Where to start..I'll try to make this as simple as possible for people to understand.

Quite simply I am going to be playing poker as job (with some slight stipulations)

I am a 28 year old business student in New York City but live about an hour and a half north of the city itself. I started my MBA this fall and will be graduating in May of 2018. I also happen to be an Air Force veteran and current member of the air national guard. I earned my G.I Bill and get paid to go to school. Every month I am in school I get a nice tax free pay check of $3660. Call it lucky, I call it well earned. I also am a server at a fine dining establishment where I bring in about another 400 to 450 a week for about 20 hours of work a week. So all in all I am doing decent for myself, except I cannot stand my job at all. For anyone that has been in the serving industry knows that eventually you hit that point where you feel like you will snap on the next customer to ask for a spoon. 8 years of serving does that to a man. So i have decided to quit my part time job as of January 1, 2017 (got to work new years to make that last bit of $$$$)

We all have thought about it, playing professional poker. Ever since we were wee young lads watching moneymaker win the main event way back when. Side note, played with him in Tunica a bunch of times, dude is super nice but sucks at tournaments and omaha cash games.

Now this is not a 100 percent I quit my job and my only source of income is poker I get that. But what this is for me is me finally doing what I want to do. I spent years going to school, working, serving in the military. Wouldn't trade it for anything in the world but I am ready for a change. I've decided to play close to full time to supplement my G.I Bill paycheck and to see if I can do it.

Quick background, been playing poker since I was 4, yeah no joke grandma taught me 7 card stud at a young age and I loved it. Its actually my favorite game. But started playing hold em the same time as everyone. Had a lot of success on Full Tilt in MTT back in the day and then of course black friday. I lived in europe for two years and played cash to have fun here and there. Fast forward to 2012 when I moved back home to New York. Found a poker club that hosts a game every night of the week. It offers anywhere from 1/2 NL, 2/5 NL, 5/5 NL, 10-20 OMAHA, 15-30 OMAHA. There is a couple decent players but mainly guys that want to gamble and have the money to do it. I would play from time to time but school and work always took priority over playing ( got to have your priorities straight kids).

I am now in a comfortable place financially for the first time in a long time.
No student loans
No credit card debt
$515 a month truck payment (I love her don't judge me)
$300 a month rent ( I rent my mom's garage apartment, she cooks me dinner on sundays I know your jealous)
$100 a month cell phone
Total Bills $915.00

When it breaks down I am lucky to be in a good spot. So no feels as right as ever to give it a shot.

I am going to be starting this adventure with a $5000.00 bankroll.
Though I said my local club has games every night, they only have 1/2NL once a week. I usually play 2/5 when Im there but that is not smart at all with $5000 roll. I know even for 1/2 its not that smart but thats where it is.
I scheduled my spring semester classes for mondays and tuesdays with one online class. This gives me the ability to go to foxwoods casino for a couple days a week. Now I won't be able to make it there every week due to life getting in the way but I will be a frequent visitor there along with the club games locally.

Goals for 2017
Play 80 hours a month
Average $25.00 an hour during this time = $2000.00 a month
Have a lot of fun doing what I've dreamed about doing since I was 13

I try to add some humor to this because well life is too short and we all need to laugh and enjoy life every now and then. I will try to give updates every session and keep you all well informed. Please feel free to give constructive advice/criticism.

I will be taking a stab at some of the fox wood mega stack tournaments next week for ****s and giggles because I love me a live tournament so ill be sure to keep you all updated. Thanks a lot everyone and I hope I can keep you entertained and make this dream a reality !

Gl man

Btw with the poker club you play in is it in mid-town/manhatten new york and do you play in any places that are around mid-town/manhatten?

Thanks man i appreciate it. Its not, its about 80 miles north of manhattan. But i actually was told about a club in midtown but haven't checked it out yet. Yourself?

So your goal for 2017 is to play 960 hours and build your roll to 29k. Very nice goal. I hope you can make it and look forward to reading more.

Yes indeed thank you. I think it is both realistic and attainable given my experience and situation. Will definitely be updating regularly. Thanks again

Well had my first session since my start. Had night class in NYC and wasn't able to get to my local club until 11pm. 1/2 NL, bought in for $400 after seeing a couple players sitting between $800-1000. Really weak table, like tremendously weak. Unfortunately I was beyond card dead. Dwindled down to around $280 with no worthy pots to speak of when this hand came in.

7 handed
UTG $175
2off UTG $225
ME Button $280

UTG raises to $8 pre with 2off UTG calling and myself with K10

FLOP: 108A
UTG bets $10, 2off raises to $20
UTG is a solid player, been really quiet all game. 2off is a complete fish.
With middle pair and the nut flush draw I went to $65 from the button. UTG goes all in for roughly $110. 2off folds.
I know I am against a set and call out the set of 8s to him. I pretty much insta call with middle pair and the nut draw. River brings a nice 4for the scoop. Only really eventful hand which put me at $460 at cash out. Game was quiet and broke at 1:30am so only 2.5 hours of gameplay.

Session : $60 profit
Hourly: $24
Bankroll start: $5000
Bankroll to date:$5060

Gotcha.

Not old enuf to play in NJ/PA only 19/20 yrs old, played in a few places in mid-town but yeah if you know any clubs lmk.


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W/KTd i'd prolly just call really see no reason in 3-bet raising here the guy who min-raised is prolly super value heavy just call you have a perfectly fine hand to flat with and you aren't getting anything to fold w/a 3-bet maybe some few hands you'll end up running into the top of villain's ranges more often and they prolly wo't fold in addition you have a lot of bluff's here

Yeah i agree with you. Before I realized he had the set I thought the initial raiser had a A medium, and the min raiser with a possible draw. When I got 4 bet I realized i was going up against a set. But the min raiser after the hand admitted to a gut shot straight draw and diamond draw as well. So was right on that read.

Thanks man Ill let you know!

Bro do yourself a favor and cut that goal of xx per hour.
It just handcuffs you so much and you cant help but get frustrated when you dont get it, or get a false sense of beating the game and complacence when you do.

I do like the hours per week however.
Consider these goals
1. xxx # of hours a month
2. xxx hours of studying month (videos, forum, training site, ect.)
3. The better "profit" goal is the goal to move at at certain BR, but don't make it time sensitive!!!
4. MAKE THINGS THAT ARN'T POKER RELATED IMPORTANT!!!

GOOD LUCK SIR keep us updated