I used to play between 400hu and 100hu, 100hu at the end since I spent money like (insert witty analogy here).

All throughout high school I daydreamed about poker and gambling and had barely passing grades in everything, but I also didn't really value school and didn't believe I could achieve in the academic or professional world (real people were intimidating imo)

When I went to college I attened 1 semester in Boston before I decided to drop out and play poker.

After building a BR and then hitting a break even stretch and throwing it away, I decided to go to school. I now realize that Barry Greenstein is right, that I have developed much more maturity since starting college (don't know if this is causation or correlation), and I want to get a degree and be respected by family/friends, etc, and be an accountant/businessman someday.

Since fall 09 I have been attending state university and have a 4.0 a little into my sophomore year, before starting my second year on sept. 8. This summer I took financial and managerial accounting summer classes and decided I was going to major in it since I did very well and at my school and with my academic history, it is probably the only path to potentially compete at high levels in a white collar professional career.

The pace of these summer classes, at least, was such that I wouldn't have had time for poker at all, since I tried to spend every waking moment doing something to study and with the accounting material I feel like you never reach a point where you feel 100% confident, so you can just study forever. I averaged over 100% on all tests though.


During both semesters of school when I had a 4.0 I was on poker stakes, but I hated playing, barely played (had to force myself), and never ever dreamed about poker in school. I have resolved to attend every class, do everything to the best of my ability, etc, without exception, and will continue to.

Anyway in the fall I am taking into to chinese and algebra/precalc level applied (business) math. I have an offer for a steak at 50nl and quickly move up to 100nl and after a month if I crush, 200nl.

The reason I want to play is to maintain my former standard of living: as my $100 headphones, $80 mouses, $200 jeans, etc become worn or broken I will have no way of replacing them. I want a new wallet, a new wardrobe, to fix scratches in my car, etc, and have no way of paying for it. I miss having a wallet full of 100's, but I think if I did make money again I would put a large part of it in the bank or in a retirement account (I have stopped drinking, doing drugs of any kind that are not prescribed by a doctor, strip clubs, ie all of my former vices).

I just worry because all of the poker friends I know are, quite frankly, irresponsible degenerates, and I don't wan't to be like them even if they have money. I want a white collar career and a stable successful standard of living. I don't respect the poker lifestyle and look around these forums even and see how many people are obviously living in fantasy worlds (to borrow my dad's phrase, but he is right).

Anyway, do you guys think I should take this stake and play poker again? Cram in hands before school starts? Wait until I get an idea of how time-consuming my classes will be?

I am not willing to compromise my 4.0 or put school second under any circumstances, and I feel like if I start playing poker and go on a tear and get money again, it may become a situation that's beyond my control: I might have money in the short run but mess up the long game.

sure

its a personal decision. Nothing any of us should have any influence on.

I don't think it's worth the risk of falling into your old patterns in your previous "life"

Yeah... when this is your motivation and given the background you provided, your first month of runbad is going to **** you up eight ways from Thursday.

No, erhm - sorry I mean yes.

Since when are $100 headphones expensive? That's like saying a $1000 watch is top of the line. $80 mice? lol, that's your fault for smashing your mice into the desk. I've had a 510 and a Deathadder ever since I started college 3 years ago and I am guessing they will work for another 1-2 years like my previous 510 did (every day use, probably more than you). You want a new wallet and a new wardrobe? LoL~ you sound like a 13 year old boy. It sounds like you need a job, not poker.

i think you're right

if you want to, then do it. if you dont want to, then dont.

If you think he sounds like a 13 year old now, imagine what he was like before his newfound maturity

Seriously though, you should consider getting a more traditional part-time job. I think the experience would be very beneficial to you.

grnuchin...

no give it up, it's a black hole of money, time, and happiness!

This is an obvious "no, don't start poker."
Given your goals, poker would be terrible, and only serve to get you a few luxuries that you don't need.
Few cautions: if you quit for school, when you come back, you might find that you're no longer any good. I was playing semi-professionally before school, and quit poker after my first set of finals (went on tilt a night before some math final...). A year after college, I came back to the game, and found that a) my skills deteriorated and b) my opponents were better. After that, I had to deal with the psychological problem of moving down in stakes and come to terms with the fact that I was no longer significantly better than the average player.

Playing during school is a recipe for disaster. a) the upswings make you want to quit school, b) the down swings mess up your life, c) your overall performance weakens because you can't spend time thinking about the game and practicing. Playing the game for money you care about tends not to be fun (at least not for me)

Oh yeah, and it's not something you can share with the majority of your friends, and you have to listen to girlfriends say "but eventually you'll lose, right?"

Poker is a lot of fun and is intellectually rewarding to most of us, but it sounds pretty obvious that you don't want the lifestyle.

^

+1

Looks like OP is banned. Which is probably a good thing. The cons seem to outweigh the pros in OP's case by a significant amount.