8 Responses

1. Anonymous

   February 18th, 2010 at 9:27 pm

   1

   It can very difficult to play as a professional player. To start with you have to be prepared to take downswings in your bankroll that are bound to happen from time to time. Also finding someone to give you a home loan or credit card will be hard as well, because putting down professional gambler as your job tittle isn’t the most secure job you can have. Grinding it out on the tables is very hard to do 8-10 hours a day, the mental concentration is the hardest thing about playing for a living. But if you are thinking about it just keep good records of your time in and your wins and losses. I myself play on the side for income but i am not good enough to do it full time so i have another job dealing poker. good luck…

2. Anonymous

   February 18th, 2010 at 10:38 pm

   2

   i would suggest reading Small Stakes Hold Em by Sklansky and playing at very small stakes. switch between reading and playing. when you find that you are making money consistently (this means that it is over a period of at least 20-30,000 hands) you can move up in stakes and start over.
   pick up what you can from professionals who actually make a living gambling and ignore everyone else’s opinions on the matter.http://www.amazon.com/Small-Stakes-Hold-…

3. bloodmoneygreed is back!

   February 19th, 2010 at 2:55 am

   3

   Its not too hard. All of the pros just know when an how to play their hands and when to check or bet. But don’t get your hopes too high. And the pros never drink alcohol when they play.

4. apo_ares

   February 19th, 2010 at 8:18 am

   4

   Becoming a professional poker player is actually very difficult but maybe not as hard as becoming a pro athlete.
   I notice the players are becoming well read. A lot of really sound poker advise has leaked out and the amateurs are reading and soaking it all up. So you have to keep learning new things.
   The good news is that there are fresh fish being exposed to the game all the time. And poker being at its peak means there is plenty of fresh meat out there.
   The bad news is that bad players who make critical mistakes don’t last long in the game. And about 25% of what you make is taxable by the government.
   To be a pro in anything means you have to be in the the top 10%. The higher the stakes the more the game becomes luck since the quality of the players go up dramatically.
   The true pros only have a 5% to 15% edge and they are playing for hundreds or thousands of dollars against other fairly strong players.
   I do online poker and I tend to do well in both SNG and ring games but i have had amazing bad luck, the equivalent to getting struck by lightning. It was enough to make me not feel like playing anymore. It becomes a real job. It’s not that exciting and can at times be surprinsingly boring and mundane.
   The game has to be mastered on many levels… so if you can:
   1. make big lay downs
   2. memorize opponents actions
   3. do relatively simple math calculations
   4. take risks
   5. shift gears
   6. bet when you have the best hand
   7. stay relaxed under pressure
   8. make bets that accomplish a goal, rather than mindless robotic bets
   9. be patient
   10.think before acting
   11. focus for long periods of time
   12. manage a bankroll
   than yes you can be a professional

5. BC

   February 19th, 2010 at 2:30 pm

   5

   Playing poker is the same as any job. You have to learn the rules and practice until you are competent enough to play successfully. Since there also is luck involved, learn to accept that part of the job. Then, all you have to do is practice, practice, practice —- and actually playing is usually the best way to become good.

6. gungaroo

   February 19th, 2010 at 9:19 pm

   6

   So how hard is it to become a professional athlete? In the case of a professional poker player all it takes is the ability to “read” another player and have a big enough payroll to keep in the game.
   I’m guessing only the top 2% – 3% of all poker players are really professionals the other 97% – 98% are the “want to be” players who supply the professionals with their bankroll.
   Before you begin you career, you might want to read a few books on the game, and then go play for a couple of hours at a live game. If it’s your calling, then go for it!
   You will also want to move the Vegas (or some other venue that has a lot of poker) so there is always plenty of action. I do know a lot of players who do well in Vegas by playing in the early morning hours playing against drunk “want to be” players.
   You might want to look for a day job until you become a professional.
   Good luck in your future career!

7. tom t

   February 20th, 2010 at 1:32 am

   7

   the one guy said none of the pros drink when they play poker
   MYTH
   look at scotty ngyuen baby.
   Anyway, I do not recommend poker as a career for anyone who has not played poker nearly long enough to be able to understand themself what it takes to be a pro poker player as required to meet requirements of a career.
   As Chris Ferguson said once in a Full Tilt chat session. I do not recommend anyone use poker as a career unless they’ve had a few years straight where they made a living salary off of it, and you could start CONSIDERING poker as a career.

8. coldrain

   February 20th, 2010 at 7:35 am

   8

   It is very difficult. Actually more difficult than a real career. You need to have one thing in order to consider poker as a career which is:
   You must LOVE poker. I mean really LOVE poker.
   If you can imagine yourself sitting at the poker table 8-10 hours a day and day after day, then you may consider to give this a try. But like everything else in this world, you better have something else to fall back on.