Background:
I'll be 22 in 3 weeks and am currently a full time software engineering student in the US. I started playing at 17 and played recreationally until I turned 21 when I started to take it seriously. I'm currently a live 2/5 reg and occasionally take a shot at 5/10 when games are good. I also play online, mostly just for volume, but ill 4 table 100NL - 200NL on ignition. Finally, 95% of my experience and study has been on cash games.

Why I want go full time on Poker:
Poker has given me a lot in the past year. I've been able to almost completely stop taking out student loans, it's allowed me to take a lot of financial burden off my parents, and I've been able to invest and be set up well for the future. But most importantly, the prospect of working a 9-5 for my entire life is incredibly depressing and not something I want any part of. I've dreamed of doing this for a couple years, but had a longtime girlfriend and it would have been irresponsible for me to take this shot with someone partially financially dependent on me.

My Plan:

• I am going to drop down to minimum full time credit hours for this semester(12 credit hours and I still plan on graduating) which will be a very minimal time commitment as 3/4 of my classes are online

• Get on a regimented poker routine between play and study (8 hours a day minimum)

• Start to study tournament play. While cash games are great, the glory and big scores are in MTT's. (I will still play 80% cash and continue to move up stakes but take shots in tournaments)

• Travel more, take regular trips to Vegas or WSOP circut stops

• Move to Vegas after I graduate in a year

Goals:
I want to make a name for myself in the game and I want freedom from an average and normal life. I could have easily become complacent with the success I've had, but all its done has made me hungrier for more. I know I have the work ethic for this and I feel if I don't take this shot ill regret it for the rest of my life.

Suggestions:
Any pros reading this, please give me any tips you have learned along your journey or wish you would have known at the start. I plan on doing this 100% by the book and giving myself the best chance at success. Thanks

Good luck with your plan! If you managed to get from recreational untill 21 to 2/5 reg and NL100 online by 22, you’re on your way to succes!
I’m also trying to get to NL100 in a year, having been a bad recreational myself for the past 5 years or so. It’s motivating for me to see that other guys my age have done it before. Though I can’t give you any advice, I can ask a question What’s your studying habits? Or your studying plan?
Keep crushing!


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Thank you! I've been a member of Upswing since I turned 21 and regularly review their material for the manyith time. But also I am quite obsessive when it comes to poker. I regularly consume vast amounts of material from forums, YouTube videos, high rollers, or any material on players I admire. And I do my best to reflect on what I've learned and apply it to my own game.

I'm in gl

Upswing doesn’t have been pretty killed videos lately. I was sad to see jnandez pull apart from the site, I get like he added a good bit to the site and saw things from a different angle.

Subbed! Good luck!

Good luck dude. I like your plan. Sounds like you've put in a ton of work and volume with good results. Plus you're young and have no dependents so the opportunity to play is there.

You might want to consider doing freelance software work, on http://www.upork.com or somewhere. Or have some other side hustle related to the software field. That way your skills stay sharp and your income is diversified at least a little. Also that could give you something productive to do if you get burnt out grinding and need a little break.

This is my plan. One of the primary reasons I chose to major in software engineering is the freedom the job gives you to work freelance or remotely. It works out quite well with the poker life.

Cool. I'm a self-employed professional and am actually in the process of scaling down that work so I can play more poker. Also created some content I sell online that brings in about $1,500/month royalties. Really nice to have the mailbox money coming in. Wish I would've started creating content sooner. I guess I'm saying what you already know - royalties are cool, and if you have any ideas, execute on them. Would be a nice hedge against potential downsiwngs.

Saw you're an Upswing member. How does their content apply to live 2/5? I'm guessing Polk and Fee teache GTO type content, but are adjustments based on game conditions part of the content too?

In for this. Good luck, mate.

I really enjoy Upswing. It starts off pretty basic but really helped me refine my thought process. You're right, its a lot of GTO content. But there are entire modules dedicated to specific aspects of the game like playing a flop multiple ways for example. That module specifically helped me transition to live play from online.

Updates?