You obv haven't dealt with the variance bomb yet! See how being a pro works for you when you go on a 2 month downswing. You might want to keep a job. Just saying...

Who needs stuff like health insurance when you're living the dream?

$400 per week is possible if u multitable double or nothig sng's.

Keep socking away those profits and keep your job until you have 6-8 months of expenses saved up. You'd hate to have to give up your new lifestyle the first time there's any kind of emergency.

Obviously you missed Jenn's post on how you should have 6 month's living expenses prepared in advance, not 2.5 - 3 months. I suggest keeping your job and saving up 10k for living expenses and 15-20k poker bankroll. If you are making 1500/month average on poker and 800-1000 a month at your job, you should reach that goal by fall. Otherwise, good luck because I can guarantee you just like 95% of people who take a shot at being a pro, you will crash and burn without being properly prepared for variance and sick downswings

I don't think anyone should plan on going pro with MTTs until they've made enough that they could already be considered pro. The profit in MTTs is so non-linear that there's no way you could handle it if you planned on making a certain amount per week. I'd say plan on playing at least 1k MTTs and being rolled for sunday majors and such before considering going pro. Being a pro mid-stakes MTT grinder would just be sick I think, other than MTT SNGs.

I have about $4.32 I could send to you. I could bankroll you into the .25 cent tournies. This could be a great partnership. Let me know what you think.

 

Originally Posted by cardsOFmaine

it costs me about $550 a month for living expenses

REALLY????? You must live with your parents, right? If not, how in the fck do you live this cheap? Do you live with roommates in a really cheap apartment? Wow, must be nice to have that little cost of living. Grinding 1-2/2-5 cash games live is very easy to make a living at, if you're GRINDING, and not gamboooling. Online, not so much. If you are an above average player the live thing can work, not sure about online though. Grapesfan is right about the health insurance thing, it can get pretty expensive doing it independently.
I say GO FOR IT! Only because your living expenses are so cheap. You should treat it like a job, taking notes at every table on the way you played hands, opponents, etc. Don't get caught up in the casino lifestyle of booze, the pits, and other crap like that. Just play, win, and go home. Set session goals, and once you reach them get up and leave. If you can make $300-$500 in a couple of hours playing live then get up and leave you will be ok. It's the hanging around and getting greedy that will always fck you up in the long run. It's not about having huge $1000+ sessions. It's about making consistant money and building your bankroll for a long run at playing fulltime.
This is all coming from experience. I played live fulltime for a over a year and did very well grinding 1-2/2-5 cash games. I got caught up trying to push small edges all the time and wouldn't get up because I became greedy. I now have a fulltime job and play live on the side for extra income. Self control might be the hardest thing to overcome when you are playing live. Your head is in a completely different place when playing is your only source of income. If you can get around that you will be successful, assuming you are a good player. From what you say, you are!
I wish you the best of luck and hope you have a ton of success! GOOD LUCK!!!

-DeletedScene-

 

Originally Posted by cardsOFmaine

i appreciate the thoughts Deleted, and my rent is so cheap because i will be moving in w/my girlfriend and our apt costs $800/month utils about $190-$260 depending on heat, i also live in the state of Maine very cheap here in certain areas...3 bedrooms for $1k a month and such....

and playing live as soon as i have reached a profit of $200-$300 in the game i will leave, that is what i have been doing lately and if i lose one buyin i quit the game i do not chase losses, some nights its good because i can hit a couple hands and be up $500 in a night and only losing the $300 buyin im still making $200 after 2 days of play...which is good....i have learned a lot of discipline over the past 4-5 months i have been grinding...i just wanted others opinions if it is possible or not, i do not have health insurance through my company at work or dental or eye, i pay for that out of pocket but am fortunate enough to use my cd money/stock money to pay yearly for that until i have enough moeny saved to do so out of pocket

By certain areas of maine are you referring to the projects and the hood? I can't even fathom a decent 3 bedroom apartment is that cheap. Although I agree with most of what Deleted said, the one main thing is to NEVER set a limit on what to win at a cash game. If you go in with a mentality "OK , I'm going to double up and leave", then there is a much bigger chance you are going to try to win a coin flip and attempt that double up. Grinding is slow chipping up. If the game is good, and you are hitting, why would you leave when your expected profit and hourly wage has doubled or tripled? You play until you feel the cards changing, or become card dead. If any limit you set, it's a time limit. I'll play 30 hours a week 5 days a week. So 6 hours a day, but like a normal job don't be afraid to work overtime if the money is good enough to stay for

young kids these days you win a few hundard bucks u think u can go pro lol.

Another thing to consider is that he's playing "live" in home games or underground games as there are no casinos in Maine. If not he's traveling to NH or CT to play which can get pricey.

And the fact that a couple of months ago he's looking for advice on $1 sng's and .10c ring games. I'm gonna say he's lacking a bit of experience. Especially in the downswings.

Also if you're moving in w/ your g/f and can't make enough to pay her rent, you need to man up a bit and get a real job as well as play poker.

You do realize that you still need to make at LEAST as much playing poker as you GROSS right? You still have to pay taxes and look for insurance. Life rules still apply to poker players

Based at what you are saying, and looking at your online tournament results, I'm assuming you play mostly cash online? I would suggest you get a little more online MTT experience before going "pro" as far as online mtts are concerned.

My guess is that you may end up stabbing yourself in the face if you all of a sudden quit your job and try to grind mttz online for a living.

Rule #10, bankroll management, if you ignore this rule it's so damaging. If you aint got 100 buyin's just say HELL NO cuz when you play outside your roll you gonna go broke.-10 Card Commandments (Pokerrapper suka, yeah I thought you'd like that)

Where is the local card room you play at? I'm assuming Seabrook NH or something? Seriously tho, as a fellow non-pro Mainer (I live in Portland) it can get pretty costly between gas, tolls, and hefty rake to grind out a profit in the live NH mtt scene - regardless of how soft they might be.

There are quite a few games down this way that I don't really play cuz live players make me puke, but PM me if you'd like details on some of the games (cash and tournies in the Portland area)

 

Originally Posted by cardsOFmaine

and playing live as soon as i have reached a profit of $200-$300 in the game i will leave, that is what i have been doing lately and if i lose one buyin i quit the game i do not chase losses, some nights its good because i can hit a couple hands and be up $500 in a night and only losing the $300 buyin im still making $200 after 2 days of play...which is good....

OK just after reading this quote I would say going pro is not a smart idea for you.

dont do it