this could be a perminant thing lol
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im the exact same way i used to put in 70-80 hours a week easily now i cant play more than 4-5 hours a day without killing myself. Ur just burned out from the game. It used to be an easy way for me to make money plus have a good time now its just become another job for me. I wish i still had it but u cant force urself to enjoy something
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By
bdluss
on
07-19-2007 8:59 PM
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I count myself very much in with you two. I have played now for a little over 4 years and only really play now for the money. I have become addicted to the money (and because I do need the $ since teaching does not pay all that well). So I sit and grind out money when I have time, which is a lot over the summer. It is very rare that I actualyl get excited about poker. In fact the past year or so I can only remember two times that I was excited, first when I one a WSOP last year and then at a final table of the $200 FT this year. And that is about it. I win tournies, I don't get excited, its just another ho hum day.
This is an issue for me because I continue to make more and more every year I keep on playing, but yet become more and more bored with poker. And I know some say to take breaks, well with teaching and coaching I usually only play maybe 10 hours during the school year and even then it is not really thrilling.
I guess my message to you uncanney is if you can afford to, then quit. If you can't, then you can see why the pros say "it is a tough way to make an easy living" and "poker is a grind".
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THat would make me uncomfortable, I'm too old to gamble for a significant portion of my income, unless I made stupid cash playing poker cards.
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By
WiCane
on
07-19-2007 9:31 PM
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I play almost every day and still love it. Guess I'm lucky. When I get bored of playing NL cash, i'll play tourneys, HU, or Omaha. Would really like to improve my omaha game.
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Throw me on this list. Been playing for a living for 2 1/2 years. I can barely bring myself to play even one or two sngs sometimes. Every other possible thing I could do sounds like more fun. I use to try and balance it but I'm slipping.
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in the beginning poker was a new and exciting challenge, if you've had any success, and have played long enough, then you start to see the same old patterns over and over. It really is boring sitting there fold, fold, fold, raise, everyone folds.... fold fold fold fold fold fold raise, everyone folds, fold fold fold, raise, get a call, bet the flop, they raise, you fold.... fold fold fold fold fold. etc.
try to find new challenges in life, there's other ways to make mad money besides poker
like for instance, business
why not take up a new skill and pay for it with poker?
or maybe go travelling and just play poker a little here and there, or try the tournament circuit... tournaments are still pretty thrilling to me anyway... but tha's cuz my biggest score is only 14k, I'm still after those big scores...and not to mention I want to get on the live circuit sometime
plus there's always the wsop, I don't think anyone can seriously never play that again for the rest of their life...... if you've been to one, you know how fun it is
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With anything, spend enough time and it becomes a job. While I don't make 100% of my income from poker, it has allowed me to buy a house, travel, and not work during the summer (I am a teacher). However, the trade-off is taxing and the excitement and joy of poker is not there anymore.
I remember a month or so ago Taylor Caby writing about how it is a grind and he hopes to be out of poker (to a certain extent). Here is a bit of the article. Kind of shows that even for the best it can be a fucking grind.
The other
thing I have realized is that the happiest people on thepoker scene are
the guys who are out here for fun. The guys like Guyfrom the Cirque de
Solei, traders/hedge fund guys (by the way,congratulations to Dan
Shak's wife who got 2nd in the 3k NL event, thatwas so cool), and
random entrepreneurs who come out to vegas to blowoff steam. These guys
don't need to win and because of that they justenjoy themselves. It's
all just a fun time for them, and for that I ampretty jealous. This is
why I don't envy the guys who are making waymore money than I am
playing the highest poker games out there. My goalis to eventually be
like some of the rich entrepreneurs who just enjoythe game, even though
they take it seriously. I hope in 10-20 years Ican have 50 million
bucks, come out here for fun, donk around in some300-600nl and the main
event, and just enjoy vegas for the reasonspeople are supposed to, not
try to grind out some small edge to makemid 6 figures a year.
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When a hobby forcefully turns in to a way of living and you can't enjoy it, then quit.
You may also just be getting bored of it and need to take a break.
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not to be an ass, but anyone who agrees with op is either not a competitor or not good at poker
in my ricky bobby voice 'with all due respect'
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With all due respect Early Bird....I agree with OP all the way. Ive
been doing this for about 4 years now. I started playing when i was 17
and i couldnt get enough...played everyday for about 3 years straight.
Well lately i just cant stand playing...I force myself to get on a few
times a week and play some tournaments or grind cash games, but the
fire isnt there anymore.
Im not the best player in the world, but im by no means a losing
play. Ive never had a 9-5 since my Soph year in high school. Ive bought
Cars, Nice Watches, Cowboy Tickets anywhere in the country and
supported myself strickly from poker....And i hate to say i hate it
now. Its just like any other job ive ever had, except i cant make even
close to this kinda money anywhere else. I also lately....cant stand
the lifestyle of an online pro. I put on 40 pounds since high
school...stayed up till 5 am every night, and realy just lived like a
complete piece of shit..I guess it took me awhile to realize this and
ive recently taken a pretty long break from poker, I go to the Gym
everyday and go out every weekend, live a normal life and i couldnt be
happier.
Just so happens im on a pretty big downswing as well. In the Past
losing 5k or having just a terrible month in tournaments used to drive
me insaine...I wouldnt go out or do anything for that matter untill i
recovered some loses or whatever. Nowadays if i win a tournament
or i have a nice sit down at the cash games great...but if i lose its
not the end of the world and im not going to let it affect me outside
of poker.
Guess what im trying to say is ive learned a pretty important
lesson regarding poker and life the past few years. No matter how much
money you make, that shouldnt determine how successful/unsucessful you
are. Its about just enjoying life and finding that balance between
Poker and whatever else you do. Dont let poker take over your life..In
the End its still a love hate relationship, because i know if i apply
myself i can make alot of money, but like i said its just all about
finding that balance.......
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i also dont enjoy it as much. i remember in while i was a freshman in college fall of 03 i used to skip class just to play the play money tables. i loved poker so much i played probably about 14 hours a day. now a days its like any other job. u go to work and work. i do play dollar tournies for fun pretty much everyday after i get done with my session. i still like poker but i would not play for pennies for sure enjoyment for hours on end.
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By
FoNZ87
on
07-20-2007 8:39 PM
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ALL THE PEOPLE THAT R 19/20 YEARS OLD THAT WANT TO DROP OUT OF COLLEGE TO PLAY POKER FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES DAY IN DAY OUT SHOULD IMMEDIATELY READ THIS POST.
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I never really enjoyed poker or had a great love for it. Just always saw it as a way to make money. It is more stressful now, but with good bankroll management and living expenses saved it is not hard to put variance in perspective.
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I've been playing for 2 full years, and have made more in '06 and '07 than i have from my job, i get about 10$ an hour as a college student. I still love it, and hopefully always will. I'm sure everyone goes through phases though like the one your experiencing. Pokers a great game, and i imagine i will always be playing it.
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