Playing Poker Professionally

[Hackerosito]

Excellent this article and its tips to become a professional, I always read beginner players who believe that they are going to become rich from one day to another, or others who complain about an online poker software, but with the years that I have playing, I have learned that the essence of poker are many factors, including discipline, patience, learning from mistakes, much study, renewing in the game, self-motivation and creativity. I'll keep that in the article.

 

[Debi]

Im going to give my humble opinion on this topic. I think if you consider playing professionally, you should really have years of experience or incredible one of a kind talent. But i think you should do your regular job as a secure income and poker as another income. Playing online can be very profitable or live aswell. But poker is a huge risk so you should always have another safe income. But also my friend, not really close but a friend, bought a bunch of books about poker, studied them for over a year before playing any poker. Then he quit his job and played poker full time. He made almost a million in the first year playing cash games in my country.

Totally agree. Only a small percentage of poker players are good enough and have enough discipline to do it right and actually make a living from it.

I am very proud of our own Ryan Laplante who is a very successful professional player - but he works so hard and puts in so many hours - not many people can do that. He also has the support of his fiance who is awesome.

If you family does not support you in this it will never work.

 

[Dejange]

Great enjoy for me to read all previous replies to this wonderful thread :top:

Playing poker professionally was never a question for me. Just because of all the risks, negatives and difficulties - already mentioned, I see me playing poker only as a hobby. And I will continue playing until I have fun and feel it interesting. The online rooms providing this opportunity, and why not to take advantage of it without quitting your current job occupation ???
I know a lot of Bulgarian and Serbian players hitting high from time to time without being pro's, so why not keep playing in your free time, using opportunities to qualify for major events, and one day your consistency could be awarded without loosing precious budget!
I have maybe one single thing to do still, to give a try in some live tournament, just to feel the difference and to find out what my performance would be ... To make a clear comparison with the online games ... For such live event, I am willing to use my own money, just to try and for fun, and I hope this year there will be an interesting event nearby with bearable entry fee
What I mean by interesting event - an international one, of course , We have a lot of casino's here in Varna, but I am skeptic that playing with locals will bring me fun and enjoy :bandit:

 

[AvovchikA]

It is difficult to tell in one article how to become a professional player. Many hours of work on psychology, mathematics. And anyway, the lady of luck should be with you

 

[Muzyka1996]

Of course poker for me is only hobby.
I have never even considered poker as a profession for me. This requires a big bankroll, as well as no stable income.

 

[klauber]

Unfortunately I do not have bankroll for this ... but that would be a dream that would be. even though I would be doing what I like and still making good money ... but who knows in the future.

 

[klaubervg]

I would very much like to be a professional poker player, it is a pity that here in brazil the sport is still developing, there are still problems related to prejudice in relation to people who live in the sport, not to mention that a good bankroll is necessary. But to the future God belongs, let's see what awaits us.

 

[miric007]

For me poker is an extra income on a household budget. To win 100k in a poker tournament, I would stop working and dedicating poker but not on line

 

[panapper]

I'd have to say I would describe myself as the step above recreational but not in a high stakes professional format. I play online for entertainment so its only freerolls and low stakes .50/1$ and 4.40$ tournaments. However outside of online I hammer the local casinos hard and I mean hard, 3 out of 4 nights im profitable with anywhere from 50$-1K starting from a $100 buy in on a 1/2 BB table. Comes down to what is the actual definition of professional? is it being profitable 70% of the time or making enough just from poker to essentially buy a house or something?

 

[Thecontinuer]

Poker's a game of skill as we all know. There are variance rides and a lot of work involved, and I feel this factors into it.

I am almost certain that 90% of players in the Pro circuit spend an ungodly amount of time on their craft, and have done so continuoisly for a long time.
Charlie Carrel took about 18 months from beginner to chopping the million. Was he lucky? Of course, but he spent 18 hours a day on an island in the middle of knowhere with his gran for 12 months doing nothing but poker.


Hard, efficient work beats all.

 

[Debi]

I'd have to say I would describe myself as the step above recreational but not in a high stakes professional format. I play online for entertainment so its only freerolls and low stakes .50/1$ and 4.40$ tournaments. However outside of online I hammer the local casinos hard and I mean hard, 3 out of 4 nights im profitable with anywhere from 50$-1K starting from a $100 buy in on a 1/2 BB table. Comes down to what is the actual definition of professional? is it being profitable 70% of the time or making enough just from poker to essentially buy a house or something?

I would think it would mean that poker is your primary source of income.

 

[Katyushka4]

Becoming a professional poker player is a very risky decision. Perhaps if you are on your own and you do not have people about whose you need to take care of - this path will be an opportunity to achieve success. But if you are the breadwinner of the family, you should not build castles in the air and better leave poker in the hobby section.

 

[Skeeter325]

I have a dream of playing professionally, but not any time soon. My thought is that you have to approach it like a start up and have an entrepreneurial mentality to succeed. You have to be very disciplined in how you play, how you manage your bank roll and how you control your emotions. I enjoy the game, and one day it might be my sole income, but for now I'll stick with my full-time job and play as a hobby.

 

[Dave Oxford]

I went pro 4 years ago, went broke three and a half years ago, lol

 

[Skeeter325]

Exactly. One day, maybe, but for now it will be a good part-time job or a hobby where I can take my friends money.

 

[Dave Oxford]

Besides when poker is your full time job it's not near as fun.

 

[Dave Oxford]

When playing poker for a living it's a totally different thing than playing as a hobby.

 

[David macdonald]

Taking the plunge into professional poker

I have a decent job and salary but love poker, my last win was 2k. I would like to try play professionally but the risk is far too high. I have a steady income but if I lost my job I would play professionally for sure

 

[Edison A]

I do not recommend that you leave your job, keep playing just for fun, it will be good for you

 

[David macdonald]

Yeah I know thanks

 

[JRNorris95]

This is a great article on playing poker professionally. I think a lot of people underestimate what it actually takes to become a professional player. I know that I am a long way off of ever being a professional poker player myself.

 

[hugh blair]

Stick to the day drop until u have won over 2 million dollarsThink some russian lad quit his job after winning the sunday million on pokerstars and lost it all in 5 days ooch.

 

[supermoto]

it is a pure reality what you think
Marcwantstowin few live poker and those are pokerstars 888poker parypoker american etc etc etc.only the halls and casinos live poker

 

[Olvia]

If a player once won a big match, can he be considered a professional?

 

[radartodd69]

Playing poker as a profession

I hope I never make poker a profession because if I did I might grow to despise it. Sort of like the pizza chef that hates pizza because that's all he sees day after day. Keep it fun is what I say.