or at least that will be the title two years from now.

What I need: $100,000.00
What I have: $837.40

Well, it's not as neat as that, but we can talk about that later.

Hi, I'm Justin, but everyone in the poker community knows me as DoGGz. I left college in 2005 to pursue poker professionally, but over time realized that I really want the education and opportunities that college can give me. I went back part time in 2009, but left in April due to BF. College cost money, and I didn't have enough to finish. I currently have a whopping 42 credit hours of meaningful college credit.

Over the course of the last 6 years playing poker full time, I've learned a few things about myself and what I want for my future:

1) I'm good enough at this game to make a meaningful living.
2) I like poker, but don't want to be a lifer.
3) I love college and studying interesting topics.
4) The stress of playing full time and the demands of studying for classes do not mix.

This PG&C is going to be more than just a discussion of winning or losing, but for starters lets begin there.

Late 2009-April 2011





Why do I only have $837.40?

I lost a lot of money on Black Friday. I have funds set aside to move to Mexico in January which I am not interested in risking on post Black Friday sites. It is possible that I make deposits or withdraws into this 'bankroll' when the time comes, but for now I am just playing with enough money to keep my game sharp and build myself back up.

What are my plans to make this happen?

So this is the most obvious question to anyone reading the OP, and the answer is two parts.

For starters, I'm again starting my online play from the bottom. I want to earn my confidence and swagger back. It's been 4 months since I've played online poker plus I'm still a bit sketchy on how and when I will receive cashouts from any of the current US based sites. My plan for this fall is to reintroduce myself to the online grind and get my game to a level BEYOND where I was in April.

Secondly, I'll be moving to Mexico after the holidays to begin the real MTT grind on Stars, Party etc. I have a few potential backers lined up, so I am unsure if I'll be playing under my own dime or not. Either way the goal will be to make enough money as efficiently as possible to get back to school.

and so it begins...

GL man. See ya on the felt.

good luck, all the best brutha

Best of luck, pretty sure you'll achieve this.

I'm more curious about the college than the poker. Agree school and MTTs can't mix very well.

What school/major are you trying to get into?

What did you find out about loans that you want to pay for it all up front?

Have you moved around too much to have in state tuition anywhere? I remember you saying you were trying to get it for UNLV.

When you say "meaningful" college credit is some of your credit getting too old? Some people in my CC classes were talking about having to retake stuff if you took it too long ago

gl man u staked me for abit on ftp i still have that 400 for u that i made!

School is undecided, major math/physics/comp sci. I'll be going to graduate school for sure.

Three reasons I don't want to go with loans. 1) I don't feel I'm 'done' with poker. 2) Hard to qualify for some of the assistance programs when you file taxes on a bunch of income. I haven't looked into it recently but last time I didn't qualify for anything that wasn't straight borrowing money. 3) I want to leave school able and take jobs and careers that interest me most, not just which pay the most.

Right now I could probably get in state tuition in IL. I'll think about this more when I cross that bridge. I'm more interested in getting into the right school, not just the cheapest, though I'm not willing to overpay for most undergrad degrees.

I have basically 0 useful credit from my first stint in college, and in the last 2 years I finished 42 transferable credits. I may just finish my associates at the community college I have my 42 credits in and transfer, depending on what type of 4 year institution I could transfer into 1-2 years from now.

Short term plans.

I've been mulling around with what I should do over the next month or so. The two biggest issues I am dealing with are the desire to invest as little money into my US bankroll as possible and a focus on getting better (in more ways than just technical ability).

Without to many words, I've decided to spend a week or two playing SNGs. They both allow me to play a meaningful micro/small stakes schedule and work on a weak point in my game (ICM).

Hoping for the best!

GLGL first thread i have subscribed too...

Played only short session of SNGs today because apparently there is nobody playing in the morning. Made about $50 but don't have much to add.

Things I like:

gogogo

Best of Luck with that man!

Hows your typicall working day looks like?How much hours youre playing/studying daily?How much off days you have?I guess that question more relative to times when you was grinding full schedule on stars and tilt but still interested how it compares to one you have now?

Good luck man, you'll do fine.

I have 2 questions
1) How old are you?
2) What site you playing on?

This.. MTT's take up a lot of time. Should focus on cashgame imo.
Have no idea how much time you want to spend into school & poker.

But I guarentee you that it's a lot easier to manage with cash game rather then MTT's

If cash games weren't so mind-numbingly repetitive than they might be an option. I've played and beat cash games for a lot of money in my career, but they also make me hate my life.

In actuality, playing MTTs and school 'work' fine, playing poker and school just does not mix. See the problem with poker is that it affects my mood negatively when I have to deal with a downswing. This makes staying on routine and keeping consistent with my studies difficult.

Pre-BF my schedule was basically 9am-noon school, noon-midnight poker. I took Mondays off poker to do chores and to coach. Most of my poker studying came in the form of me reviewing my horses hands and dissecting them.

Currently I'm really undecided with what I'm doing to do with a schedule. I just moved home from Vegas the first week of October, and I really haven't found the right routine yet.

I'm 25 and playing on Carbon/Lock.

But this post did make me think for a bit. What am I doing for studying(poker) now?

Monday Morning Update

We had a rash of thunderstorms this weekend that made our power intermittently go out, so I wasn't able to put in the volume that I wanted. Here's an update of SNG winnings from last week. Sharkscope isn't tracking the bounties correctly so I am using my HeM graph.

Oct 17-23

How is carbon?? I haven't played since BF and was thinking of depositing there. I am more of a cash player and I see you rather tourneys but let me know how the difficulty is and how you like the VIP system and what is your VIP status?? Thanks in advance for the info!

I have cash friends who play mid stakes who say the games are pretty rough. The MTTs are about the same as every other smaller site. I'm not 100% sure how the VIP system works.

Carbon poker VIP system:
http://www.carbonpoker.ag/vip-rewards/

I think I'm in love..

Gl Are you playing STTs?

gl man.

Would you be able to expand on this?

In particular, is it mainly because of the variance and stress associated with poker, or is it more to do with the relative lack of variety / opportunities / room for growth (after a certain point) involved in a poker "career"?

If you could theoretically get paid a stable wage (your expected hourly) to play poker, would you do it for a living?

Yea, for now.

It's mostly the lack of variety and room for growth. I have a bunch of intellectual interests that I'd like to pursue that I'll never be able to explore if I stay with poker. I think if some day in the future when I'm an old man if all I've done with my life is play poker I'll be extremely depressed.