thinking of quitting your day job and going live poker pro?

[Nosmo_________King]

Mark Strahan, author of the book 'How To Win At Texas Hold'Em Poker - All You Need To Know' had a window in his career to try going poker pro for a couple of months in Florida.

My current contract ends on Feb 26th. On Feb 28th I'm flying back to Orlando, booking into a hotel close to the Hard Rock Casino, attempt to stay there for the 90 days my visa will last, and grind out a life as a poker player for those 90 days. I'll have a starting bankroll of $5000 and subject to the following rules will try my damdest...

Rules: (can be amended at any time)

1. Day will start with a $1-$2 table.
I quit if:
a) I get to $600 PROFIT.
b) I lose 5 buy-ins
c) I get fed up (winning or losing)

you can read his experiences on his blog

its interesting to look at it and apply it to online poker play with site, game, table, limit selection and the time of the hours you play. for poker cash games players these are the difference between long term success or failure

[Human123]

Sounds like he quit the game early??

[Nosmo_________King]

His experience seems shows how turning poker pro does subtly change how you play the game. The reason he chose that Casino was because he had been there before and won money, he considered the players poor so guessed logically that it should be easy money.

Perhaps the difference was this time it was as a job and not just for beer money?

The strangest thing has to be his choice of Florida. With a max table buy in of only $100 per player no matter what the table limits, why would you play there? Playing constantly on a table of short stacks means you reduce the amount you can win.
The value of drawing hands are reduced considerably.
The other problem is that once someone is involved in the hand how do you get them to fold so they don’t outdraw you?

His experience of choosing Florida is similar to playing on a table full of either sharks, rake back grinders or a table full of short stacks. There is no real point for us mere mortals unless you want to test how good you are. It is normally -EV.

Adjusting to the game and the players you face on THIS table at THIS time is important. He did not seem to adjust to short stack attack poker. That or he had very bad variance and luck.

Would you buy his book after reading what happened to him even though he was totally honest in what happened to his bankroll?

There's no doubt I'll be back to Tampa. Next time I'll bring $10,000 and plan to stay for 4 weeks (at least). Stay tuned. I may be beaten up this time but it won't be long before I continue this blog.....!!!

I really am looking forward to seeing what happens the next time and wonder why he does not just go to Vegas and take the tourists easy money?

[Fella]

short stack poker takes most of the skill out of the game. It becomes a game of two streets & many of the weapons available to the superior player are rendered useless.

It's actually one way for someone to learn to play new games (or new limits) as you can definitely breakeven playing shortstacked in a game that would crush you playing deepstacked. Of course most deepstackers will hate you....

[Digi]

"Shortstacking" is also used at small/mid stakes by some players that play it profitably. Regulars don't always know how to deal with them and make errors. Obviously it is not the most profitable way to make money at poker as you are not full stacked in +ev situations.

[Handyman]

The above posts are great information and advice to either new players to a game or considering moving up a level.

Omaha is the game of the future, certainly for cash it is where its at. People are daunted by omaha due to it having 4 hole cards and so many outs. Playing short stack omaha is one way of reducing your losses and learning the game. if you are playing it correctly then you will still win money, if you are learning or playing badly you will then protect your bankroll but pay to learn.

[Nosmo_________King]

Decent poker pro blog about the life and non life of being a poker pro

I had someone ask me what happened to me way back to cause me to stop playing. The answer to that was kind of a combination of things. I guess it all started when I won a large tournament about 4 years ago. I felt link I had finally accomplished what I had been working so hard to do. I had always seen poker as a way to make a lot of money so that I could invest it in other things and make more money. I had never planned on playing poker for the rest of my life. I always looked at the people who were older and still playing as a pro. Most of them are miserable with few friends and no life. That’s not what I wanted. They also get stuck with no other skills and have no other options but to play poker.

Why am I an EX Poker Player?

[ThePatrick]

Wow, that must be one of the most difficult decisions to make whether to quit your "normal" job or not. There is the steady income on the one hand but the chance to make quite a buck in less time. I don't think that I will ever have to make that decision.