Steps to becoming pro?

[Biggles]

...Thailand I can probly get a very nice place all to myself.

I've lived out in Asia for years and you'd have a very hard time on $40 a day unless you lived in a local village way away from the tourist-priced places where nobody speaks English.

Rent is ususally paid 6 months+ in advance, especially for farang (foreigners) - you'd definitely need to arrive with a wad of cash to get settled.

You'd probably want air-con and reliable electricity, plus internet service of course, with rent on top plus everything you barter for being pricier until you learn the language (how's your Thai ? - bloody hard language to even pick up the basics !)

Think about the cost of constantly buying visas plus agent fees to arrange them, flight/buses in and out of the country to renew visas, flight home once a year, being tempted by tourists to go and spend on booze and partying (reducing playing time & quality too !!), scooter rental, paying to fix the scooter when somebody crashes into it (your fault or not), being ripped off in general, having your laptop stolen or going wrong due to over damp / salty conditions if near the coast, payoff to the policeman that planted hash on you... all sorts of extra expenses you don't think of until you are here.

I'd call it more like $80 a day living frugally in a fairly nice place where there are English apeakers around (I mean everything, not just rent and normal expenses) plus have at least $3,000 in the bank for emergency flight out or medical stuff - insurance is all very well but if your insurance company doesn't say 'OK' immediately you could end up with a choice of paying hard cash right now or being chucked on the street in whatever medical state you're in !

Not doing your idea down, I think it's a great one (I live on Bali at the moment and would never move back - the frustrations and the like of living out here are far outweighed by the gorgeousness of it) but not on the budget you suggest.

plus Asians are sexy imo

Agreed, but they'll eat into that 40 a day pretty effectively too !!! - not talking about paying for sex, but the way of it with local girlfriends is that the westerner does the paying...

 

[fordman427]

Lots of studying, eat healthy, and if you get tilted stop playing!!!!

 

[yeezus]

Well the steps im taking to become a pro a simple. I try to study my poker hands and the actual game of poker 3 hours a day. I then try to play 3 hours a day or moe if i go deep into tournaments. Mental game is a big area i need to work on because i become unfocused and ship my chips away when i stop caring. Also eating habits and exercise do help a lot more energy needed to play and study the game. Sleep well there is only one sentence i can say about sleep. Sleep is for people who are broke.

 

[yeezus]

I disagree when people say the best way to learn is to play. How are you going to fix the leaks that you are not even aware of?

I am not looking to go pro, but would like to be able to take £500 a month from poker. At the moment I am grinding and there is a great YouTube channel I am currently watching with loads of training videos.

Working on mental game is key too, I am always on the look out for good quotes and wallpapers.

Do you know who Jared Tendler is? and if you do what do you think about his strategies for Mental game?

 

[gus201]

Nice post
I figure if I study and get the right understanding of things. I then can play properly and if i can play properly I shouldnt have to worry about the label of pro but the money being won .

Play properly and have good understanding and the rest will fall into place

Its all about the money and getting it on your side of the table what ever comes with that then im in

Good Skill at the tables

 

[UnfadingTrain]

$40/day? Umm enjoy poverty OP

I laughed my ass off.

On another note to become a pro I read or study daily. Either poker books r discussion forums as this one. And by study I mean learn odds, not like odds of hitting a flush on river or turn or crap like that. Something like if I have AJo and there are 5 people left to act behind me what are the chances my hand is the best at this point? You take the % of hands your hand is better than and times it by the number of players left. like (.95)*(.95)*(.95) and so on. And of course playing poker daily and studying or going over critical hands after my session is over. Heres a tip when you play online try to keep up with pot in your head makes the transition to live easier.

 

[jass503]

1. Research and understand the game

If you are new to the world of poker, or gambling in general, the first step is to learn all that you can about the game and how to play it. The internet is filled with informative guides and articles about different poker variants, the rules, and strategies for winning.

2. Know the rules and play fair

Playing without knowing the rules will be of no use when you want to become an expert in the game. Once you understand the rules, fair and unfair, and get an idea about how to play the game, you can move on to the next step, which is to play the game for money or practice.

3. Practice for the real games

A sophisticated game of poker cannot be mastered with theory. While reading about it can give you a fair idea of the game, actually playing helps you get an insight into the game and the strategies that are used in it. So if possible, buy a play-money poker set and practice the game with your friends or family. Alternatively, you can play practice poker games that are offered by numerous online gambling sites.

4. Play only winning hands

An important step to becoming a professional poker player is knowing which hands to play and when to fold. Avoid trying to play every hand, and don’t try too hard to win. You cannot possibly win all the games you play; therefore, you would save yourself a lot of money by playing the right hands.

5. bluffing

Bluffing is a poker strategy that works only when you know how and when to use it. Professional poker players use this strategy sparingly, but when they do, they usually succeed. Novice players, on the other hand, don't use it correctly and end up losing. The beginners tend to use this strategy a little too much, and at times when there is no need for it. So before you try this strategy, be sure to learn all about it and avoid overusing it.

6. Stay Alert

Be aware of what is happening around the table. It is essential to know where you stand. While you may not be able to see the other players’ cards, being observant of the other cards and players’ behavior can leave you with a fair idea about your chances of winning.

7. Managing your bankroll

Bankroll management is one of the key things that you need to know in order to play at a professional level. The tables you choose and the stakes you want to play should depend on your skill level and your budget. It is best to avoid playing with high stakes in the beginning, when you are still learning the game. Also, playing at smaller stake tables, like the £2/4 tables, will enable you to practice more, while keeping the losses to a minimum.

8. Choosing the right games

Texas Holdem may be the most popular game out there, but it is not necessarily the only one that all poker players are good at. There are different poker variants you can try your hand at. You will only become an expert at one or two when you consider your weaknesses and strengths.

9. Play consistently

If you want to reach the professional level in gambling, you should play the game consistently with the skills and the strategies you have learned. Playing the game regularly, irrespective of your wins and losses, will help you get acquainted with it and play better.

10. Play responsibly

While it is necessary to play on a regular basis, it is important to play responsibly, if you want to continue playing. Make sure that you always play within your limits. The chance of you getting addicted and overspending while playing poker, are very high.

11. Don’t play emotionally

Gambling, when you are not in the right frame of mind, will almost always result in losses. Avoid playing poker when you are drunk, in a bad mood, or at any time when you just cannot think straight or stay alert.

12. Knowing when to quit

The idea of breaking even, to get back all the money you have lost in a game, can be very tempting. But knowing when to stop, especially after a series of losses, can save you from bankruptcy:biggrin:

 

[badalhoco345]

As more as I play as more as I learn. Step by step increasing my winings. Playing tournaments according with my box without entering in adventures. Always trying to understand the hands that were not very well played trying to be better for tournament to tournament.

 

[Dubstep]

There was something i read that Einstein said that you should do like 9 parts study and 1 part practical.. so like 90% of the time to be studying and 10% playing... For me its like the opposite way around. but its cool to think about and could motivate you to study more.

 

[bredaman7]

According to study, in order to become a pro in whatever field you choose, you should spend at least 10000 hours. So u shud count the total amount u spent for learning/playing poker. Is it 10k hours already?

 

[freestocks]

I like it. You have great passion and heart, and with a realistic goal of $40 a day. Start strong, the sky's the limit.

 

[Dubstep]

Thank you freestocks, and i have played 2086 hours since i bought poker tracker roughly 1 year ago. I wonder if its 10000 hours of study and 10000 hours of playing lol.

 

[IM deusXmachina]

My step to becoming a pro is to stay consistent. GO to Circuit events - PLAY! and play my darndest !
I have played the Harrahs AC and Chester WSOPC events from season 12-13 (1 cash ITM) and The same AC event 13-14 season.
I will be returning next month for the 6-max event, and will try to Q. into main event this year.
With plenty of cheap MTT games available to me online I have been working hard to FT as many times this month, while playing as much poker as possible
This summer I took it VERY LIGHT on the poker games, to focus on my health, exercising, my JOB, which I need to remain successful to fund my bills, and supporting my family, ALSO spending quality time with my loved ones.
Now its hard core poker MTT training for me this month. A couple trips over to PA to play some Live games to get back into the b&m mentality ---a couple week "rest" and ill be ready for the 6-max event on 12/16!
Ill see where this years events take me before I make any future Pro. poker plans!!

 

[ccocco]

long to be needed. addition to study or read a lot of poker to understand the game. to be professional. while you earn.

 

[Dubstep]

Not very good english ccocco but i understand what your saying,

 

[FoBreeze]

Taking the Leap and Becoming a Pro

Is there anyone out that took the leap to becoming a pro? It would be great if you could share your story to help inspire others…

What did you do before becoming a pro? When you first started, what stakes did you play? What was it that made you finally take the leap and either do it full time, or really take a charge at it?

Any details from any of you that are fortunate enough to do this for a living would be really encouraging… Thanks!

 

[skiptomyloot]

I often think it would be cool to learn and become pro but after awhile, its not even about even being pro anymore. its about loving what you do and progressing in it.always have the desire to want to keep learning. Whats the meaning of becoming pro anyways ? is that meaning more than the idea of being able to play poker and profit. people put so much effort and they want to believe that poker deserves to give them a shot because of how much time they put in but the truth is we can't expect that from poker . We just need to expect ourselves to be there because thats what really matter.

 

[VizziVizo]

Good work, if we can mean that Negreanu is pro you should play 10-7.Try to learn poker more and more but the biggest mastake you can do is to change your cualification? for example MTT change for CASH.If you want to really become pro try to become a supernova or to take a part in a pokerstars Team,but there are no people that could win poker as a human vs poker,you will be beat again and again and lose again and again,if you know everything about poker you will never be unwinnable.

 

[thetick33]

just going to add biggest mistake is someone who is not ready and moves up stakes. Free advice comfort is key. If you move up and are not ready move back down is ok sometimes this takes a time

 

[starting_at_the_bottom]

Do you know who Jared Tendler is? and if you do what do you think about his strategies for Mental game?

Yea, I have his mental game book.

As a blanket statement, I think I have improved mentally (for the most part) since reading it.