Life and poker in recent times

I quit my job. Wow, something I didn't think I would do a few months ago. My salary was very good and finally a top man position. Well, in between many things went wrong so I guess it's time to part ways. Again I am at the cross roads.

Every time I have a chance to think about my career I would put poker as a choice. Recently I have been playing well, Overall I am up 400bb in 10 sessions. I mean that's not a whole lot but profits are profits. I am happy to be enjoying them. I am not crushing the game like I used to, maybe I have lost my killer instinct or I have become complacent with my playing style. Lately I try to return to my dominate style and it has brought results.

The thing is I have been spoiled by my last paycheck. It is so good that I find it hard to get the same by grinding. Unless I am grinding a bigger game, which means I need a bigger bankroll. So right now I am considering that. However I am also looking for opportunities to play as a prop player or house player.

WHAT ARE PROP/HOUSE PLAYERS?

In my time of running a poker room, the biggest challenge any room has is to have enough players to start a game. Some rooms in order to combat this will hire prop players to sit and start the game. They play with their own money, but they are also paid an hourly rate to play. Years ago at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Manila, there was a Korean player that was super tight. A few months later I met him at another room and he was so loose. So I asked him, what changed? He said, I am no longer getting paid to play.

When you know you have an hourly income whether you play hands or not, you tend to tighten up. You are winning as long as you don't lose! But now that he doesn't get paid, he needs to loosen up, play more hands and beat the rake.

This is something I am considering doing and there seems to be some options out there. But anyway, the last 6 months has made me realize AGAIN that playing poker for a living is so much freer. I rather have a bad beat than to face my screaming boss and angry customers. As long as you can manage your bankroll well and play consistently to beat the game, then you're your own boss. I also plan to take better care of myself by exercising and eating well.

Maybe it's time I tried playing pro - again.

Latest update

Recently I had a few problems with work, really hate it. Everytime I have a problem at work, I always dream about playing poker for a living. Then I get back to earth again after I remind myself of how I got beat my last trip to Macau.

AA lost to J9, 9k pot. Ace high flush lost to quads on flop, and river he bet, I said, I put you on quads, tanked for 1 minute then called. He showed quads. River bet was $2000. Recent trip to Macau kind of put things back into perspective. I need like a bankroll of $200k to be able to play well there and I am well far off that number at the moment.

Recently I also realized that I start to play really passively and poorly in my regular game. In the past I can win at the game quite easily. Nowadays I find myself bleeding my chips away and not really knowing how I lost. I have decided next session onwards I need to play my A-game.

I think for any player to be successful, you really need to be constantly reviewing yourself. I guess mine came a bit late, but better late than never. I realized I have been losing lately but can't pin point any specific hands. I must have bled a lot and saw that I limped pre and fold to cbets quite often. I have become a fish.

Was doing great on www.natural8.com for a while, now with work I have less time and energy to grind online. But when I get the chance I want to play more.