Hey guise,
I'm in my late 20's, & UC Berkeley alum living LA. Currently successfully grinding 200nl online for a living - 2nd attempt tho! I'm about 5 months in with hopes of reaching 1kNL by the 12 month mark. Here's the rub:
I found poker in early 2013 when a buddy took me to Commerce. I've always excelled at math and loved the concept of gambling w/ a perceived edge (sports betting was my 1st love). I was immediately addicted, even telling my girlfriend (at the time) the next day that I was going to pursue poker seriously and do whatever it took to go pro. It's an odd thing to explain, but as far as finding my passion, that first night at Commerce was my "it" moment. I knew poker was my passion and I just ran with it at full-speed.. hell I'm still running
For the first year, I mostly played on Carbon and Bovada. After getting my ass whoooooped at 50nl, where I first started, I moved down to 10nl but eventually did grind my way up to 100nl by Spring 2014. But things were looking bad at work (medical device sales) and the managers coming down hard on me. I felt like I was about to get fired any moment. I decided to say **** it and took a plunge by quitting to try grinding for a living. Things didn't pan out as planned in my relatively new stake, & come August I was just barely above break-even and financially I was forced to look for a new job in Fall 2014.
Next thing I know it's the end of 2015 and things were going atrociously at what was now my second sales job since I re-entered the labor force. However, by this time I had made it to 200nl grinding online on the side (Bovada). I had about 300k hands lifetime to my name and a win-rate of about 4 bb/100. Things only continued to get worse at work and come Spring I quit YET AGAIN to give this crazy poker for-a-living **** another shot.
Here are my results since:
Since quitting, my play has actually improved tremendously. While I studied a **** ton my first year, mostly reading a lot of books, I basically hadn't since 2014 and had spent all of my poker time playing. But since quitting I started incorporating studying by watching videos online and have been very fortunate to have made two new poker buddies that also play for a living (200NL & 400NL), with whom I discuss & review hands & with on a daily basis. Since I live LA, I do play live time to time and have done very well there - averaging $50/hr at $5/$5. I live on my own and it is LA so as far as bills go, I'm definitely not playing around. This is make or break.
I'm about 5 months in and my goals for the next 7 months are the following:
[ ] move up to 1kNL by beating 400nl & 600nl for 5+ bb/100
[ ] play more tourneys, I rarely play tourneys & definitely want to incorporate them into my game
[ ] continue to maintain healthier lifestyle, continue to average 3-4 days gym/week
Bonus Goal
[ ] play in 2017 Main Event
As far as goal for this thread, it's mainly to branch out my poker network because I see the tremendous value in having other poker folks to talk for mutual motivation and encouragement, and strategy discussion & other perspectives! I plan on posting regular updates, and hands that I found to be tough spots or even good spots I want to share.
GL to you all and Lets ****ing Go!
Last edited by RightAboveIt; 10-25-2016 at 09:05 AM.