Youngest professional player in European football/soccer?

Advice on becoming a professional poker player?

• I know people don't take it very seriously when someone says "I want to become a professional poker player!" However, I am not trollling. I have been playing poker since I was 8 years old, so a little over 10 years now. I am in my first year of college, and am realizing that there is no major any school can offer me that I am interested in. For what seems to be my entire life, I have wanted to become a professional poker player, and it has been rejected and kicked aside by family. Clearly only because they do not wish to see me fail. However, I have made my mind up, this is something that if I don't try now, I feel I will regret it my entire life. I may only be 18, but I have much more experience than most. I go to 9 different bars a week, and play the freerolls they offer (I apparently look much older than I am). My plan was to hold a small job for about a year or two, and save up to about $10,000 to use as a bankroll. That leaves me at the age of 19-20. Which is fine. The legal age to gamble in the USA is 18, casino's only restrict people to being 21 because they serve alcohol. I know of a casino that is a 5 hour drive from me, that accepts players who are 18 years old, due to the fact they don't serve alcohol (Turning Stones Casino in Upstate NY). Fortunately for me, I have a friend who lives 20 minutes away from the casino, and has offered to let me stay there for a few months if I attempt to try and follow my dream. I have grown up reading poker books from the best, getting first hand experience on a nearly daily basis, and learning from the pros whether it be on TV, online videos, or articles. I take any information I can get. I know people say it's a game of luck, but I don't believe that. Using good techniques, moves, and reads, along with strong discipline with bankroll management, I believe I am capable of becoming a professional poker player. My plan is to make $10,000. Go live up by turning stones casino Play good bankroll management : Cash games = 2.5-5% SNG = 1-2% Tourney = 1% And just try to keep at it and win in the long run. Before someone says "Keep going to college, you want to have a back-up" Please. I have heard that from many people, but I truly have thought about it for years, esspecially now, I do not wish to continue to go to college and become $100,000+ in Debt. for a degree that I don't wish to pursue. Any kind of advice would be greatly appreciated. I thought my family would be the greatest hurdle here, but they know how much I have wanted this moment to atleast say I tried. Mainly looking for any suggestions on how I go about this. Things like "Dealing with a $10,000 bankroll in live games." Or when will I have reached enough money to move to vegas and try to pave my road to success there, $100,000? Etc. Thanks.

• Answer:

  It's a lot easier to get a bankroll if you have a job, so that's my best advice. A $10,000 bankroll is incredibly small, and if you have a bad run of even a few weeks you'll find yourself back at your parents' front door explaining that you got hit by bad luck and that you need their help. That's the last place you want to be. Check around and see if there are any poker dealer schools nearby. Most schools take 6-12 weeks and are pretty affordable. You clearly have an interest in poker, so maybe dealer school will be more your speed than regular college courses. And an extra $1000 or so a week (depending on where you work) will go a long way towards building your bankroll and giving you insurance against a couple of bad reads by you or lucky rivers for your opponent. Also worth noting is that if you have a steady paycheck it will become a lot easier to get an apartment in your own name, buy a car, get a credit card, or whatever. Do you really envision yourself carrying a wad of cash in a rubberband around with you at all times for the rest of your life? As far as gameplay, pick one game and one specialty and stick with it. Don't try to be a master of all of poker. If your game is limit or no limit, or if it's texas or omaha, stick to that game. Same with the format. You've mentioned cash, tourneys, and sit-n-go's. Why all 3? Pick the one that suits your style and make that your bread and butter. Cash games will probably be the most consistent game without the highs and lows of tournament play, but plenty of great players can make a living playing solely tournaments as long as they have good bankroll management. I'm assuming you have a $10k bankroll. That's what it seems like you said, although you weren't totally specific about it. That means you're going to be grinding it out at 1-2 or 2-5 NL to start. Whatever your game is, make sure that you're buying in for the maximum allowed amount. Most 2-5 games let you in for $200 to $500, but some games will let you in with more, which is right around your limit. Keep to your promise of solid,conservative bankroll management. Don't move up to a higher level too soon and don't be too proud to move back down a level if you have to at some point in your career. Bankroll management is more important than solid strategy or great reads at a table. It's the only discipline in your game that is a solid defense against bad luck, and you're going to run into bad luck at some point - I promise you. Next point - why are you focused on Vegas? For one thing it's a 21 year old age limit at every casino there. For another thing, there are plenty of games all over the country. If you can turn 10 grand into 100 grand close to home why would you think of leaving? If you want to explore, check out Delaware or Pennsylvania, where there are less experienced players. Check out South Florida (my home), where you'll find more loose, erratic play than you've ever imagined. Are you interested in playing at a table where someone will sit down and voluntarily straddle $50 in a 2-5 game? Come to Miami. Or where a player will go all in, blind, for $200 because he's bored? Miami! Keep meticulous notes of your sessions. Wins, losses, game played, time of session, etc. All of these notes will help you track your strengths and weaknesses. Which rooms, games, and times of day are the best for your wallet. Good luck to you. You'll need it.