If you enjoy playing poker and really getting good at it, then perhaps you are one of them who are dreaming to leave their current job and taking it up as a profession.
But remember, poker is a very demanding job, so not everyone can sustain it in the long term. If you truly want to take a shot at becoming a full-time poker player, then you must make certain it’s an informed decision.
Necessary Skills to Become a Professional Poker Player
The first thing you must clear about yourself is how skilled you are really at poker. If you are really meant for this the following characteristics must be present in you, which most people don’t have. A successful poker player must have these following traits:
1. Having a disciplined approach towards life, good temperament, and tremendous self-control.
2. Intelligence is a must of every poker player since you need to have a general understanding of odds and variance. Though you don’t need to be a super genius if you are really poor at mathematics then reconsider your career.
3. Poker players need to be competitive in nature, but at the same time never take ego-driven decisions.
4. You must have good analytical skills as well as reading people’s mind.
5. You should have a fair knack for games and betting.
6. You need to be an extremely positive person so that you can remain calm even under tremendous pressure.
7. Being able to pick yourself up, when facing bad times in gambling.
The Reality of Life as a Professional Poker Player
You need to study the game for hours to keep improving constantly once you become a professional.
Generally, when you have poker you can’t enjoy a normal social life that you used to have before. Staying long hours confined in a single room away from real people can have some negative impact until you find the right balance between poker and your personal life.
Except for some exceptional players that we see on the World Poker Tour, most of the poker players live a very average life. If you are still confident about your success don’t set an unrealistic goal at the start and prepare yourself for years of grinding small stakes.
If you still think poker as a profession is right for you, then just go for it! Make this game the absolute top priority of life. If you prefer online poker, just grab the very best deals and rewards in order to increase your profitability. Read various books, strategy websites and also learn from various poker training videos to become a pro. Good Luck!
