How serious are you about playing poker?

Guma · #1 (**permalink**) 11-24-2006, 11:47 PM

I know there are quite a few very serious and very talented poker players on CT so I wanted to run a poll to see where everyone stands on how serious they take the game.

omar · #2 (**permalink**) 11-25-2006, 12:02 AM

Thought there would be a poll?

Anyway, while poker is mainly a hobby, it really consumes most of my non-work and non-family time. Either playing (I host a game about every other week as well as play online) or reading or browsing some poker related website. I would REALLY like to be able to devote more time to become more "serious", but I just don't have it. I envy those folks that seem to play at a serious level, but also seem to have a life outside of poker as well (Quads comes to mind). I've been playing roughly 2 years, so maybe at some point in the future.....?

bigjohn · #3 (**permalink**) 11-25-2006, 12:06 AM

I enjoy playing it on occasion during the weekend...

Guma · #4 (**permalink**) 11-25-2006, 12:17 AM

Was working on the poll when I got pulled away from my desk to do some work! I can't believe they would interupt my CT time for work, I swear the nerve of some people!!!!

Anyhoo the Poll is up vote away!

Devilboy · #5 (**permalink**) 11-25-2006, 12:19 AM

I'm not very talented but I'm pretty serious about it. I buy at least 2 books per month (any recommendations?) and I try to play 1000 hands per week online (PokerStars) and 15 hours per week live (casino and home games)

I have pokertracker, I subscribe to tools like SharkScope, and I read the strats forum on FullContactPoker.com and sometimes 2+2.

I play in the Aussie Poker Millions every year and I do other live tournaments up to $2000 buy-ins.

At this point I can beat my home games, and the casino cash games fairly easily. I do OK on PokerStars microstakes ($25 tables) but P* is definitely MUCH tougher than the $200 game at the casino.

So far I've only had minor cashes in the large live tournaments. I hope to to better in January!

smoore · #6 (**permalink**) 11-25-2006, 12:35 AM

Second income for now, trying to get better at games I don't pwn at yet. Blah blah, you know the story.

I could see myself playing "full time" in an early retirement type of situation... Help my wife learn to deal craps and hang out at the poker room while she's working kinda thing. If my expectation is $5k a month, who can complain?

This is when we move somewhere in 8 years.

Right now I'm working on a good mix of discipline and balls in my old stomping ground, 6max LHE while trying to become much more aggressive early in tournaments. I'm sick of limping into the third hour and need to learn to amass a stack like the superstars do (not just TV players, internet superstars do it too). "Stack tall or quit, there's a cash game over there." Next will be back to training NLHE cash, since that's what the popular game is these days.

So yeah... serious to very serious, I voted serious.

Guma · #7 (**permalink**) 11-25-2006, 12:56 AM

I also voted Serious and using it as a second income for now! Right now being deployed and working 13 hours a day 7 days a week with a girlfriend, my time spent playing poker is very limited.

That being the case I am constantly reading books. I know booksmarts only goes so far and after that you have to have the table time to be a strong player. So for now I am studying the game and when I return to the states I will start to get my table time.

I am one of the lucky few who has a girlfriend who is completely supportive of my poker playing. Of course paying for a vacation to Egypt and 1/3 of the way to paying a Mediterranean cruise in June helps my case a lot! She understands my passion for the game and supports me wholeheartedly!

I have also signed up for the WSOP Academy, which may be a huge waste of money, but hey I paid for it from my poker bankroll. I will also get my feet wet with my first large live tourney event in Council Bluffs at the WSOP circuit event. I will use these to gauge my game against stronger players than I am used to playing with and make adjustments from there. I voted serious but in the back of my mind looms the thought that I may someday be able to play full time!

hachkc · #8 (**permalink**) 11-25-2006, 01:23 AM

Serious for small 2nd income but definitely not quiting my day job. I've already used some online winnings to acquire things I wouldn't have if I had to pay for it out of my pocket.

billsrcursed · #9 (**permalink**) 11-25-2006, 03:51 AM

Voted serious, but was never much of a book guy. I learn more playing live and to be honest, watching it on T.V. I think it gives you a real good look into how the pros handle situations, the way they conversate at the table (or don't speak at all), etc. I'll never be able to "play enough" to be satisfied, which is supposed to be a good thing, right??

Wylecoyo · #10 (**permalink**) 11-25-2006, 06:11 AM

Although I voted "very serious" I do not have any delusions of being a full time professional anytime soon; however, I decided to vote this way based solely on the level of interest I have with poker and studying poker. I simply cannot read, talk, play, or think poker enough. I am a man obsessed.