Great stories look forward to next years update!

wow, just wow

2 weeks later he wins the main event!!

HOF thread on many levels

he signs that post 'fosilman'

i didnt know he called himself that before his big win

Wow! I just spotted this thread a little while ago - and have been spending the intervening time reading it.

Great story, Dynasty! I am in awe of what you have accomplished. Not to mention that it is a very inspirational read.

I started playing poker a little in 2006, then more so in 2007 and full time in 2008. Been paying the bills. But still have so much to learn! Reading your posts makes me realize that it is a viable way to make a living. :-) I'm not just dreaming.

Thank you.

Lee

Wow, people on 2+2 was a lot nicer i 2004.

Yup..because they weren't like most online teen poker brats that flood these forums these days. (I'm one of them)

update on whats happened since?

it's funny to see that although the poker climate has changed quite a bit, some things never change. i find it so amusing that the op naively thought that he could become a professional on so little experience, and it reminds me of myself a bit. it's funny also that dynasty mentioned the three-year rule. almost exactly 3 years after my 2plus2 reg date, i decided that i couldn't play poker for a living. i'm happy this keeps getting bumped because this is the first time i've read it.

Great read, thanks for taking the time to write it up, and answer questions along the way.

Would anybody be interested in doing a "cliff notes" (maybe one or two sentences per year or something) of this thread?

This really has to be read to be enjoyed. You cant really summarize all the points in a bulleted list. Take the time and enjoy it.

This is my all time #1 2+2 thread. May 1st of each year make's me recall this thread and that it might be updated soon. It does not matter where an individual is at in his or her poker life this is a must read...

Agreed completely. And cliff notes won't do any good, just set aside some time and read it. If you don't have that patience then you don't have the patience to be a poker player.

Yeah, I'll give you cliffs.

Kid hates the corporate grind and gives up at least a relatively easy yet boring life working and moves to Vegas 9 years ago. He goes through a period he doesn't want to play much, under 10 hours a month for 3 months, starts playing bit more, has a few ups and downs, then has some financial difficulties. Then his dad dies. Then he plays and loses and he's in some trouble and then he's enters a tournament freeroll and wins 25k and a seat to the WSOP and he doesn't do much there. He pretty much plays a few different games, is easily bankrolled for 5/10 and maybe 10/20 no cap, can play 40/80 limit, etc.


In all honesty.. the entire time I'm reading this post I can't believe how many "You're my hero" replies there are. I mean, it's an epically long thread with an epic amount of replies and and epic amount of congratulations for something that wasn't all that epic.

Don't get me wrong. The guy moves to Vegas and does what he wants, seems like he has money and can do things like sit in his condo or whatever and read a book for 5 days straight and be cool with it. Great. It's the other things I'm interested in. How's his health? Working out? Social life? Family life? Psychological health? And, most important - an honest comparison between the life that has been lead over the last 9 years vs the life that most likely would have been lead had he stayed where he was at?

No hate here. I couldn't be happier for the OP as long as he himself is happy. He sounds like a mentally strong guy and a winner, I also deeply understand the story about his father, as it strangely reminds me of my own.

What concerns me is that some impressionable kids may read this post and throw away a solid future on something that even at this level of "success" isn't really all that spectacularly successful, from a financial standpoint. Even if he had 500k cash liquid, I would be hard pressed to not believe he could have more wealth if he would have just continued working, buying a house, investing, putting money into a 401k, etc.

Just being honest. Good luck though, OP, ballsy move.

I remember reading this thread a couple years ago.

great thread.

Very true!

so much win

Money isn't everything. Years ago I was working for a mid-sized law firm as a paralegal. Made more money back then than I do playing poker today. Would certainly be making a heck of a lot more money now.

I'm not job hunting. Not interested in going back to an office job. I'll take the much lower pay and the sense of "it's right for me" that goes with it, over the higher pay but the feeling of wanting to explode that went with the office job.

Sure, money is nice - and as I get better at poker I'm sure I'll make more. But, it isn't everything. Sanity is nice too.

Lee

It sure is, and I meant no disrespect in what I said. not at all. A part of me is deeply jealous I can't do the same thing.

That being, said, I must be honest and admit I am NOT strong willed enough and do not have enough control to go through that type of lifestyle. I need the semblance of stability in my life that work, and more importantly a paycheck, brings me. I'm not a person who intensely despises work. I dislike it, but I don't despise it, I can tolerate it pretty well. I also make pretty decent money for the little amount of work I do, so that also helps.

I've been broke a lot of times in my life, and I know I just can't handle it very well. I get depressed, annoyed and irritable. I can't have that constantly happen to me, I couldn't handle it.

The reason I bring up the topic at all is because there may be people who read into this like "Hey I can play poker and chill out when I want and not have to answer to someone and make 100k a year! YAY!". Who wouldnt' want that? Who wouldn't want to play a game and make enough to live on and just have fun? EVERYONE wants that.

I'm just trying to say that not everyone should expect to be as successful as the OP, and in all honesty if you have a decent job and work hard at your job as some people do at poker, they can easily afford to play in a 5-10 or 10-25 no limit game, and don't have to risk all that emotional turmoil to get there.

What an epic bump. Personally, I became a teacher so I could have all the free time to play poker. However, even if I was good enough to play poker for a living I don't think I could leave the stability of having a paycheck every two weeks (including the summer!) and knowing that I am truly having an impact on my community.

nice read ty for the bump

We can each control our own lives.

If you prefer to play poker for 100% of your income and 100% of your work time, then good for you. Enjoy!

If you prefer to play poker for 50% of your income and work time and teach for the other 50%, then good for you. Enjoy!

If you prefer to play poker for 10% (on vacations and weekends), then good for you. Enjoy!

Life is yours to live. Have no regrets.

Nice life, enjoy it

Amazing story, this could easily be a book.