Congrats lolamused and best of luck in your endeavor. I admire you for chasing your dreams...I'll be following closely. You gonna play in LA at all?

Stumbled across this thread yesterday whilst reading random 2+2 threads on my commute into work. You sir have a talent for writing and setting the scene.

I encourage you to write a book or a script on your transition.

Are you a free man now?

Thank you all for the continued words of kindness and motivation. B&E--very inspiring post. Hope I can get close to replicating such success at life. It is my hope to become profitable enough at poker that I can support a family with it. Henry_Sugar--I'll be in LA for the WSOPc stop at the Bike. I don't know if I'll play cash there regularly unless I make a move.

I just wrote up a post that is more suited for people who don't play poker, but still want to follow me, on a separate blog. Let me know what y'all think.

---

I'm sitting on the couch next to my dad as I write this post, both of us undoubtedly feeling lethargic after having eaten a delicious, home-cooked Filipino meal. My mom is talking to my godmother while they clear the dining table. I have an episode of the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event running in the background. The words "I hate tournament poker" play through my headphones, said by local poker player Tommy Chen as he gets knocked out after a deep run. A chuckle escapes me and my dad looks over to see that I'm watching an episode he's already seen.

Three days ago was my last day working as a finance professional in one of the world's top brokerage firms. I had taken plenty of tests and was enrolled in a two-year program that would get me ready for a position in management, while already holding a well-paying position working for a most relaxed financial advisor. I decided to leave my comfortable job for one that would be more stressful, more risk-filled, but one that would be so much more rewarding for me if I am successful. I needed to chase my dream. I didn't want to be left guessing "what if?".

My co-workers threw me a going-away party and it was a most heartwarming experience. The decorations were a little embarrassing, as WSOP logos and portraits of me taken from Facebook were plastered on the walls, but it made for a good laugh. So many people wished me luck on my new journey as a full-time poker player after we ate barbecue and cake. It was overwhelming and surprising how well-received my career change was taken considering "gambling" can be seen in such a negative light. Poker has come a long way since 2003 and we have the television and ESPN to thank for that. With large events such as the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour, poker can be seen more as a competition of skill, endurance, and luck, rather than just one based solely on luck.

It would be the next day that I jumped right into a local tournament hosted by the up-and-coming 2Pair Magazine. Sadly, I didn't have anything to show after buying in twice. While I didn't make any profits, it was a great experience to be able to sit down with other local professionals and talk to them about their careers. The two losses brought my 2014 statistics to 0 cashes in 8 tournaments. Those numbers aren't at all impressive, but it is actually pretty standard. There are going to be times where I am going to feel like things aren't going my way, that I can't win even though I am making all the right decisions and this is something I have to accept as a professional poker player. How I handle these moments of losing is what will separate me from the average player.

That being said, I have my chin up as tomorrow I fly out to Vegas to participate in my first full World Series of Poker Circuit stop. Small brag here, but I was able to book the trip using my Southwest points and hotel comps, bringing my total charges to a whopping $100. Not to mention I picked up a roommate for the first few days and he's willing to buy me dinner and drinks. I am truly excited to embark on this journey, to live my dream and to aim big. Right now the video running in the background is introducing the "bracelet moments" segment and I hope that one day, my moment can be highlighted on ESPN.

Thank you, mom and dad, for always supporting me.

(and yes, I'm FREEEEE!!!!)

You sound really happy.

Best of luck at the circuit event.

Oh thought you were flying in later, I'll def say what's up at least before I leave!

Enjoy the journey dude! I'm a fan

Sorry I missed ya at 2pair ME. Didn't see this post before and it was slightly crowded during the tournament. Barely enough time to navigate towards the bathroom during each break. Best of luck during the Vegas circuit series. I'll probably be looking for you during the wpt rolling thunder stop.

Let us know when you're in LA. GL bro.

Hey y'all. Just a reminder that I have a TR going in LVL. Saving longer, more serious posts for this thread.

link?

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh....php?t=1416212

Man, awesome read thus far. I stumpled upon it reading your TR. I noticed earlier in the thread you said tagalog(sp?) so figured out you were Filipino, but saw the last post of the home made meall (i love some pancit lol).

Best of luck in the pursuit of happiness, its awesome that you are doing that, and that your parents are supportive. I dated a Filipino girl for years when i was younger and her parents disliked me already because i was white, apparently they were really old school. Then once he heard of my poker escapades approved of me less.

Subscribed, and I do thoroughly enjoy your TR's lol. Chase that dream and grab it, many of us out here wish we could do the same, has been an awesome blog to follow so far

Just wanted to add another ty for starting some entertaining and informative threads. I'll be in LV during the first week of wsop and would like to say hi.

How about changing your title to "professional life"?

Or maybe "amusedlol's transition to the professional life".

Taken from my friends and family blog, so some of this might be repeats from before.

My dad and I are standing in the driveway of the house in which I grew up. I just told him about half an hour ago that I wanted to quit my job and pursue a career as a professional poker player. Needless to say, there was a lot of awkward silence and a few questions asked here and there. I can tell that my dad's head was churning with thoughts, but the continued silence is killing me. It's in the middle of December and the night is cold, but it doesn't affect me--I just need my dad to say something.

"I could tell that you would be into gambling ever since you were young. You always loved to play those carnival games and you never wanted to stop until you won."

But poker's not gambling, I think to myself... why doesn't he have faith in me?

-----

Wednesday night, 02/19/2014

"I'll take a rum and coke." I say as I juggle the two red dice slightly in between my fingers before tossing them across the table. "Actually, make that a mojito!" I yell to the Aria waitress as she walks away. This particular round at the craps table has been absolutely terrible. Between the four of us, we haven't been able to win. On top of that, the girls that Matt met are getting a little restless and want to play blackjack instead. I take a deep breath as the dice are returned to me and I do the little juggle that has become my own little ritual when attempting to make money at this game. All I have to do is roll a 5 and we win--easier said than done, though. I toss the dice again and there isn't even a little bit of a tease as the stick man yells "7 out!" delivering a blow to the entire table. With a little bit of a scowl I pick up the remainder of my chips and wait for the waitress to come back and deliver our drinks.

I am fuming as I stand there with my hands in the pockets of my hooded sweatshirt, wondering how I could let myself be seduced by the casino pits and the chances they offer. If I am to be successful at my new career, I'm going to need discipline--especially in this grown-up playground of flashing lights, loud music, abundant alcohol, and short skirts. It will be impossible for me to stay afloat in this town if I continue to be swayed by the dark side. The waitress returns with our drinks and in exchange for the minty beverage, I give her a blue, one-dollar chip as a tip. As I sip on my mojito, I wonder how she copes with living in Vegas and how she stays away from all of the distractions. Maybe games of chance don't interest her at all or perhaps her discipline is just better than mine? Maybe she has the same problems I do, but one would never tell with the way she smiles as she passes by and asks "cocktails?"

I am walking to the bar to join my friends when it suddenly hits me--those words that my dad spoke to me while we stood in the cold of the Christmas night. My immediate response that night was to tell him not to worry. Yet here I am, my pockets a little lighter and all I have to show for it is the consolation prize of a tropical drink in my hand. The thought of lost money does not sting as much as the fact that I could not exercise self-control. The discipline one needs to be a professional poker player is just as important (if not more important) as the number crunching and psychology behind the game. Once I lose the discipline, that is when I will start the descent into darkness. That is what my dad was telling me, albeit in a little bit of a cryptic message. Now I understand that he wasn't talking about poker, but that he was referring to the other distractions that could ruin me.

When I join the others at the bar, Matt's friend Luke proposes a toast and I close in with the others, raising our glasses. "This is just the beginning!" he exclaims in reference to their Vegas vacations. We all clink our glasses together before taking the obligatory sip. The sweet concoction tastes much better this time and I feel myself more relaxed. Luke doesn't know it, but his words have so much meaning to me as I am just starting this journey of mine. There's still much more out there for me to experience and so much more for me to learn about myself.

-----

Miscellaneous Notes on the Vegas Trip


- So far, this first week in Vegas has felt like a vacation. It's not only the atmosphere, but also my personality as I constantly feel like I need to be enjoying myself in this town that is a 24/7 non-stop party. No matter where I seem to be in Vegas, I feel like I'm missing out on something more fun elsewhere. Some friends were visiting as well and we did our fair share of staying out late at night, but that has since been replaced with playing even more cards and turning in early to make sure my mind's fresh for tournament restarts.

- I've been keeping the costs extremely low this trip--something I'm proud of. About 90% of my meals are either comped, or paid for by generous friends. (congratulatory or as return payment for usage of the extra bed in my rooms). I think I spent 10 bucks at Raising Cane's for some chicken fingers and 20 bucks at Grand Lux (Cheesecake Factory) for dinner. And the latter was because I didn't know Venetian's comp system was to get food tickets from the service desks instead of using the cards directly. Whenever I get a chance I make use of Caesar's properties' Diamond Lounge, where they offer hors d'oeuvres and drinks for free. Many of you know I love fine dining, so it's been hard staying away from all of the good food here. So far I've indulged in one late night snack at Fix in Bellagio and a sushi snack at Blue Ribbon in Cosmo. Luckily the latter was comped, but I have to trade in these fancy meals for stuff like Chipotle and Subway!

- How's poker you ask? It's great! I've played a total of six tournaments during this trip and I've cashed in two of them, which is good, but honestly that's just a small sample size. Remember I've only been a professional for a little over a week! It does feel amazing to break my cold streak of going 0-for-12 in 2014. The players here at the tournaments and cash games are on a whole other level--you know they mean business. I've even gotten to play with a few big names!

- I have another six days here. So far I've stayed at the Flamingo for 5 nights, the Cosmopolitan for 2 nights, and the Monte Carlo for 1 night. The room at the Cosmopolitan is amazing! We lucked out by getting a room at the end that didn't have a neighbor, so the room was larger than usual. We could have fit 3 cots in there if we wanted to. Going from the Cosmo to the Monte Carlo was a disappointment, but necessary to make maximum usage of my free nights. After Monte Carlo, I pack my bags and move back to the Flamingo for another 5 nights. The main event at Caesar's is in a couple of days--wish me luck!

amused,

Love you man, but you need to get the **** out of the pits or this is going to be a short blog. You talk about it enough - DO IT.

Do it. Stop the pit bro.

Dear fans,

Where to begin...

It has been a raucous start to my first month as a demi-professional poker player! Sorry for the delay in updating, but I went on a Super Castlevania IV binge yesterday. Followed by a 12 hr power sesh of Star Fox 64. Nothing breaks me out of a first hour bustout tilt-mood faster than doing a barrel roll. Or power betting Black 35 in the amount of my recently depleted bankroll. Trying to cut back on that though. I'm demi-professional now, remember!

I brought the N64 primarily for picking up women. Nothing drops panties like a Battle Royale on Super Smash Bros. So far I'm batting .500 with that approach. One of my wins was a solo vs Katana, but hey, let's not nitpick. The dip'n sniff did permit, so I could not acquit.

I really appreciate everyone's support in this thread and in LVL. I'm having a really good time getting my dick punched daily in tournaments. I'm fine though, there is still so much dead money at 5/10 it's not even funny. Last night I sat on the wait list for 5 hrs to get a seat, but it's mostly my fault. I lost my spot in line after 2hrs to go eat $200 lobster tacos at FIX. It worked out ok though, because the rungoot gods love lobster tacos and they love me. After sitting down this was my first hand:


Pre-Flop: 2c 6c dealt to Hero (MP)
UTG raises to $21, Hero calls $21, 4 folds.

This is a pretty standard play for me. I make the isolation call with the suited connector. If I'm unsuited, it goes without saying that this is a fold. I like to float preflop in this spot, UTG vs MP, because you can really narrow the range of the PFR and put them on hands easily. And floating with little cards is smart because they always put you on big cards.

Flop: ($51) 3d Qs Ks (2 Players)
UTG bets $45, Hero calls $45.

That's not a good flop for our villain. After he bets out huge, which is a clear sign of weakness, I can't really put him on anything that connects hard with that flop. I put him on something like JT and in my eyes this is a perfect scenario for something I like to call the Mississippi Bluff.

The Mississippi Bluff is a complex play for advanced players. Only a few of us--like TNCJ, mattmoore, mrwong and myself--read hands well enough to pull it off with a high success rate but it is extremely profitable. The bluff itself is simple. You call any flop and turn bets, push any river. Recognizing the spots to use the bluff...well, that's an art form.

Turn: ($141) 3c (2 Players)
UTG bets $120, Hero calls $120.

This turn is a complete brick. The chances of him raising UTG and holding a 3 are negligible. But, that's the perfect card for me. I should be able to fold out most of his range by repping a set of 3's on the end.

River: ($381) 6h (2 Players)
UTG bets $350, Hero raises to $357.15 (all-in)...

Well, Villain has really put our complex bluff to the test with an awkward river bet size. To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure how much fold equity I really have here. However, I do have some showdown equity vs his range.

The mark of a strong player is to stick to the plan no matter what: Successful poker is all about persistence in the face of adversity. So, with that in mind, I aggressively make the push...

...after which, villain says a lot of nasty words. I thought that Kid Sickness had more class that than, but oh well. He actually tanks for quite a long time. He then mentions how this is going to delay his blog update for another 4 months. Now I'm thinking he might have a strong hand like AK and can't see how he is good here. After a few more expletives, he does make the call, shows Js Ts and my hand is good.

Poker at the elite level is about 75% bluffing, 25% odds. If you maintain this balance, you will be playing the nosebleed stakes before you know it. I tell my students all the time, balance is like a gymnast that tries out for the baseball team, it's a different field but you're still a gymnast.

Stay thirsty my greyhound friends. Dreams come true, I'm living proof.

fold pre

So, where to next?

Going home and staying there a few days. I decided to play the 2k at Bay101 WPT. It will allow me to catch up on stuff like taxes and health care and whatnot. Then down to LA at the beginning of next week.

From the friends and family blog:

I’m already standing up from my seat as I know I’m on the verge of getting knocked out of my final tournament this trip. It’s become kind of a ceremony–when I’m about to lose I push out from under the table and pull my backpack on. When the dealer determines my untimely fate with an unwanted river card, I pull out my phone and share the bad news with friends and followers. But this time it’s different. Instead of lurking around with an aura of despair, I quickly hightail it over to other part of the poker room where my Vegas roommate is on the final table of the circuit stop’s main event. I spot the small audience that has formed on the rail right by the final table and I scoot right up to see that my buddy has a nice mountain of chips in front of him. When he looks over I raise my fist and clench it as a sign of my support.

—–

My first two weeks as a professional poker player are in the books. I’ve learned a lot–and not just what it’s like to travel the circuit playing tournaments, but also about myself and the trials I will have to overcome if I want to succeed. My first week in Vegas saw me facing many temptations that would have ultimately led to my demise had I not removed them completely from my life. When I touched down in Las Vegas I was still in that state of mind where I felt like I needed to celebrate my career change and my new-found freedom. Fortunately, by way of internet followers and friends alike, I had some sense knocked into me and I was able to turn the expensive lifestyle off before I found myself unable to buy in to the rest of the tournaments for the trip.

Exercising discipline proved to be rewarding as it tends to in the poker world. I played a total of nine tournaments in two weeks and I ended up getting in the money for four of them, including one final table after I finally got my act together. While this represents a relatively small sample size and is not sustainable in the long run, I am pretty happy about the results and more importantly about the way I played. One thing I learned about the tournament player’s culture, though, is while we strive for our own successes, we are just as happy for our friends’ successes.

I was fortunate enough to have a roommate for the last two weeks as I hopped from hotel to hotel, living out of my suitcase. He kept me grounded while also encouraging me to enjoy myself while in Vegas. More importantly, he provided his own experience and wisdom as he’s been playing tournaments much longer than I have. So I was more than happy to give my support as he made the final table of the circuit stop’s main event. I even brought my laptop to the poker room so I could write this post! He ended up finishing in 5th place and took down his biggest score to date. Even though he didn’t win the entire tournament, I could tell he was very happy about the way he played and how far he got.

Overall, I would have to say that my first trip was a huge success. I didn’t make an amazing amount of money, but I gained so much more in terms of knowledge and experience. Usually whenever I leave Las Vegas, it’s always with a bit of hesitation and a melancholic feeling. This time I’m anxious to start my next journey. On to LA!

What's your week by week plan? Play cash in the bay and then any good tournies that come up?

Pretty much. I'm also willing to travel for circuit stops. Considering Black Hawk and New Orleans in the future. Right now I'm in the bay for a few days. Gonna play the 2k on Sunday. If bust it's down to LA