It really is unfair to read article after article in Cardplayer or Bluff magazine about these punk kids who start out playing poker for fun and end up millionaires without missing a beat. They need to start publishing badbeat stories about people who fail. Otherwise, readers get the wrong impression of how simple it is to become a successful card player. I bet there are a 1,000 failures for every person that makes a living playing cards.
The more I hate my job, the more I want to take a stab at playing cards for a living. However, there are a couple obstacles. First, you need multiple card rooms at locations which are open 24/7. Cleveland does not have them. Second, you need to move up in stakes to at least 2/5 NLHE which means having a bankroll of 70-100 buyins and that equates to a minimum of $35,000.000. I can handle it but would have to dip into savings/living expenses for this to work. Not a good idea to mix bankroll with money set aside to live off of. Third, you need to make the jump with one or more people who have the same goals so you can feed off each other and support each other. I know of one person that is looking to make a living at it but they are not completely ready as of this time.
I have very little holding me back from packing my bags and leaving for the card rooms tomorrow. I would have to quit my job, forfeit health insurance and pay rent on an empty apartment until June of next year. However, I think I should pick a better spot to make a move. The ideal time would be when I got laid off, just before my lease is up for renewal and I got another person to go with. I think the time is very, very close.
Where am I going to go? Florida! Card rooms full of old men who can't stand their wives! Las Vegas has too many sharks, Reno doesn't have the action and not sure about Atlantic City or California. I know of two people who made the move and went on their own. That takes a lot a backbone and I respect a person who can take the risk of moving to a place they have never been to, don't know anybody and have no idea if it is going to work out or not.
Mark my words...It is only a matter of time, easy or not.
