Quote:
Originally Posted by shoejoe
A few years ago, I dropped out of college to play poker full time. I did well for a while but after some time the whole grind became extremely unsatisfying and boring.
Poker is a fun hobby and if you are really good, could be your way of making a living. HOWEVER, I don't think it is wise for it to be anyone's 'career' or 'life's work'.
Poker is inherently selfish and is not fulfilling. It gives absolutely nothing to society and does nothing to make the world a better place. It actually is a drain on society where people who produce nothing end up spending the money that once belonged to people who produced goods and services for others.
As I said I see nothing wrong with poker as a hobby, but unless you are a sociopath, you will eventually find that you need something else in your life to give it meaning. This is the exact reason that Daniel Negreanu is now exploring charitable endeavors and leadership programs.
If you are thinking about dropping out of school to play poker online for a living because you think it is easier than school, you have a surprise coming to you. Sitting on the computer playing focused for hours on end, day after day, is not easy once the fun goes out of the game, which it surely will at some point.
Cliffs at bottom.
I've had a different experience. I'm 39 and I've been a live pro for six years. After college in '95, I went to graduate school to become a teacher. I thought that making a difference in the lives of students would give meaning to my own life. I taught history for six years, and I resigned from it before I even knew the first thing about poker. I had no idea what I was going to do after I quit, all i knew was, teaching wasn't for me. In fact, the day i resigned still ranks as one of the happiest days of my life.
After a nine month hiatus of traveling and loafing around, I ended up taking a position with the New Jersey State Dept. of Education. It was a cushy job with zero stress, earning me slightly more money than I made teaching. I thought I was in heaven. Then one night, at a friends house, I was introduced to poker, at the ripe old age of 31. I was immediately intrigued, and I began playing small tournaments with friends once or twice a week. After a couple months, a buddy and I drove to Atlantic City, and I sat in a $1-2 game at Borgata. A few hours later, I was sitting on $2000, but the only hand I can remember from that night was when I had top two pair vs the other big stack, and we got it all in on the turn. He apparently had the nut flush and I binked my 4-outer on the river. I wisely cashed out soon after, and the rest is history.
After a year of playing with friends and taking trips to A.C., I came to the realization that I was better than my friends, and poker had become a profitable hobby. When I got fired from my job at the state, I collected unemployment and spent most of my time in A.C., playing 1-2 at the Tropicana. After a streak of several wins, I hopped into a $2/5 game and found that the competition was only slightly tougher than $1/2. Within six months, I was grinding $2/5, earning close to $25/hr my first year.
Fast forward five years, and while I'm still playing mostly $2/5, with some $10/10 on occasion, my winrate has more than doubled, and I've also found success playing live tournaments. I met a girl when I was just learning to play back in '05, and we now have a young son, and we're looking to have a second child. I'm able to spend more time with my son in one day than most fathers spend with their kids in a week. I play about 100 hrs per month, mostly at night after my son goes to bed. I can't think of any job that would allow me to choose my own hours, come and go as I please, and spend this much time with my family.
You say poker is inherently selfish and unfulfilling, but I don't feel that way at all. My life is more fulfilling than ever, and it's because of poker. My son has a dad who's around all afternoon and evening, every day, yet still manages to make a decent living. And more importantly, my son has a dad who's happy, not stressed out from his job like my own father was for my entire childhood, or like I was when I was a teacher.
Am I a drain on society, as Shoejoe claims? I don't see it that way. People with jobs spend money on their hobbies. For some people, poker is their hobby. They enjoy it, even the ones who know they're not likely to win. I'm providing them with an opportunity to compete, have fun, and possibly win some money. And as a former employee of the state of New Jersey, I can honestly say that I feel like I do more for society as a poker player than I ever did while I worked for the government.
Cliff notes: Playing live poker = living the dream.
