Hey guys how's it going? My name is Sean and I'm 23. On the 15th of September I am moving from NY to Tampa Florida to play for a living for at least 6 months. My background is mostly online husngs but have played plenty live and feel like whenever i sit down at 2/5 I have a significant edge. My bankroll going down there will be right around 10k with first month of rent already paid for. I know 10k is not enough for a 2/5 roll so I will be playing 1/2 at first while still grinding husngs online on bodog. My question to you guys is at what point can I move up to 2/5, and is 10k enough to play 1/2 and still handle 550 a month apartment and living expenses. Thanks a lot for your time and gl to all.

Do not play 1/2 in florida if you can avoid it. They have either a $6 or $7 rake which is kinda hard to beat for more than $10/hr.

10k is more than enough to play 2/5. Especially with 1 month paid for.

Just go light on other expenses besides the apartment. I mean, you can get away with $100/month on food and be fine..

When I was grinding 1/2 trying to get to 2/5, I beat 1/2 for $18/hr over like 700 hours. Not the worlds biggest sample, but fairly big.

In florida, with $5 rake +2 for bbj

I'm going to also say if you want to take a shot, don't play 1/2, just skip it if you have 10k and get right into 2/5. Its not much different play wise (in Florida in particular) and if you can win at 1/2 you should be fine.

Your going to find it a lot tougher than you think. The proper way to take a shot like this would be to have bills and expenses paid for during the time you expect to be doing this (and not count towards your BR). Your rent is not a lot, and you should be able to manage to keep other expenses down.

There are tons of other topics on this same subject, you are no where near the first one to do this. Read those threads, they will give you all the help you need. Most replys will be people telling you how hard it is and how its not going to work out. They are mostly going to be right.

20 bi's is an acceptable roll. Just run good, and set a 2 bi stop loss. Gl bro

10k is plently at 1-2nl since its super soft. I'd stick with 1-2 until u hit 20k min (yes it's a grind I know but totally doable). And $15-$20/hr is reasonable even with the rake where I play as long as u don't try to LAG it up. I play at the Hard Rock in Tampa occasionally but mostly play 45mins south in Sarasota. The Rock's 2-5 game is pretty fishy and short stacks get no respect. But that's probably true anywhere... GL and PM me if your in the area.

$10k is not nearly enough to play $2/$5 considering it's your entire net worth. If you had like $10k backup living expenses then maybe it'd be ok, but I don't like the thought of you sitting at 2/5 with $10k to your name and monthly bills looming.

I think you should start at 1/2 but be ready to take small shots at 2/5. I think once you win $2000 at $1/$2 then you should sit at $2/$5 and plan to keep playing $2/$5 unless you lose back $1000 at which case you would drop back to $1/$2 until you win another $2000. This way you're constantly keeping on pace with the rent and still taking some shots at $2/$5 but not risking losing too much at it.

I will say that I don't like your idea of playing as a pro on a $10k roll to begin with though. I think you should have at least $30k if you're gonna try it since there will always be rough patches and having the rent to pay can do rough things to the mind at the poker table.

Good luck if you do decide to go for it.

So far I like this approach the best. I've never made a living playing and don't plan to, but good luck to you man.

Thanks for all the replies. I agree with allinnow and will try and get up to 13-15k then shot take at 2/5. I have always beaten this stake but have done so while living at home and burning cash so its just different cause I will be on my own.

If anyone here plays at Tampa Hard Rock please PM me I will be there every day basically.

Good luck man.

tyvm, I think it will go well just wanna get started have to wait till the 15th though, grinding online in the meantime.

Sick brag bro. I'm right behind you, nipping at your heels! I'm not a super experienced online grinder. I've dabbled a bit and been crushing the local, rake-free 1-2 and some 2-5. What do the pros think about having multiple months (or a full year+) worth of expenses set aside before taking a shot?

I personally think it's essential. You never know when a 3-4 month breakeven stretch is gonna hit you. You don't want that to cause you to drop a huge % of your bankroll. I suggest having at least 6mos and preferably a year of expenses safe and separate from your bankroll.

Lots a sound, good advice in the thread. My suggestion is to ignore it.

You're 23. If you go busto, what happens? You go back to live with your parents for a while, get a job and go on with your life with a great life experience of playing poker for a living. That's the down side.

On the up side, you crush the 2/5 game, move to CA, and crush the 5/10, making a great living doing something that 99.999% of the rest of your friends wish they could do. Just go do it.

Can't believe I just read that from Venice.

My only advice is to separate your money for every day living and your BR.

Also if you have a year's worth of expenses just sitting around, you're doing it wrong. Need to invest a good portion of that.

Yes, I didn't mean that you should leave it under your bed.

Isn't the standard advice to have 6 months living expenses saved up before attempting to go pro?

live in your car like mike wolf .

The time to have adventures in your life is when you are young. The reality is that the vast majority of people who try to make a life time career at poker fail. Of those that actually can beat the game, the life becomes draining for most and they quit. Does it really matter if you improved the odds of success from 1% to 2% because of perfect bankroll management?

Now if the OP had a successful career, a wife, two kids and was making a 6 figure salary, quitting his job to try playing 2/5 underrolled while supporting his family would be a bad idea. But he's 23, no job and no commitments.

This is quite possibly the smartest thing I have read on these boards in months.

DO NOT WASTE YOUR YOUTH!!!!!!

Shot taking is for 23 yr old guys who can fall flat on their face and hurt no one.

What likely happens? You go up, you go down. You may decide to stick with it for a few years.

What might happen? You may find yourself sitting taking shots at 5/10 in 6 months, and full time in 9.

I think the later is a lot more likely than complete busto!!!

Ret

I almost fell out of my chair when I read that OP needs "$550 a month" for his rent and living expenses. What in the name of God goes on in other areas of the country? I couldn't get a rock in the middle of the woods to live on with wild berries for lunch and skipping stones for entertainment for $550 month here

I understand the reasoning, just didn't expect it coming from you Venice. I figured you'd be the voice of reason discouraging everyone against it. I guess we just haven't seen anyone this young asking about it before.

550 is super low, I'm spending more than that in China. Not sure what you'll be able to get with that anywhere in the US.

Thanks for all the responses guys. Yeah it's $550 but I have a couple roomates if I didnt mention. Still I feel like I will be able to do well down there, especially if nothing happens to Bodog