New to the Game - Attempting an Ultra-Fast Rise, Advice

Originally Posted by Pascal

Harry, because it's the "Beginners Circle" doesn't mean no one who has "made it" posts here. It's just somewhere to put beginners questions. Maybe read a few threads and you'll see most of the people who post regularly do actually know what they're talking about, unlike some of the people who post less often

I take your point and having read a lot more than "a few threads" I don't doubt that most regular posters know what they are talking about. I do however note that despite knowing what they are talking about, most regular posters are still struggling in the micros, or why else post so many hands asking for help?

I genuinely hope the OP does get a response along the lines of, "Well this is how I did it. I started off ...." But I suspect that he might be more likely to get such a response if he posted his request elsewhere. Taking this into a/c my advice to Stoic5 is to copy this post to a variety of fora on a variety of other sites. This will maximise his chances of getting useful advice. Although I see he has already made the exact same post on cardschat.com, pokerstrategy.com and 2+2 so my advice may be unnecessary.

Originally Posted by Pascal

Advice on how to do it? Don't. It's a great dream and ambition but one of the key things you need for poker is experience. If you do want to try and do it, just get a part time job to go alongside so that you're guaranteed an income. The worst that can then happen is you break even for a few months if the poker dream doesn't work out and move on. The last thing you want to do is dedicate money and time to poker and have nothing to show from it apart from being totally broke and having a big gap on your CV.

You'll quickly find freerolls are very different to real money. Do you want to play cash games or tournaments?

Thanks for the honest advice. I am in a unique situation in which I will be graduating with a Mechanical Engineering Degree in 3months. Job offers at 60k+ already. I want to play poker, so the degree is a failsafe. I may pick up a PT job on the side if absolutely necessary. Cash games are my favorite. NL hold'em particularly. But I want to learn everything. As Sklansky said paraphrased, Not be the guy playing in the all-pro NLHold'em game while the drunken fish stud game is going on next table over.

Originally Posted by ImSavy

Why do you want to play poker so much btw?

From what you've said it looks like you haven't played much at all and more time spent player =/= more winnings.

I don't think you realise the commitment it is to say you want to sit down every day and play poker (or study) for 6 hours a day.

I have some experience playing live tourneys and cash, FT until black friday break-even overall. I love it. I didn't mention it because I don't believe I learned much at all from the experience.

Originally Posted by MadMojoMonkey

Read this:

http://www.flopturnriver.com/pokerforum/beginners-circle/noobies-first-5k-hands-10nl-guide-links-advice-157914.html"]noobies-first-5k-hands-10nl-guide

thanks man!

Harry- Yes, that is the rare advice I am trying to find. Most people took years to do what I am trying to in a few months. I am trying to learn from them so that my path is a straight to the goal as it can be.

Originally Posted by Stoic5

As Sklansky said paraphrased, Not be the guy playing in the all-pro NLHold'em game while the drunken fish stud game is going on next table over.

This is a great example of "what not to do" if you want to become a poker pro with little experience, and is one of many pieces of advice which will send you in entirely the wrong direction as a new player. Trying to learn many games at micro stakes is going to really harm your hourly when compared with focusing all your attention at one game. It's not a problem when you're already playing high stakes NLHE but it'll complicate matters and slow your progress at micro stakes. Each game requires very different skills and knowledge and trying to learn all that at once will be confusing

Originally Posted by Pascal

This is a great example of "what not to do" if you want to become a poker pro with little experience, and is one of many pieces of advice which will send you in entirely the wrong direction as a new player. Trying to learn many games at micro stakes is going to really harm your hourly when compared with focusing all your attention at one game. It's not a problem when you're already playing high stakes NLHE but it'll complicate matters and slow your progress at micro stakes. Each game requires very different skills and knowledge and trying to learn all that at once will be confusing

Thanks for the tip. I'm doing this goal live right now. The field is huge, 40+ $1/$2 tables on weekends, 15+ on weekdays. ~5 $2/$5 tables for when I move up. I've been specializing in NLHE 100%. Still in the process of plugging massive leaks in my game, but at least I can see them and I am gaining perspective. I am top 3 players at every $1/$2 table I've played at, #1 around half the time. Regs and Higher stakes players are easy to spot, and are typically helpful, willing to give me advice and talk strategy. The field is almost perfect to learn without going broke.