Going Pro

I'm planning on playing poker professionally over the summer (starting June) this year. By professionaly I mean 7 hours a day, 5/6 days a week. Firstly though I have some decisions to make about the type of game I wan't to play;

A bit of background: I currently play 400NL full ring at a site called Fortune Poker. I would class the standard of play here as being loose and fishy compared to places like party or stars. I haven't played enough Party or Stars to really know though. My latest stats are 15,000 hands of 100NL FR at Fortune for 10ptBB/100 and 16,000 hands of 200NL FR at Fortune for 8ptBB/100. I've only played about 5000 hands of 400NL but I figure I can beat it for maybe 5-6ptBB/100 long term. There is no 600NL or higher at Fortune due to a lack of players.

That fine I hear you say but the problem I have is that I can only play 250 hands per hour at Fortune FR. The tables are slow and there is a limit of 5 tables per player. There is only 5max SH tables and they suck. I just cant play 5max, it is a whole different experience to 6max IMO. You spend half your time playing 3max at these tables and playing 3max is not something I want to do 7 hours a day.

So I figure I could go play 6max 400NL at somewhere like stars. With a bit of practice I think I could manage 6 6max tables at once.

Also at a place like Stars I would have the option of moving to 600NL about halfway through the summer if I saw fit. I'll be starting with a bankroll of $12,000. Gamling earnings are untaxable in Ireland. I'm still covered by my parents health insurance etc. because I'm a 21yo full time student. I have 13 weeks off over the summer.

Here's some rough figures:

Fortune 400NL Full Ring:
6ptBB/100 x 250 hands/hr = 120 $/hour

Stars 6max 400NL (assuming I can beat it for 4ptBB/100):
4ptBB/100 x 480 hands/hr = 154 $/hour

If anyone has any thoughts at this point please elabourate?

Now I have some questions:
1) Are there better places to 6 table 6max than Stars or Party?
2) Can I get Rakeback there?
3) How difficult is long term 6 tabling 6max?
4) Is eight tabling possible?
5) Is an estimate of 4ptBB/100 reasonabe at 400NL 6max?
6) Is an estimate of 4ptBB/100 reasonabe at 600NL 6max?
7) Is 6ptBB/100 long term reasonable at Fortune?

Also if anyone has any other comments about playing full time I'd love to hear them.

Note that I posted this in Holdem Strategies and SH NL because I feel it applies to both and it's really important for me that I get some information on this.

ty all.

Good Luck!

Irish, I've PMed you.

go play full ring at dise

if not go play at party but the higher limits are some of the toughest i think around, upto 200nl shudbe a breeze perhasp also 400nl.

How are you tracking your long term stats at that site? What program/method are you using?

Originally Posted by Irisheyes

That fine I hear you say but the problem I have is that I can only play 250 hands per hour at Fortune FR. The tables are slow and there is a limit of 5 tables per player.

Are you sure about this? Because when I went back there about a week ago (I've been away from this room for a couple months), anyhow, I emailed them and asked how many tables you could play at one time. I was thinking about working my way up to 8 tables using the 10NL tables so it wouldnt be as stressful.

Anyhow their reply was you could play as many as you wanted, but they only recomend one at a time to cut down on your chances of loosing. Unfortunately I didnt save the email. I know their little tabs only show 5 tables, but the email made it sound like you could play more than that.

There is a definite limit of 5 tables.

Originally Posted by EricE

How are you tracking your long term stats at that site? What program/method are you using?

Really roughly, basically

(number of tables) x (hours played) x ( average hands/hour ) = total number of hands per hour

then I just record my bankroll at the start and end of each session and use all the information to figure a ptBB/100 number. Its rough but probable accurate to +- 20 hands/hour which I guess averages out after a while.

Irish, did you get my PM?

The 400NL 6-max game at stars has quite a few tough regulars, but there are also a good amount of fish, especially at peak hours. Through 9k hands I've been running at 9 ptbb/100, so the game definitely is beatable, but from what I've read on 2p2, the party 400NL 6-max game is much softer, so I'm planning on moving over to party in the near future. Good luck with whatever you do!

Well first good luck. However I don't think you have played enough hands yet to settle in on a strategy. Your stats could get better or worse.
Bodog has plenty of soft NL tables at 200 and 400 NL. I would not limit my self to 1 site. How many hours a week do you play now?

Originally Posted by biondino

Irish, did you get my PM?

Yeah, ty

Originally Posted by saywhat2

Well first good luck. However I don't think you have played enough hands yet to settle in on a strategy. Your stats could get better or worse.
Bodog has plenty of soft NL tables at 200 and 400 NL. I would not limit my self to 1 site. How many hours a week do you play now?

I've played >120,000 hands altogether. When I say I can beat 400NL Fortune FR I'm not basing that on my winrate over my 5k or whatever hands. It's based on watching the tables and what I estimate my relative skill level to be.

Bodog is another option. Theres a limit of 3 tables there yeah? I could play there and Fortune at the same time.

I played about 15 - 20 hours a week up untill last week. Exams coming up