This and That About Poker

Hi. Come on in. I've cooked up a pot of my favorite kid food – macaroni and cheese, heavy on the cheese. Yum.

You were asking about making a living playing low- and medium-limit poker. It's one of the questions I most often hear. It comes from players who are doing well but don't quite have the courage to make the big step. Don't be in a hurry. Let's talk about it. Maybe you won't want to do it after all.

You should know that there are fewer professional players than you might think. Most winning players are augmenting an income, whether it's from a job, a pension, or savings and investments. Many view poker as a profitable hobby; they can make money and have fun at the same time. What could be better?

Let's cut right to it. "Can a person make a living in Las Vegas or other areas where there is public poker?" The answer is a definite maybe! It definitely can be done, but maybe you don't want to work that hard. Grinding out an income as a working player at the low and medium limits has become a tough way to make an easy living. But, as the rodeo cowboys used to say, "It's better than wages."

It should be no surprise to you that there are players who make their living from low- and medium-limit poker. If they can do it, you can do it. All it takes is desire, dedication, commitment, and a willingness to study, breathe, eat, and sleep the game. You must be a good player who knows the game – really knows the game.

Those who make it study the game. They've taken lessons and have all of the books – and have actually read and studied those books, not just browsed through them. They think seriously about poker as a business. They also have a poker plan that includes what, when, and where they will play, and under what kinds of conditions. Sitting down at the first available game just to get into action as soon as possible isn't part of that plan. Careful game selection is.

The professional at these limits (or any other limits) must play as mistake-free as possible for as long as possible to maximize his winnings and minimize his losses. Before trying to make a living at poker, you should have some idea of what you mean by "a living."

A single person who's not burdened by a lot of payments and other expenses has a good chance of making a living. A retired person with a pension can very nicely augment his income to provide a fair living.

A person with a family of several children, a mortgage, and payments on two cars had better think long and hard before attempting to make his living from the game of poker, at whatever limit.

This isn't to say it can't be done. It's being done every day, even at this moment. The question is, can you do it? You can do it if you're the kind of person who can handle the ups and downs of poker. There's no security. If the cards run bad for a few days, all you can do is limit your losses until they turn again. Then, you'll have to maximize your winnings while the cards run at probability or better.

Poker is not for the faint of heart. For most people who hold regular jobs, if they have a bad day at work, they'll still be paid. If you have a bad day, you not only won't be paid, but money will be taken from you. That kind of psychological pressure can be difficult to overcome.

After the initial question always comes the follow-up question: How much money can I make? That will be determined largely by how long you are willing to play, the limits you play, and with how much dedication and skill you play. As a solid, selectively aggressive player, you should be able to win (as a rule of thumb) one to one and a half big bets per hour at whatever level of poker you play. That means that a $5-$10 game would yield you an average of $10 to $15 an hour. Some days you'll win more and some days you'll lose your whole stack. But if you're willing to concentrate on mistake-free poker for 40 hours a week, you can earn between $400 and $600. Notice the word earn.

You won't get this money by playing. Playing is for those folks who are out to have a good time without a major concern about winning or losing. You'll be earning your money.

It does take time and effort, and a lot of heart. It isn't easy, but it can be enjoyable. Others have done it, and so can you.

Now I require repose. Take some macaroni and cheese and kill the light on your way out.

Editor's note: Roy West, author of the bestseller 7 Card Stud, the Complete Course in Winning, available from Card Player, has a toll-free number and continues to give his successful poker lessons in Las Vegas to both tourists and locals. Ladies are welcome. See his ad on Page 110.