Has anyone quit playing poker before starting their career?

I'm a 19 year old male. I've start playing poker when I was 14 through Zynga poker on Facebook. A month before I turn 18, my mom gave me $30 to play on pokerstars- lost it of course but got addicted real quick. When I got banned on PokerStars, I moved to 888 poker. I was a little over 18 in October of 2013. Since then, there hasn't been a day were poker wasn't in my life. It was either thinking, playing or dreaming. I've sacrifice if not everything to get where I'm at today. I'm a ghost to my family and barely speak to my friend these days. I feel I only have poker in my life now. I study over 80 hours every month, and play additional 200 hours. I play mid-stakes push and fold games at 888 Poker. Here's a photo of my winnings on Wednesday night play. I'm starting to become successful. But now, I want what I've lost. Has anyone been down this road before? And did you balance your life or drop poker?

why not try assigning 1 or 2 days a week for meeting with friends and family and use the rest of your time grinding some money. or alternatively play 3 weeks straight poker and the other week in the month take it off and spend some of your winnings going out having fun

your young get out into the world and experience it maybe with a job or just playing tourist in your local area. you might find that theres more to life than poker and im sure it will help your game also. excuse me a good balance is necessary. but a burn out is a burn out and at your age what can you fall back on? gl gl

ups broth. 20 yr old grinder here, best of luck... issues always come with this kind of risk / pleasure but im sure everything will work out

Im 27, and from my perspective. I'd say enjoy it as much as you can. You never know how high (or low) your will go, as far as success goes. You need to keep family in your life though.. tough to balance. But keep bankroll management going and family management Lolz, and you should be fine. )

best advice ever got was from daniel negreneau and it was on this subject which think posted a bit in another spot. He said you have to have balance you play your best when you are fully developed into life not just poker. When you play for the sure joy and love of the game and have a girlfriend a life outside of the arena. Is easy to get caught up and revolve your life around poker.

I can say I have seen people who have won a lot but also those who have lost it all. You need a perspective I also think the more you live the more you learn when playing people and cards and games helps you especially live. I had a friend who won a ton yet couldnt play live to save life. It all changed couldnt get games online and he lost it all a lot more than I would be willing to lose.

I think his problem with live is simply he hadnt lived enough encountered enough people to properly read live play. Is just my take on it. I think each piece of life we do helps us for now today tomorrow and the future.

So live the biggest and fullest life possible if poker is a small or big part of that awesome!!!

what good it will do well now at poker and generate profits, but if you're going to take as a job you like you would have to get schedules to perform other activities like hanging out with friends, playing sports, being with family and already got couple respect all that, it's more important than poker. since they are the affections. you would have to rethink some things in life besides poker because you can not turn the time back friend. nothing more simple advice

I quit playing and studying last year (also 27)
I play as and when, still confident I'll make some big cashes in tournaments over the forseeable without a doubt

In my opinion its not a positive way to live without a main income and it will eat the life out of you because the amount of hours it takes away from your life.

Whiles't over investing in online gaming your not really developing in life if its becoming too much and its also preventing over opportunities from coming to light.

All that energy put into poker and learning, could easily be put into making money through a product a service or solution, or getting onto a really good career path, via business and sales or even anything else your passionate about, potentially making you a fortune within 5-10 years
also getting out there and experiencing more is crucial.

At 19 if you put your energy into personal development you can be anything you want potential is ridiculous.

That being said if your consistently clocking up thousands on a bankroll at a very quick speed it may be worth sticking with it, But always consider long term options outside of the game,
we need to more to life than just poker for sure

Life>poker.

i quit so many times, but i always come back........when i quit its when bad beats really get to me and sickens me...

read books about psyhology of poker

There is such a thing as 'addiction' when it comes to poker/gambling and some of things said in the original post sound like you may be falling into that trap: "there hasn't been a day were poker wasn't in my life. It was either thinking, playing or dreaming. I've sacrifice if not everything to get where I'm at today. I'm a ghost to my family and barely speak to my friend these days. I feel I only have poker in my life now."

It's already been said but it's worth repeating: Life >(greater than) Poker; balance; family; life in general!

If poker is taking over your life to the exclusion of all else, it's definitely time to step back and reassess the situation. Maybe poker as a life choice is not for you?

I would quit poker if only I had enough bankroll to start a business but in general with such mutations both in our time online poker is not long and everything will go offline.

first dont do mistakes in life leaving a life of noone.. Family is very important n so is a Business or Job . make it like this.. work for a Job till u collect n save 50k for ur Business. do a Business which have daily cashflow like eatery Joint or something .. n Play poker only 2 times a week means on weekend

you have to have a social life.
if you spend your time just to play poker you end up with a very serious problem.
You may have big wins but that can be a big problem when you enter slump.
Recommendation salt with friends and girlfriend to the movies and sports.
luck and see you at the tables.

Family is important, they are the people that will raise your spirit during tough times and keep you motivated. Sometimes when you take a break you can clear your head and see whats missing in your game. Wish you the best

I guess to each his own,when I was 18 I didn't really have any direction to go, I thought about joining the army, but I figured by the time I got back I wouldn't have a girlfriend anymore lol ,you only live this life once,set goals anything,buy a car with your winnings ,college, friends were important to me, we did alot of fun things went to florida one year and mostly got drunk, but that's growing up I guess,but if your thinking about something it's prob important to you don't just push it to the back burner,basically when I look back on my life there's things I regret that I didn't do,and things that still make me laugh when I think about it all I can recommend is do things in life that will leave a smile on your face and set goals and try to follow thru!!!

Im playing about 5-6 years and never deposited my money just cash out about 500euro so I dont see reason to drop it I mostly playing for fun im not living from poker

Why stop, you can always play for fun poker and earn extra income..

Poker is good and if you can make it part of your life its great. I would be careful if I was you. It seems that you need to set a timetable for poker and for friends and family. Many years ago I turned my back on my family,(although not for poker), and I regret it now. Your family and some friends will understand if you tell them about poker and what it earns you or how you feel about it they may know more and be more acceptable. My main answer is don't let poker or anything rule your life, you need to rule it!!! Gl with it all and take it easy..............

Really wish you all the luck... you re too you will have good and bad hands, poker is passion , and i think everyone decides how much you want to spend your time... just remember that while you were sleeping there is another who is trying to be best.

it depends what you want out of poker, are you trying to go pro or semi? also why dont you find friends who play and play live games... you are almost 21 and you can play at casinos and card rooms and make friends with the regulars, one of the main reasons I like live games better than online is because you make friends and hang out socialise. the casino crowd is a little odd so pick and chose who you make friends with, some have problems but overall you can find cool people at the felt at live games and alot of them are sociable.

horizon12 said:

Why stop, you can always play for fun poker and earn extra income..

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some people have really bad tendencies to perhaps get in flaky mindsets. maybe you could call it a gambling mindset...
"I NEED to win my losses back"


don't bet it if you can't lose it:icon_salu .

WinglessSoldier said:

I'm a 19 year old male. I've start playing poker when I was 14 through Zynga poker on Facebook. A month before I turn 18, my mom gave me $30 to play on PokerStars- lost it of course but got addicted real quick. When I got banned on PokerStars, I moved to 888 poker. I was a little over 18 in October of 2013. Since then, there hasn't been a day were poker wasn't in my life. It was either thinking, playing or dreaming. I've sacrifice if not everything to get where I'm at today. I'm a ghost to my family and barely speak to my friend these days. I feel I only have poker in my life now. I study over 80 hours every month, and play additional 200 hours. I play mid-stakes push and fold games at 888 Poker. Here's a photo of my winnings on Wednesday night play. I'm starting to become successful. But now, I want what I've lost. Has anyone been down this road before? And did you balance your life or drop poker?

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i still didnt build a carer and i dont think on stop tryng to build one

A while back I entertained thoughts of going pro at some point and grinding for the big bucks but that's no longer on the table, what changed was me finding out that I have no appetite for this game whatsoever if playing is something that I have to do. I used to have plans for challenges where I would play X amount of SnG's in 30 days and track everything, but the reality of having to meet a specific daily target does not appeal to me at all and I think that my results would be heavily skewed by the frustration of having to force myself to play at times.

I want poker to be in this sandbox where I can play a game or two if I'm in the mood, leave when I feel like leaving, and not even sign in if I don't feel like playing. If I can bink a tournament or two for five figures at some point down the road then I'll be over the moon, if it never happens that's fine too.

With anything in life, balance is key and it's hard to argue that you're successful if your great success in some areas is causing you to stumble badly in others.