by Daniel Fox

Created on: November 23, 2008   Last Updated: March 27, 2012

Becoming a poker professional is a huge decision that should not be taken lightly. The first thing you have to realise is that thousands of people who have had a hot streak decide that they can cut it as a pro. Guess what, they fail hard and end up with no money left. I've heard of many players who have spent entire savings trying to chase the dream without realising that it just isn't working for them. Most blame it on a bad run but at the end of the day maybe they just have to take a step back and say, "yeah, maybe I wasn't as good as I thought I was."

Before you become a pro, there are questions that you need to ask of yourself and answer truthfully:

1). How big is my bankroll and what are my limits? - If you don't have a healthy bankroll for the limits you're hoping to play, then you are destined to fail from the very beginning. There are debates on how big your bankroll should be, but personally I'd say you want at least 100 full buy-ins for the limits your playing. This will make sure you have enough money to withstand the fluctuations in poker and feel comfortable that your not going to go broke.

2). What are the expenses? - If you have your own place, then obviously your going to have to pay rent or loan re-payments. Many players turning pro don't take this into account. You should calculate what you usual expenses are for a 6 month period and put that money in a separate bank account just to make sure you have enough to pay the bills, eat etc.

3). What's my plan if I fail? - How easy would it be to go back to your old job? How easy would it be to get the same type of job I was doing before? These are all serious questions you need to consider before turning pro. At the end of the day, if being a pro fails and you have no plan then your stuck. You won't last particularly long with no source of income.

4). Will I be able to handle the swings? - Poker is a very swingy game, especially omaha. Therefore you need to be strong mentally and not let it affect you too much. Having family and friends close by to help out is always a positive but you don't want to take out your frustrations on them so try to keep poker away from the other aspects of your life.

5). Have I played enough poker? - This might sound like a stupid thing to ask yourself, but it's very relevant. If you have only been playing a couple of months and happen to be on a good run then turning pro is obviously going to be even more risky. However, if you have graphs of results dating back for at least a year showing that you a consistent, winning player then the decision seems a little bit more straightforward.

Quitting your job for poker is not something you should rush into, seriously consider yourself about whether you could make it. If you decide to go for it, then all the best of luck to you (except against me)!

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