^^ This is a great thread. I liked it and read it when Riverman first posted it and now after it reading it again I think its one of the better threads on the whole site.

That said, playing his style is not for a novice. It can be learned, but if you're fairly new to formal live poker in a Casino I'd recomend gaining some expercine with a st8 forward ABC approach to begin.

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And to the OP. I think starting off playing $1/2 and $1/3 is a great idea. However you'll want to move up levels as fast as you can.....and I realize this means more BR to most folks.
As a practical matter you can't really make a living playing the really low stakes.....you may get by for awhile, until you get burned out.
You'll want to make the move to $2/5 and $5/10 as soon as you can. Otherwise you may get caught in the "low stakes mentality" for a long time, or forever and just find yourself on a plateau as a poker player where you can't really advance -your game or money.

Once again...best wishes OP. I'm looking forward to meeting you, first cup of coffee is on me

OP....pulling for you. IMO, you have nothing to lose. $4k is nothing if you lose it, but its something to get you going for a few weeks buy in wise. You're going to need to run fairly good, and can't run horribly bad to start, but one things for sure. You are going to have an intense experience in the live poker scene. And if the worse happens, you regroup...have a gut check....and put a realistic plan to get another roll together, and either give it another shot, or launch in a new direction.
Like others on in this post , I'm a 40 something that always had a dream/fantasy about doing what your doing, but am not willing to plunge with a wife and kids in tow.
From where I'm standing, seems the most important advice you can take about what you are going to do is to manage the mental side of the game as best you can, and ALWAYS be attentive to it. Whatever experiences you have with emotions and tilt in playing cards will just be amplified by playing more often. So be prepared mentally.

um this may not be a good idea but for the sake of vegas grinders i guess i'll wish you the best ...

Anyone else want to punch M8Ludi in the mouth? You come off like a smug 22-year-old.

There are a lot of things that can keep a person's net worth down - the economy to start. Losing a job. OP has been divorced twice. That's not cheap. He didn't mention kids. M8Ludi you probably have no idea what you cost your parents. My net worth is tied up in my kids' college educations right now. They run at least $80K a year (much financial aid, I won't lie).

OP, I wish you the best. I am 49 and if I could, I'd move out there tomorrow. But there are enough casinos near where I live that I can play whenever I want.

How different is the live game from these machines you are playing, though?

If you haven't thought about it yet, there's one thing you'll need so much more than the 21 year olds (if you don't have it already).

Health coverage.

Yes, you'll get emergency treatment in the ER, but the risk of contracting something that is NOT catastrophical yet will kill you over the course of a year or two if undetected or untreated doubles every year after 40.

I'm just saying.

Thinking of taking a tour of some casinos as I drive to Vegas. Play a bit, maybe use some comped rooms, see the country. I have so hard time frame. Between NC and LV there are plenty to choose from as I work my way west.

I'll address the other issues soon. Thanks everyone.

If your drive takes you through Dallas I'll buy you a meal. Good luck!

As also someone in their early 40's, I am looking forward to your quest.

I didn't really start playing till my late 30's, so I definitely see some of me in you. I sure wish I learned the game much earlier in life.

Just one question..do you have any kids?

Good luck!

hey old guy im 36 and i spend a lot of time in vegas myself, vegas is the best but its very important to manage your money to your best of your ability,that and all the different ways you can **** money away is most important to increasing your bank roll while improving your lifestyle,i would reccomend only playing poker and staying away from bj, im a pro sports bettor and ill say semi pro poker player, so sharing bankrolls for poker and sports+living exspenses gets very tricky,remember vegas is a great place to make money but you have to have money in your pocket! if not the town will eat you up spit you out and youll blow away in the desert wind!!

I have no kids I know of.

My net worth has certainly taken some hits over the years. I had a home that made no money for me at all. Investments? Minimal

Fortunately I don't have much debt either just a couple credit cards with reasonable balances

It takes a couple of years to learn how to live in Vegas where gambling is available 24 hours. One weak moment (spent trying to get even) at 2 in the morning and you can lose much of your bankroll.

At least your smart enough to move there in September and not the middle of May when the heat starts. The weather starts getting decent around Sept. 15.

^ THIS + Eleventy Billion..

It'd be really cool to follow and hear about this "old" guy, - polprof making his way to Vegas and doing well at the low stakes. Over the next year we'll keep getting reports thats he's now playing $5/10 and higher, and then we'll hear he got some wild hair and ran deep in a major tournament and just cashed for $800,000........and then, because he's mature, he bought a nice house, got married to some fine lady and now lives the life as a high stakes player and is just as happy as could be!

That would be nice Under. I'm certainly getting some great advice from everyone in this thread and so on. I'm planning out my poker stops on my way to Vegas. Thinking of Cherokee, Tunica, OK, Colorado then Vegas.

I can vouch for Tunica.... I love that area and have played there extensively.