After being a online pro poker player for 8 years, I'm actually starting a real job in a few weeks (first one in 10+ years). Was pretty much either that or move out of the country. Not moving to NJ.
God Bless you All.
After being a online pro poker player for 8 years, I'm actually starting a real job in a few weeks (first one in 10+ years). Was pretty much either that or move out of the country. Not moving to NJ.
God Bless you All.
Originally Posted by abrown83
How does it feel to go back to work after all this time?
Would be very hard for me to do so, to be honest.
I can confirm that Corrigan was pretty much a boss in the NL cash games on Bodog.
For the most part we didn't play together much, because I stuck to the limit games.
Oh and 8 years in this environment qualifies as boss status. Not easy to do
Was pretty funny putting pro poker player on my resume also.
Originally Posted by abrown83
Full respect for taking the tough route with an eye on the future in mind. That can't of been easy.
For a whole host of reasons I'm pretty certain my life would be better in the long run if I took up a job.
But I've turned into such a lazy laid back bastard, that the thought of not doing what I want - when I want. Horrifies the shit out of me.
I was in the same boat about 3 years ago. I had played online and live poker for my main source of income for 7 years ( and all the way through 5 years of college) at that point. When Black Friday hit, I took my roll off of stars and had around $15,000 to play with. After about 6 months of playing live at the local casino I realized that it wasn't something that was sustainable nor was it something that I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I mean i'll always play poker but as my main cash flow no way. There's a 0% chance that i'm willing to spend the majority of my day around the degenerates of a casino based environment . I now work a traditional job, have my own office, make my own schedule and never work a weekend, not to mention I make good money doing something that challenges me and allows me to enjoy going to work, as cliche as that sounds. There was a time when I never wanted to have a traditional 9-5 job. I always thought a full time job would restrict my freedoms, but in my life, it actually gives me more freedom, much more than I had when I played poker full time.
I went back to work after about 7 years and it was insanely tough finding a job. I was both online and live player with most my winning when I was in my early 20's(12 yrs ago). The skill level in the game caught up to me after a couple years and I was never winning as much as I had used to but still enough to make a decent living. Moving was never an option for me after Black Friday as I have kids that don't live with me. So I just took some time off and blew through everything I had saved.
When I finally did find work I was in the routine of things pretty quickly after about 6 weeks. One thing I do know and you probably don't want to hear it but you will probably regret it because of the life you become accustom to, I know I did but when the shit house goes up in flames sometimes you don't have a choice. Good luck hope you are working a job you like making good money and not like me where I had absolutely shit to fall back on. It's an entirely different grind.
I actually have a Masters in Econ to fall back on, so I was able to get a pretty decent job with good growth potential.
I wouldnt have taken a shitty job
Not meaning to brag, but I can still make good $ at MSNL so I wasnt in a huge rush to take a job
Originally Posted by abrown83
I thought someone would jump at this.
gl
i always seem to play/run better with a 401k and health insurance
Well shit then save a bit of money for a roll in the event you get quickly sick of the 9-5 and you've got a win win. Good on ya for going the normal working man route. It takes a lot of balls to just up and switch careers especially when the original career is poker... Though there are many benefits to playing poker for a living there are just as many downsides. It is kinda nice not having to worry about variance catching up with you and losing your roll in a bad summer at the wsop. I went broke at least 5 times in the 7 years and it really sucked. I don't have as much money as I did then but then again I don't have to worry about eating ramen everyday because of a bad run of cards.
running ~100 buyins below EV last year helped my decision along as well
Especially w/ a mortgage and a family was not fun
Originally Posted by abrown83
Was going to wish you good luck but full time employment is low variance. I will wish you happiness in your new gig instead.
If I saw poker pro on your resume I would respect the honesty. However, I would harbor a concern that if things got rough at work you might be apt to bail for poker again. We would be talking about your commitment.
Along those lines.... So that your focus is not compromised, are you quitting poker entirely? Are you avoiding anything poker related... perhaps even this site?
If I was conducting the interview, I would be obliged to ask the requisite, "what anecdote could you tell me that would summarize your experience as a poker player?"
Edit: can we expect a storyboard with high def photos?
I would be worried about that, too, especially if I knew that legalized online poker is slowly coming to the US.
But the average hiring manager probably doesn't know that, so if he can be convinced that an applicant is looking for stability and is ready to settle down into a low-variance lifestyle, it makes sense that he would hire someone who otherwise seems good.
I'll be playing some on the side, sure, but not looking to bail
Originally Posted by abrown83
The mind set one needs to grind live Poker full time is akin to How those Buddhist monks live their lives. I went to Foxwoods for the first time in close to a year a few weeks ago and I wanted to blow my brains out after a couple of hours.few
Even playing online has lost a lot of appeal to me.
I also can't stand playing live for more than a certain amount of time. I can play long sessions, but once I'm done, I don't feel like doing it again for awhile.
Online is different because I don't have to leave the house or deal with miserable people at the table. Commerce is the worst. Everyone there is pissed off.
I am the exact opposite. I find on line poker extremely boring and I still don't trust it. I was easily distracted and definitely did not play my best. As a result, I was not a winner, although I wasn't getting killed. I am a moderate winner in the b&m cardrooms. For me, I seem to play my best when I know I am going to devote a whole day to playing. Plus, I can get a getter "feel" for the action at the table.
Dealing with rude players? I always wear headphones and rarely acknowledge my opponents. When someone rants about a "bat beat" I put on them or how horrible I play, I just stare off into space, oblivious to their ravings. Not acknowledging them seems to tilt them into the stratosphere.
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