poker as a serious career?

Poker will die down, and the true professionals will only remain profitable. If you are in college, stay there and play on the side. Making a little spending money is about all you should be really thinking about unless you are very, very talented.

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I sure wish you guys would have posted this earlier. After my top-30 showing yesterday at my first tournament, I decided it was time to take my game to the next level. I quit my job of 19 years, gave up 4 weeks of vacation, a company car, my 401K plan and several other great perks. I went ahead and pulled all of the money out of my 401K and bought up all of the poker books and videos I could find, and plan to use the rest of the cash to bankroll my first few months of high-limit holdem and more no-limit tournaments.

Maybe I better go talk to my (ex-) boss tomorrow, huh? ;-)

There were pro poker players long before poker became a spectator sport. There will be pros when TV moves on to the next big thing. Hell, there are pro players in places where there isn't a legal card room in a five-mile drive.

damn!!!

how are you getting on? Did you think you done the right thing?

what makes you chaps think poker will die down? it seems to be getting bigger and bigger and isn't showing signs of stopping. at the worst i can see it slowing down a bit but i'd say die down is a bit of an exaggeration (spelling).

would you not think it possible for a full time (i try not to use professional too loosely) poker player to make a decent amount of money on the inernet alone? i don't know of anyone who does it/has done it, thats why i'm curious.

I know of a few people who make a good living from playing online at the moment. Some in the UK and some in the US. The trouble I can see with it is:

1. It gets boring. All of them have said this and it's just like a normal job in the fact that you wake up sometimes and just don't want to play. The advantage is if you don't want to and you've had a good week you don't have to.

2. If playing on the internet does decrease or more people learn how to play properly it'll get harder to make a big enough profit from it

However, if someone gave me a big enough bankroll to start playing $15/$30 or $20/$40 which is what I think you need to play to earn enough, I would give it a go.

im still in colllege and play poker on the side..if i ever did quit college for poker..someone would have to save me

I don't think playing poker professionally would be any more boring than waking up and going to your job every day if you didnt like your job. I think i'd much rather be a professional poker player than having to have my job now. Especially if it was online poker. You could roll out of bed and play poker and you'd be set. Doesn't sound too bad to me.