Questions to Ask Yourself Before Choosing Poker as a Career
So, do you wanna be a professional poker player?
Whenever you have spare time, you love to play poker either online on your laptop and smartphone or offline with your family members and friends. You love the sound of riffling poker chips. While other people are obsessed over IPL or FIFA World Cup, you feel excited to watch WSOP tournament on TV.
You can consider that as a HINT from the universe!
Signs that your stars want you to enter the world of professional poker!
There is no doubt that you can make a massive amount of money by playing poker. The internet made it possible for poker players to participate in poker games while sitting comfortably at your home or office. Also, those players who love to travel can visit fabulous national and international poker destinations to play this beautiful game and win huge cash prizes.
Saying that, It is also true that pursuing poker for a living in India is not that easy. First of all, professional poker playing requires a great degree of hard work, discipline, and patience. Also as some people still see poker as a game of chance, you need to deal with questions and objections from family and society if you choose poker as a career.
But some poker lovers don’t believe in following social norms. They put their passion in front of everything and believe in giving their heart and soul to the game by playing full time.
But how to confirm that you have what it takes?
Ask yourself these simple questions before clicking “send” button on your resignation e-mail to your bosses:
Can I make enough money to maintain my lifestyle?
Like any other profession, the amount of money you can earn by playing poker depends on your skills and knowledge of the game. If you are a good poker player, you can earn good amount of money by participating in online or offline cash games or tournaments. Check how much money you need for your daily requirements as well as to support your family. Do a calculation and find out if all your steady sources of income other than your job are sufficient enough to bear these expenses. Also, always keep the option open to return to your previous profession in case things don’t work as planned.
How good am I in understanding psychology and mathematics?
Poker is a skill based game. You need to collect information about the hand strength of your opponent by reading his body language, playing pattern, etc. See if you are able to decipher people behavior and understand expression and tendencies. Players who are good in mathematics can easily calculate the odds and predict the strength of opponent’s hand.
How much time and efforts I can put in the game?
Poker playing requires practice. As much time you spend playing the game, as much your game will improve. See if you can hire a professional coach to learn the tricks of the trade if possible. He can help you identify your weaknesses and find the best way to eliminate them. Also, check how often you review your game after a hand. You need to consistently improve your game to stay ahead of the curve.
Am I good at money management?
Bankroll is the soul of your game. It must be sufficient enough to support your game the time of downswings. Check how much money you can keep aside to play poker only and remember to play only on those tables which suit your skills and bankroll. It is crucial to learn how to play within limits.
The most important question you must ask yourself is: Are you really passionate about poker? If the answer is yes, then don’t wait and just go for it!
