Are you addicted? My story. (long)

[kennyg]

[Rhound50]

[Mad Genius]

[Felonius_Monk]

[iceman5]

[kennyg]

Thanks for the comments guys. I was trying to figure out why exactly I posted this...I guess it was a combination of trying to explain why I'm not addicted to poker to my parents.....and Ice asking me why I only played 10 hours last week.

Genius,
Yeah I know I need to put in more hours. So far I only have 5 hours this week and it's just not gonna cut it. I haven't found a "job" I enjoy but I must say poker is the easiest. I'm gonna put in 6 hours today, tommorow, and saturday to give my hours over 20 this week. I need the money and don't have room right now to take it easy.

[iceman5]

Maybve you should try playing shorter sessions but play 2-3 times per day.
I usually play about an hour in the morning. Maybe an hour or so in the afternoon and about 2 hours afterwork at night.

If I play 3-4 or more hours at one time, I start getting burned out. I do it now and then if my wife is out of town or something, but i prefer the shorter sessions.

[WC]

[wolvish]

I disagree with the 2-3 hour approach. The way i see it you need a longer session in order to build up your roll and establish some dominance over your table. The money comes in much easier when you've got some cushoin, the players are scared of you, and the idiots are trying to double up off you.

I think that if you're going to try and become a pro then you've got to put the time in. Its just like any other job. But I can't think of many others that give you so much freedom. Even though its a grind, try to remember the real grind of working at Staples and dealing with the vast array of idoicy that spews out of the mouth of your average customer.

I think the way to enjoy the game again is to play in some live games. Internet play is an easy way to make some money and play a bunch of tables at a time, but it doesn't give you the social interaction that makes poker really great. Also, besides the fact that you might start to enjoy the game again, I've found that I make much more money playing live even though I can only play about 30 or less hands an hour. After playing so much online poker you can forget how easy it is to read people.

Another thing, get your ass out of the house.

[Rhound50]

Kenny I dont know if its possible with your situation but if there is any way to find a place to play a live game that might help with a little change of routine. I am often the same way with school, I work my butt off for 2 months and by the end of the quarter I am so burned out I really just wish I didnt have to do it anymore. What seems to help me a lot is exercise, if I go to the gym and do an hour of cardio and lift, it makes me feel a lot better. I also have a bunch of squeeze balls and power putty to squeeze when I play online.

[kennyg]

I'm joing the gym real soon and will go inbetween session. Hopefully that will help a lot.


As for playing live...I don't think it will matter. With the hours that I play poker a week.... playing "live" isn't gonna make me wanna play more.

I like money. Tha'ts my driving force right now.

[TexasKowboy]

[kennyg]

[Cactus Jack]

I've always said, "A job is when they pay you for what you wouldn't do for free." I guess you're proof of that, huh?

I get tired of playing, at times. I have a part time business refinishing marble floors. I do this a few times a month. Great money for really hard work. I induced my boss to fire me from selling cars. (Either fire me or kill me.) Now, I get unemployment, do my cash business and play poker. If that's not enough, I'm starting to drive a cab. Again, great money, all cash. When I'm not playing poker, I'm doing something else, which makes me really want to get back to playing poker. Driving a cab, selling cars. Imagine, being a poker player is a step up the social ladder!

I'm fortunate living in Florida. My roommate's house is on a golf course. When I get tired of playing, I take a walk on the course and find golf balls. (I could sell them back to the golfer's, I suppose, but I've got enough businesses going. When I get a five-gallon bucketful, I may take up the game. Sometimes I ride my bike. Or download porn.

I can't imagine quitting poker. Maybe find something else to do which would make you want to play. Or changing games. Or preparing to go up in limits. You're also young. That has a lot to do with it, too, I think. You'll find your way.

Enjoy life. It's the only one you can be sure you'll get.

CJ

[TheUnknownPlayer]

kenny,

I feel your pain. I've almost got my girlfriend cured of comments like, "Did you have fun?" and "Are you going to play?" Almost.

It's not that I don't like poker, on the contrary - I love it. But it is a grind without a doubt. It's also very emotionally and mentally exhausting if you are doing it right. By the way, I don't mean emotionally exhausting as in - "Damn I lost a pot" and "Hurray, I won one" but rather in practicing empathy with your opponents every minute of every hand whether you are involved in the hand or not. Sometimes I want to come home and just sit in the closet for 2 hours to detox from people.

If you've taken a look at my hourly average per week - it's pitiful. I am pushing really hard and am still lucky to get 25 hours a week in. One of the big problems with playing poker for a living is that if you don't feel like playing - you probably shouldn't; and if you're doing this for a living then like everyone else in every other job - there are going to be times that you don't want to go to work. Problem is, they should and you probably shouldn't. I can manage about 25 hours a week. That's enough for me - it pays the bills and just about anything else I want so I don't sweat it that I'm not overly motivated but I do understand your problem.

TUP