Professional Poker Player in Southern California Crushing It?

Aaron Soto

Aaron Soto

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 21, 2015
Total posts
305
Chips
0
Hey whats up guys,

My names Aaron Soto, I'm a Poker Player or if you want to say "Professional" that is fine by me. I do make a living off of playing cards NL Poker. I am a avid player who started off in the online world i lost lots online and a lot live. Well I'm doing much better and really don't like to think of those days. So lets hear some of the GOOD NEWS! I want to get your opinions on what you think of my earnings to date. I only started keeping track on the 19th of January. But this is incredible I don't plan on working anymore just playing Poker now.

January 19 to February 2 I've banked in 3,300 in cash. My game is NL 1-3 Live.

Check out the attachment my graph is really incredible WOO!!!!! BABY!!!
 

Attachments

  • IMAG0475.jpg
    IMAG0475.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 320
P

ph_il

...
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 5, 2005
Total posts
10,128
Awards
1
Chips
25
Very interesting.

What is your bankroll for $1/$3?

Are you tracking your session times as well?

In tracking your profits, are you also including rake? Tips? Food? Gas?

Are you still working? If so, how many hours live would you like to complete for deciding if quitting is the best option? Does your BB/hour also influence your decision?

Good luck!
 
Aaron Soto

Aaron Soto

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 21, 2015
Total posts
305
Chips
0
Very interesting.

What is your bankroll for $1/$3?

Are you tracking your session times as well?

In tracking your profits, are you also including rake? Tips? Food? Gas?

Are you still working? If so, how many hours live would you like to complete for deciding if quitting is the best option? Does your BB/hour also influence your decision?

Good luck!


My roll at the minute is what ever is on my graph right now. So basically I have a 3300.00$ roll for 1-3. I am tracking my time limit. On any typical day, I play for around 3-6 hours. Now here is my rules that i follow, If i earn, over 300$ within under 4 hours I am out the door. I do not allow myself to go over 4 hours of play. One thing I have noticed is that mental fatigue sets in really bad after 4 hours.

My ability to judge players, make correct bet sizes or just all in all play poker correctly begins to wear off. I will also start making some foolish calls or playing hands I know aren't of my liking. It just has a big effect on my game it's better to leave with my profit then risk playing anything other then 100% on any day. I am not tracking any of the rake, gas, food etc. I do not eat at the casino for obvious reasons. I don't like paying 16$ for a hamburger.

All of my profit is done off of my Buy-In. Anything I cash out minus my Buy-In is profit. I live only 20 miles or so from Morongo Resort and Casino and many more in Southern California.

I'm done working since i really just do not see the point in it. I also cannot stand my job and I have a passion for Poker that I will lay down anything for. I'm choosing Poker full-time. If variance strikes so be it. I'm prepared for it. I don't work off of that whole BB/HOUR stuff. I keep my own set of rules and programs that I follow. They are designed by me.

Here is a better picture of my graph. I've hit some big paydays, 925.00$, 441.00$ 693.00$ (which i tilted off the next day).

It has been extremely hard work, and the progress is showing.
 

Attachments

  • IMAG0478.jpg
    IMAG0478.jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 328
W

wowasenotrusov

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 4, 2014
Total posts
240
Chips
0
Congratulations if you really win . but why are you in a notebook the results are recorded . Now the computer age . or do you like to write.
 
onondaga

onondaga

Ukraine
Bronze Level
Joined
Apr 21, 2015
Total posts
3,146
Awards
14
UA
Chips
0
Nice result! only one question, why you think you are PRO? (please dont write that because its your main income and that you spent 100% of time playing poker)
 
Aaron Soto

Aaron Soto

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 21, 2015
Total posts
305
Chips
0
Thanks. Of course these are real winnings..... lol......


Anyway, I do not think I am "Pro" not even close to yet. But, I did read that a person who is considered a Professional Poker Player is someone who's main source of income and makes a living off of playing cards.

Well NL Poker is my ONLY income. And yes, I do practically spend morning, day and night on Poker. I have no life atm. Other then this.

Upgrading the computer soon.
 
Devowned

Devowned

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 22, 2016
Total posts
52
Chips
0
Should download the poker tracker App if you're doing this seriously. Keeps track of everything effortlessly! Good luck on your journey
 
F

FoBreeze

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 31, 2014
Total posts
132
Chips
0
Hey whats up guys,

My names Aaron Soto, I'm a Poker Player or if you want to say "Professional" that is fine by me. I do make a living off of playing cards NL Poker. I am a avid player who started off in the online world i lost lots online and a lot live. Well I'm doing much better and really don't like to think of those days. So lets hear some of the GOOD NEWS! I want to get your opinions on what you think of my earnings to date. I only started keeping track on the 19th of January. But this is incredible I don't plan on working anymore just playing Poker now.

January 19 to February 2 I've banked in 3,300 in cash. My game is NL 1-3 Live.

Check out the attachment my graph is really incredible WOO!!!!! BABY!!!

Good stuff man. You should keep updating this thread… If you have bad runs or whatever post about them.

I'm starting to lean a lot towards poker now and I also prefer 1/3 NL. I haven't gone up in such a straight line though. I'm curious to know how long you have played poker full time and how long the line has been going straight up basically.

What do you buy in for? The casino I play at has a large buy in of 70% of the biggest stack or $500… I started buying in for $200 to minimize loses since there's so many big stacks it's easy to lose your stack no matter what you buy in for.

How many hours a week do you play?
 
WVHillbilly

WVHillbilly

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
Total posts
22,973
Chips
0
Subbing. This thread is going to be good.
 
M

Marginal

Junior Member
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 28, 2009
Total posts
10,426
Awards
3
Chips
2
This should be entertaining for sure.

gl on your journey, subbed as well.

Do you have any goals for the year?

ALso if you are playing live poker, i would suggest the rungood app for tracking results. its what i use and it works super well.
 
Ducky7

Ducky7

Cardschat Elite
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 13, 2012
Total posts
4,129
Awards
3
Chips
3
That is the sickest graph ive ever seen look at mine (started tracking yesterday)

img04.jpg
 
M

Marginal

Junior Member
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 28, 2009
Total posts
10,426
Awards
3
Chips
2
mine is slightly worse

StCTj9m.png
 
Ducky7

Ducky7

Cardschat Elite
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 13, 2012
Total posts
4,129
Awards
3
Chips
3
Im unemployed, but its my only source of income so i too am a pro
 
stevenright

stevenright

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 13, 2013
Total posts
791
Chips
0
It shows you have a lot of entusiasm, but this could be dangerous since a very bad run could go straight to your head and you could lose focus.

Don't consider yourself a pro after about 3 weeks of good income, wait for a while, save money, don't spend you winnings with not so important things.

And don't leave the table just because youve met your quota, when you winning and playing good is mostly where the good money comes,... if you played 1 hour and got 400, keep playing, you are feeling good, playing good, and should definetely take a large profit from it.


Good luck, i'll keep coming back here to see how it's going.
 
6

6bet me

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 13, 2015
Total posts
835
Chips
0
mine is slightly worse

StCTj9m.png

Is this actually real? Where did you get 600k from? And when it says "games played", what does that mean: number of sessions, number of hands, number of tournaments or something else?
 
L

lukeellul92

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 26, 2015
Total posts
362
Chips
0
I'm gonna grab some popcorn for this one I think.

Honestly, I wish you goodluck, but you yourself have put up sooo many obstacles it's funny.

You have a 10BI Bankroll, for live bankroll you need around 30BI, so 9k for 1-3.

Not to mention your bankroll is purely your winnings? Can you tell me how you play for a "living" but your bankroll is your winnings? Do you just eat a carrot a day and live in a box? Because as far as I'd see it, the average person would need around $1500 in a very cheap area per month to pay for rent or bills food tranport etc, so that kinda reduces your Bankroll to 5 BI..


I love the enthusiasm, I hit a heater last year for 4 weeks when I got made redundant at my job and did 1 buy in for 2-5 and walked out 12 hours later with 12 buy ins. Then the next few days did the same thing and I ran 1 BI up to about 20BI over the course of a week and a half. The next 2 and a half weeks absolutely killed me and I learnt about variance and the fact that I was a terrible player not employing BRM.

This is what got me into poker and what made me want to learn.

IF you want to play professionally for live poker, you're going to want to get used to more then 4 hours at a table though. That's only about 120 hands, or 840 a week... Not alot to even remotely fix all your leaks.


*Edit*, I'm no pro, look at my hand analysis threads you'll see I still play fishy alot of the times, but I do know what I need to do in order to even become semi-"pro"
 
M

Marginal

Junior Member
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 28, 2009
Total posts
10,426
Awards
3
Chips
2
Is this actually real? Where did you get 600k from? And when it says "games played", what does that mean: number of sessions, number of hands, number of tournaments or something else?

Thats just a sharkscope graph. Just SNGs. Had a hard time in the 1k heads up games. Tough life
 
P

ph_il

...
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 5, 2005
Total posts
10,128
Awards
1
Chips
25
How big is your life roll and poker roll in order for you to quit your job and live off of poker?

You do have separate rolls right?
 
Ineed1moredeuce

Ineed1moredeuce

Rising Star
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 20, 2015
Total posts
19
Chips
0
I wish you the best, but just because you have hit a very good upswing doesn't mean it will continue to go that way. I am curious to see how you manage your bankroll when you hit a few very bad months of a continuous down swing. Either way good luck to you sir, keep this thread up to date on your progress, and post critical hands during each session. There's a ton of advice you will be able to get from very solid poker players on here. I'm looking forward to seeing how your journey in live poker play progresses.
 
Aaron Soto

Aaron Soto

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 21, 2015
Total posts
305
Chips
0
Hey you guys, Thank you for all the responses wow amazing.

I will continually keep updating this thread I am hoping that I can keep up at this pace. I'm thinking with hard work and great effort I will.

Here is an up to date on my graph.

Last time I was at what 3,300$??? On February 2nd I believe.

Well up to date on February 7th I am at $4981.00 and climbing.

All my wins are based out of Casino in Cabazon, CA. 1-3 No Limit Live
My average buy in is 260-300$ (Min is 100 Max is 300)I have noticed the only way to be completely effective and to win huge is to buy in at the max.
Play smart, Play tight, Be aggressive when you have it. Do not! Let people draw out on you. That is practically my plan always.

The most important attribute is knowing how read your opponent and figure him out which takes great practice and time. Here is up to date graph. This last Upswing on my graph is ridiculous just a massive heater. Just straight 90 degree climb almost haha.

These were made off of huge pots, Either from getting it all in after flopping a set. (Some beginner calling with a flush draw.....only to lose 200$) making a straight on the turn and getting it in against weaker hands in a big pot. Some are from huge flushes on the river after getting drawing odds to keep betting. These are just examples of some hands that have been big winners.

Here it is.
 

Attachments

  • IMAG0505[1].jpg
    IMAG0505[1].jpg
    1 MB · Views: 293
  • IMAG0504[1].jpg
    IMAG0504[1].jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 296
Aaron Soto

Aaron Soto

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 21, 2015
Total posts
305
Chips
0
I had to make a new graph, since I went off the charts in the first one.

Last night was a tough game.

I started off at 300$ buy in only to get completely stacked off by the deep-stack with 800$ behind .....

I flopped a set on a 3c,4h,5h board.

I pushed my set of 3's in with 221$ all in in hopes of keeping them from drawing out on me 2 other players in the hand.

How it unfolded:

Calls around to UTG 3 who raises to 20.00$ pre-flop.
I call with pocket 3's from the HJ (Something I never ever do, knowing that 3's are such a weak hand and am certainly not getting pot odds, mistake on my part)
Button calls 20.00$ pre-flop.
Everyone else folds

Flop: 3c, 4h, 5h

UTG3 bets out 40$ into a 70$ pot
HJ (ME) Shoves all-in for 222$ with my set of 3's
Button 222$ (Guy flopped a straight with 6/7 off suite and called a raise pre-flop..)
UTG3 calls 222$ all in (has a flush and straight draw with Ace/6 of hearts)

I seriously thought I was good, I was only scared of a set of 4's and a set of 5's. I honestly figured these guys had big pairs or, a flush draw.

When the guy turned over 6/7 off I could not believe he called a huge raise like that with that junk. Oh well bad luck. 1/78 he flops a straight.
This hand had check/fold written all over it for me too. But I never let sets go, ever. It's all or nothing. Unless there is an absolutely amazing reason (Suited boards, this board, Tons of players)

To sum up my story, I was in the hole -450.00$ at one point. By the end of the night though, I ended up leaving with 58.00$ in profit so yes, it took very hard work and just some good playing I guess. Waiting for the right spots to chose.

The last time I had a negative day was maybe the 29th of January. When I do go into the negative I am really tough on myself. I study even harder. Find out where I went wrong, how can I fix this problem etc.
 
Last edited:
P

ph_il

...
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 5, 2005
Total posts
10,128
Awards
1
Chips
25
Read up on implied odds and reverse implied odds.
 
Top