Tried and failed 2/5NLH professional

Hey all,

I quite my corporate job a few months back to grind 2/5 for a living. I did it succuessfully for the first 6 weeks, but eventually I went bust. My bankroll was only 5k which I think has a lot to do with me busting. I'm looking for pointers. Thanks

If I am not wrong - you started with only 10 Buy-In's what is really insufficient to avoid variance. Very risky upon my point of view...You played cash game tables with 5 USD BB's, correct?

need 50 Buy-In

I hope that this is a joke because if is true you made many mistakes.

Jooseme said:

Hey all,

I quite my corporate job a few months back to grind 2/5 for a living. I did it succuessfully for the first 6 weeks, but eventually I went bust. My bankroll was only 5k which I think has a lot to do with me busting. I'm looking for pointers. Thanks

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Proper bankroll management will not only to teach you how to keep a proper bankroll, it will help you improve your game.

How does proper bankroll management improve your game?


It allows you to be more aggressive at the table, take more chances, feel comfortable making that hero call.


Playing beyond proper BRM is playing scared.

Dejange said:

If I am not wrong - you started with only 10 Buy-In's what is really insufficient to avoid variance. Very risky upon my point of view...You played cash game tables with 5 USD BB's, correct?

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That is correct. 200 min 500 max. Always stayed full. I've been playing for roughly 11 years and recreationaly I have been very successful. I decided to make the jump prematurely. What is a good bankroll to have to avoid going busto again?

5k is what you bring along on a vacation to spend on fun.I would`t even attempt this with less than 25k.

Jooseme said:

That is correct. 200 min 500 max. Always stayed full. I've been playing for roughly 11 years and recreationaly I have been very successful. I decided to make the jump prematurely. What is a good bankroll to have to avoid going busto again?

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Well, like Terry and others mentioned above, you should have at least 50 BI's, but at 2/5NLH I would even get more secured with 100-200 BI's. And most of the experts advising the same.
I quit the cash tables 9 months ago, after being tilted and loosing around 18-19 BI's in a row at micro stakes. Passed to other formats and managed to rebuild my BR - mainly Sit&Go and Spin&Go and some MTT's.
In the end I hope you will recover somehow :top:

You should have much more money if you want to do this and quit your ordinary job. I wouldnt have quit if i was you, i would have continued playing and working at the same time, having that safe income is crucial.

Mikeloti13 said:

You should have much more money if you want to do this and quit your ordinary job. I wouldnt have quit if i was you, i would have continued playing and working at the same time, having that safe income is crucial.

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Thanks for the response Mike. You are absolutely right. I was making close to 6 fig and still playing on the side a few times a month. The issue came with me having so much success when I was a recreational player the last several years I felt like it was the right move. Now that I'm in the situation I'm in I realize I made a huge mistake. There was a good balance when I was working. I just got tired of making someone else rich while having to be somewhere in a redundant environment everyday. My recent experience makes me second guess ever playing for a living, but since I can remember it's what I've wanted to do. I've had backers before and massive success, I just think the mentality changed a little bit when I didn't have my safety net of a steady job. Let me know your thoughts.

Best Regards,

Julius

Dejange said:

If I am not wrong - you started with only 10 Buy-In's what is really insufficient to avoid variance. Very risky upon my point of view...You played cash game tables with 5 USD BB's, correct?

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That is correct, see my reply to mike for more insight. Any feedback would be cool.


-Julius

Hondo said:

Besides starting out with 200 buy-ins as your playing bankroll. You should have at least six months of living expenses set aside. Rent, food, entertainment, medical and incidentals all have to be taken care of.

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I've been getting mixed answers. I was winning at a %76.6 win rate playing 60hrs a week until I went on monkey tilt. I don't understand why I would need 100k to play 2/5NLH. Please explain further.

Thank you,


Juius

Dejange said:

Well, like Terry and others mentioned above, you should have at least 50 BI's, but at 2/5NLH I would even get more secured with 100-200 BI's. And most of the experts advising the same.
I quit the cash tables 9 months ago, after being tilted and loosing around 18-19 BI's in a row at micro stakes. Passed to other formats and managed to rebuild my BR - mainly Sit&Go and Spin&Go and some MTT's.
In the end I hope you will recover somehow :top:

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Thanks

Can you elaborate?

terryk said:

5k is what you bring along on a vacation to spend on fun.I would`t even attempt this with less than 25k.

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Do you have any experience in my limit?

Jooseme said:

Do you have any experience in my limit?

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Bankroll management applies to all buy-in levels regardless of experience.

https://www.cardschat.com/poker-bankroll-management.php

Hondo said:

Besides starting out with 200 buy-ins as your playing bankroll. You should have at least six months of living expenses set aside. Rent, food, entertainment, medical and incidentals all have to be taken care of.

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This. I think 100 buy-ins plus 6 months of expenses would be fine too. The 6 months of expenses is vital bc a 10 buy-in downswing won't change your mindset. Playing scared is a disaster.

Would have been best to play 1/2 with that size bankroll. What happened that made you go broke? During the six weeks were you winning at all?

Jooseme said:

Hey all,

I quite my corporate job a few months back to grind 2/5 for a living. I did it succuessfully for the first 6 weeks, but eventually I went bust. My bankroll was only 5k which I think has a lot to do with me busting. I'm looking for pointers. Thanks

Click to expand...

Live cash you need 50 buy-ins+ and a 6month+ life bankroll.

10 buy-ins nowhere near enough.

Sounds like you tried to make the jump without doing any of the work required.

KevinLee said:

This. I think 100 buy-ins plus 6 months of expenses would be fine too. The 6 months of expenses is vital bc a 10 buy-in downswing won't change your mindset. Playing scared is a disaster.

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:rock:

Yes, I was a lot more conservative suggesting a 200 buy-in for a starting bankroll and you could surely attempt the endeavour with just 100 buy-ins but I would strongly suggest that be a minimium.

Jooseme said:

I've been getting mixed answers. I was winning at a %76.6 win rate playing 60hrs a week until I went on monkey tilt. I don't understand why I would need 100k to play 2/5NLH. Please explain further.

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Bankroll management is like insurance in life. You can insure yourself and nothing will happen. And you can not insure yourself - and get into trouble (for an insurance event).

10 buy in's is just insane. you could have a rough couple days and be busto just from variance alone. Now live poker you can possibly get away with 40-50 buy in's if you are good and beating the stakes you play, but 10 can be wiped out after 2-3 days of being on the wrong side of variance.

My best advice for if you trying this again, is dont quit your day job. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Playing poker is fun playing poker for the rent is not fun at all.

Everyone is covering the brm side of this but no one has mentioned that you also need to be able to beat the game you are playing. Maybe you can and this was just variance and an insufficient bankroll but its worth mentioning.