Is it even worth playing poker as a hobby?

Beginner here.

I haven't played online for a long time, as i used to play horrible and tilt like crazy, so i refused to deposit again after losing "my limit".

However recently i've been left with a lot of spare time so i've deposited on Full Tilt again to have a bit of fun and try and win a little bit of money. However, i just seem to be either playing bad, or getting unlucky (which of course happens to us all). I'm wondering, is it worth playing recreationally at all?

I really can't afford to lose too much money, but i can't even break even right now, it sucks. I'm pretty sure my problem is tournaments, i like to think i'm good at tournament poker (for a beginner at least) but i don't think i have the bankroll for it, i'm just losing money.

Since depositing $10, i worked that up to about $20 in ring games then came second in a $1+0.10 rush rebuy for $60. I withdrew it all except for $10 as i really didn't want to lose my money again, but now i've lost that $10

Should i deposit again and try and win a bit of money, give up completely? or something else...?

I'm guessing you're going to tell me to stop playing MTTs but i really enjoy them and i can't afford to put in $100+ to have a decent bankroll for them

if you have to ask, you'll never know

You need to practice proper bankroll management otherwise you're not going to get very far...with a 'roll' as small $10 you can't really play anything (certainly not $1 MTTs) without going broke. Read some books, study the forums here, post some hands for analysis and grind the 1c/2c cash games playing a TAG game and you'll make progress - just don't tilt.

Not to be rude but you suffer form the same problem as a lot of players when you say "I like to think I'm good..." with respect, you probably are not but that's not to say you can't be.

As for withdrawing your winnings from the rush tourny!? WTF? You had a decent enough amount there to take a variance free shot at the cash games and really grind a profit...you're playing with scared money by the sounds of it and you will never be successful unless you don't look upon it as money but merely equity.

Good luck

It's really a question only you can answer - either you're getting enough enjoyment in return for the time an money invested or you're not.

The problem seems to be that your desire to not to risk much money is in conflict with your desire to, well, actually play poker. They kinda go hand in hand.

as an experienced tournament player who has won a lot from tournaments I can tell you the following. Tournaments are long term investments often you can go through hundreds of tournaments before you see a big cash. if your happy to think long term and have the patience and skill it will happen eventually. if however your not sure of your ability and have small amount you can afford to stake it may be better to ignore them for now.

many sites now do real cheap mtts sometimes less then $1 to enter with a bank roll below $30 id suggest if you play MTTS you stick to either free rolls or below $2

If you enjoy playing recreationally, by all means continue at the appropriate buy in level. I think they still have 25 cent sit & goes at PokerStars.

There are numerous competitive freerolls here at CardsChat for you to build a bankroll. And, you will be improving your game at the same time.

Enjoy and Good Luck!

If it is just a hobby for fun, and you cannot afford to loose money, why not play the big mtt free rolls on Stars, the ones that give you a ticket to a cash free roll? They have one just about every hour, so lots of options.

I'm guessing you're going to tell me to stop playing MTTs but i really enjoy them and i can't afford to put in $100+ to have a decent bankroll for them

Well if your not going to listen to good advice then why ask for any?

do you play for the fun and maybe win a small amount money maybe. then try some of the multi table SNG's at PokerStars,,, they start a dime and go up, the dime ones have 360 players and the winner gets $8.50, not a bad return on a dime, adjust your buy-in level to what ever. take care

Just ask yourself a question.

"do I enjoy playing poker?"

If so, then just play freerolls or play money if you don't want to lose real money. If you want to play for real money then either deposit a good bankroll of maybe $100.00 learn some stuff and get better and you shoulden't bust your roll if you play small limits.

It's an odd question to ask though. I play like others because I enjoy poker, theres not point in playing if you don't enjoy it lol.

It all depends on why you're playing. If it's a hobby, putting $50 into it every couple months is pretty cheap for a hobby. You still need to use proper bankroll management if you want to actually be good at your hobby and eventually it might even give you money back.. You could always play with play chips as well, except for the fact that most people who play with play chips are pretty crazy..

Why not just play freerolls until you can build a bankroll? Then no worries about spending funds you don't have and you still get to play.

Not sure why you'd withdrawl part of the $60 you'd won? I mean wouldn't that have been a perfect oppurtunity for you to continue playing a bunch more micro buyin MTTs in hopes of another decent score?

deposit for sure..then try to build a bankroll that can sustain your play.
I wouldn't rush trying to cash in on your earnings.

i don't play poker to TRY and win money,i play it cause it's a fun thing to do and i like the challenge of it.Inever worry about winning or losing so it doesn't affect my decicions in that regard.if i win money (which i do) or lose money (which i also do ) i don't let it get to me .If you just try to make the correct decisions in any given situation without worrying about the money i believe it will help you play better.worry about the right move at the time and the results will come. it works for me anyway,i only deposit when there are reload bonuses and have never gone broke.

Wow, poker as a hobby? That's the only reason I play, most people would never make it as a pro in any sports so that's why we play any of them is because we enjoy it or why do it? Get in your posts here on CC and start playing the various site member free rolls, Its a great deal, the play is more advanced than normal free rolls and the players are great too!

One thing you should be aware of: if you cash out immediately after a big win, it's virtually guaranteed that you'll lose the remainder of your bankroll very quickly, and have to either cancel the cashout or redeposit. I'm not going to speculate as to why that is the case, but it's pretty much universal. The only time it's safe to cash out is if you've played for two or three months straight and kept winning on a relatively consistent basis and are withdrawing 10% or less of your site bankroll.

Cashing out immediately after a win is a rookie mistake. If you really want to keep playing poker, put the $50 back and don't take it out again until you've built it up to at least $500.

And the other poster is correct that MTTs are a grind. That's why one expert (I forget her name) recommends that a recreational player have a bankroll of at least 100 buyins to play MTTs (or 200 buyins for a pro who can't replenish their bankroll). With $10 on a site you should have been playing only the 10-cent tournaments, and with $50 you should play only the 50-cent ones.

How many other hobbies do you have where making money is a condition of having fun?

Just from personal experience, playing poker as a hobby is definitely a grind and can be difficult at times. Since you have less time to play than other people, you really need to be efficient in terms of how you play, the limits you play, and what games you are playing, i.e. tournaments or cash game. I think ultimately it comes down to whether you enjoy playing poker, because if you find yourself losing interest to even play the game and are somehow trying to make money by playing the game, I would just recommend you quit. It's not worth your time if it's not something you enjoy learning how to get better.

I don't think this is true, and it is probably in the wrong thread.
As others have mentioned it is up to you. Like someone mentiond above $50 every couple months is not too much compared hobby wise whether it is shooting pool, bowling...
I would though keep your money on the site to have cushion for the swings that happen in poker.
Good luck!

I know it's hard to feel good after a chronic bad beat, but one of the big enjoyments for me playing poker is making the right decisions, knowing why you made the right decisions and striving to improve your skills. As long as you play the right limits for your bankroll then of course it's worth playing poker as a hobby. Yes, some donk will ruin your mood from time to time but if you're not playing above your bankroll level, that shouldn't matter in the long term.

well as long as you are depositing $10 you are not losing that much unless you keep reloading all the time. It also depends the desire you have to learn more and get better at the game. Remember poker is a game of patience and it will take some time.

I'm in the camp that as long as you derive sufficient enjoyment from playing online poker, then it's no less worthwhile than other hobbies. The problem, of course, is that "deriving enjoyment from poker" is to most people very much bound up with "making money in poker" (or at least not losing money in it).

One of the worst things I reckon you could do is go down the wishy-washy path, where you care about the money you win or lose in poker, but are not therefore willing to practice proper bankroll (i.e. money) management, which includes having a roll large enough to take on the variance you will encounter at the games and limits you play.

Variance is just a necessary part of the game, and MTTs in particular involve a lot of variance. If you aren't quite willing to deposit enough money to handle the inevitable swings, why don't you try STTs (less variance) or freerolls (none of your own money at risk)? Don't withdraw when you win. You could gradually build up a small deposit until you have a self-sustaining roll.

Don't deposit if you can't afford it. Just play freerolls (especially through places like this), build your bankroll and learn about bankroll management.

In My Opinion, you should be playing the freerolls for hobby. I read a comment about "scared" money, and that really makes sense. If you can't afford to lose it, you shouldn't play it. I understand a lot of the freerolls out there can be devistating donk fests, but you're in it for hobby, or fun, anyway. As stated, learn the bank roll management part of the game if you want to make money at it. If you just want to hobby it, hobby it for free.

If you really try in these freerolls, it will improve your overall game. This will give you the confidence to play the money buy-ins. I've played a couple of the CC $5 tourneys on Sundays, but was playing with "scared" money and never really played "my game". I was too nervous about looking too much like a donkey in the eyes of the CC players, and I didn't really have the bank roll to play that limit.

I wish you the best of luck, and remember, Have patience, and have fun.

1st post 9 days ago, and he hasn't return, and very likely won't.

For recreation, play play money and freerolls. No scared money allowed for you.

I think poker is only worth playing if you are into it and plan on getting better. If you play it as a hobby, you are only going to lose your money eventually unless you quit when you are ahead. And if you did want to play, you shouldn't be playing with house money, save up and maybe consider when you are financially more stable. Good luck on the path you decide to take.

When I was young, I played guitar, as a hobby, spending endless hours finding out I sucked. I do not regret it. Mom knew I had no real talent, and mentioned it coyly by telling me to stop wasting my time and get a job.

However, I enjoyed it, and every now and then I would perform a song and get a few pats on the back, and feel rewarded.

Wouldn't trade those memories in for anything.

So the thing is that if you understand it is a hobby, by definition the hobby does not need to be profitable, but does need to be enjoyable.

I'd beg to differ with you on this statement.

Pretty sure there are ALOT of poker playing 'hobbyists' who are profitting from their hobby (& don'thave to 'quit' in order to stay ahead).

I've never won from the house.... just the other players.

i play guitar as well as a hobby (about 35 years)
started off 'chord bashing' A,D and E.
i can now play the moonlight sonata (and lots of other things)
i know scales, arpeggios,chord formula's jazz and blues improvisation,
music notation,intervallic designs etc etc ad infinitum .
this takes time , practice and thought.
the same applies to poker.
start off crap thinking you are 'good'
gradually learn and improve over time with thought and practice
how much you improve is up to YOU.
you get out what you put in.
by the way i am still thick lol
gl all

poker as a hobby i tried FAIL........ nice for some fun though!

I consider playing poker for me as a passive, if not casual, hobby.

I'm lucky if I can play for about 1/2 hour a day at 5NL level. Is it enough to rake tons of money? Not really, but for my time and style of play, it is a fun hobby. I started a while back with a 50 dollar deposit and I withdraw money when I want. This allows me to get some spending cash and maintain a BRM for 5NL.

Is this the ideal thing to do? Not really but it suits my style of play and I'm happy with the extra bucks every now and then. You have to remember that if you play this way it's not going to give you lots of $$$ ever, it's just a fun passive hobby. I like to play but I'm not overly hardcore about it.

Yeah, think we're talking to ourselves now.

I've only ever played recreationally, and considering I've been doing so for over six years now, I'd certainly say it's feasible. That said, I do have a few thoughts that might apply to and help you.

I don't play with money I'd be upset or even annoyed to lose. This refers both to taking money from my pocket to deposit and play with, and to buyins for individual games. Thankfully, the former was only an issue when I started. I gave myself a $150 bankroll and vowed never to add another cent. Fortunately, I got it up over $500 quite quickly, cashed out my original stake, and have been playing with my winnings ever since.

The latter refers to avoiding the miindset that I have to play at a particular level. I play small relative to my bankroll so that I never have to play scared. And even then, my level can vary with my mood. To use ring games as an example, I've played every level of NLH up to NL 100. And on any given day, I pick whatever level I feel comfortable at. As a result, there are days when I'll only play .01/.02 because that's where my comfort level tops out on that day. And sometimes, I won't play at all because even that would be too high.

And third, I don't fool myself into thinking I'll somehow make life-changing money. While my small winds do add up nicely every year, we're talking enough to buy a new PC, take a little vacation, etc. - not new cars, houses et al. If I thought along those lines, I'd probably be at least a little disappointed. But since my expectations are minimal, I always surpass them, which leaves me happier than having a higher target and falling short.

This is exactly how I look at it too. Provides me with no pressure and allows me to enjoy playing. It also provides those nice little things I can buy.

The other thing I do is mix up the games I play. Currently I've been enjoying 5 card draw the last 2 months. This allows me not to get frustrated in type of game. Thus allowing me to regroup and come back when I'm refreshed.