Good luck, and I'll give you all my one times I've saved up.
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I Quit My Job To Play Poker AMA (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Anthony Martino
- Start date
OP
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Anthony Martino
Royal Flush
I had considered it because I know there's a number of successful guys doing that, where they make an additional side income from their VLOGS. The problems I face with this are:
1. The local rooms don't permit filming like that, so I'd be hard-pressed to get any "at the table action" filmed, which would mean I'd have to do less interesting "off the felt" recaps
2. Doing the VLOG thing is a TON of work. You have to upload all that footage and spend many hours editing it and uploading it. Plus it takes a long time to build a following that's going to get you any income with such a thing.
I feel like my time is better spent focusing on making sure I know how to win in the games I'm in, as that will be the majority of my income.
There are four poker rooms within 20-40 minutes from me. The PLO pool has been growing actually. In addition to the 2/5/10 PLO game (which runs every single day and usually has 2 or more games going on a number of days) there's also a 1/2 game that's started running fairly regularly as well, and sometimes a 5/10/25 and even a 25/25 that pops up from time to time.
For the mixed game, it's usually one full table of 8 with people on the wait list, sometimes we get 2 tables running, and that player pool is growing as well.
The rake is timed rake most of the games I play, so $7 every half hour.
If my roll was halved I would likely do a few things:
1. Adjust my buyins in the 2/5/10 PLO game, which allows 200-2k as the buyin amount. Generally I buyin for the max, because I approach the game with a Hwang style (i.e. I want to win someones whole stack). However, the Rolf Slotboom approach is certainly viable as well in these games, so I could adjust my buyins if needed to only buyin for 200-400 and spin it up with dead money in the middle while big stacks push one another out, giving me some protection. That could greatly expand my number of buyins in my roll if it was halved, for instance
2. I could also drop down to the 1/2 PLO game, there's no shame in that. The one Monday 1/2/5 game I play I actually have a much higher per hour winrate than the 2/5/10 game. But it's just filled with droolers who will call off $1,200 preflop four-ways with garbage like Q976. They just want to gamble it up. I'm EXTREMELY patient and just wait for opportunities to get my money in good when I feel I have an equity edge.
3. Go on the highway, get some jackass in a BMW or a Dodge Ram pickup tailgating me, then slam on my brakes so they're at fault and then call Morgan & Morgan and in 6 months time I'd have a new bankroll (and probably some back problems)
Changster
Full House
Good luck man. It’s fun but not easy I’m sure. I hope you run good!!!
jeff123
Pair
Loving these AMAs. Thanks for sharing.
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Anthony Martino
Royal Flush
Well, it's definitely more fun when you're winning, that's for sure. I've definitely had a rough session here or there that kicked my ass. But overall it's been a very positive experience. I mean, it feels great winning more in a session than I'd take home in a week from my previous job.
I made more than my nut for December within the first week of the month, I'm having a stellar end of year and remaining positive and knowing I'm going to absolutely crush this month and then 2020 just knock it out of the park.
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Anthony Martino
Royal Flush
2-3 year plan is to pay down some debts that will make my monthly nut very low, then start socking aside money and perhaps invest in rental properties
As far as moving up in stakes, I would enjoy playing some of the bigger games when they run, because you get gamblers who don't need the money and put it in bad. But I'd need to be able to handle the swings of 5k buyins
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Anthony Martino
Royal Flush
I play it as low variance as I can. There are plenty of players who just don't have a clue on hand selection, or the nuttiness of the game. So they'll pay off with non-nut hands too often and it's just easy to get paid
Don't get me wrong, I have had all the equity in the world in multiple spots and still lost (75% favorite on the flop, ran it twice, lost both. Had 58% equity on the flop after a four way all-in pre for a 5k pot and the two guys with under 5% equity spiked a river one outer (case ace) to split it
markleteenie
4 of a Kind
Do you ever think, "I've won enough" and then just get up because you want to protect your winnings? Or do you always just keep playing if the game's good?
How do you separate/partition the game theory when you're actually counting it as income? (AKA scared money)
How do you separate/partition the game theory when you're actually counting it as income? (AKA scared money)
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Anthony Martino
Royal Flush
My stop loss for the day is 3k. If I lose that, I'm done
It's my current threshold for pain and it's happened once
The 1/2/5 PLO game on Mondays can be insane. I spun $400 to 1k, then trapped a couple of droolers with AA53 double suited, getting a massive preflop check-raise repot for close to $500
One guy was all-in for $300 and the other tard called off half his stack with Q983 double suited (we both had clubs)
He was promptly rewarded with a rainbow Q97 flop and stacked me
I rebought for 400 and spun that up to $2,128 before leaving. I played less than 4 hours
These guys are crazy. Sometimes you'll get restraddles preflop to $80. So I will sometimes leave to protect my winnings
That may not be game theory optimal, but for my own personal comfort I'd rather lockup an above average win for those stakes than press my luck and risk it all trying for a crazy huge score
As my bankroll grows and my tolerance for pain as well, I want to be able to stick around and try to have those 6k or higher wins
markleteenie
4 of a Kind
Yeah that was what I was wondering, and that makes perfect sense in terms of reducing risk when you're already ahead of schedule. I'm rooting for you that you'll be in the position where you can get those 6K profit heater sessions!
Thanks for this thread!
jesus - this sounds like professional Bingo.
What antacid do you take to stomach this kind of poker?
Geremie
Full House
Is there another game beside Omaha that you feel you’d have an additional advantage (vs hold’em) over the average casino goer if it was in play (razz, stud, 2-7, badugi)
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Anthony Martino
Royal Flush
Essentially, 3k is my tolerance for a daily loss
So if I bought in for 2k and spun that up to 4k, I'd feel pretty shitty if I gave it all back
So generally at that point I'm looking to cashout at some point after that. I don't just rackup and leave, I'll stick around for another 30-60 minutes because the game moves slow enough and I have the discipline to not get myself in too many difficult spots
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Anthony Martino
Royal Flush
Well, it's not like that EVERY hand, but it does occur
Most preflop restraddles are 10 or 20, and it isn't restraddled everytime either, fortunately
In the mixed game I usually call Super Razzdugi
I think I do well in Stud variants because I pay attention to the information on exposed/folded cards so I can narrow down my outs, my opponents likely holdings and outs, etc
So razz, stud 8, o8, big o, double board omaha, badugi, 2-7 triple draw I feel well versed in, and when those games are mashed together (badaecy, etc) I feel I hold an edge over most of the opposition except for 3 guys in the pool who are also very good
WedgeRock
Royal Flush
Not having an income is gonna make the tax man suspicious, especially when you're able to pay down debt.
Might not be a bad idea to get a no stress, BS job part time.
detroitdad
Royal Flush
Good Luck Anthony. I agree about your table presence. The few times that I played with you it was always fun.
Oh, and could you quit saying "nut" please
Oh, and could you quit saying "nut" please
Poker Zombie
Royal Flush
20+ years ago, I adopted the motto "if it ain't fun to do, it ain't worth doing."
Congratulations on taking the road less traveled. You have as pretty good head on your shoulders, so I think you'll do well.
If your wife can do the "work" end of a vlog (editing, uploading, etc) I think that would be a solid secondary income. You are one of the very few people that always makes me laugh - I think your vlog would catch fire.
Congratulations on taking the road less traveled. You have as pretty good head on your shoulders, so I think you'll do well.
If your wife can do the "work" end of a vlog (editing, uploading, etc) I think that would be a solid secondary income. You are one of the very few people that always makes me laugh - I think your vlog would catch fire.
grebe
Full House
Good luck, man. I love that you are doing this not playing much hold'em. So, my question is: How do you feel about the state of the NLHE craze...as in, is it wearing the average rec player down and they are looking for better games to just get their gambol on? Do you think that the future of poker will be mixed games? Other thoughts on mixed games/limit games versus NLHE would be appreciated.
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Anthony Martino
Royal Flush
One of the pros in the game that I've become friends with suggested the same
This is a good point, I have not met Anthony but more than one person has said you are funny. If you are a good player and funny with your own spin for a vlog it will catch fire. Like zombie said, can you make your wife the editor and give her credit to make her feel part of it? Poker rooms are starting to respect these vloggers more and more everyday. If you watch Brad and Andrew every single MUG gets bigger. Andrews last vlog I believe was 23 tables of 2/5?! That's a ton of extra income for them.
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Anthony Martino
Royal Flush
I think games outside of hold em attract the players that are more interested in gambling
Granted, Hold Em has plenty of people willing to chase their draws without proper odds. But a game like PLO just gives me a bigger edge. I can get someone freerolled where we both have the same hand but they can't improve and I have redraws to a flush or boat
Hold em players venturing into PLO is great for me. They think their bottom end of the straight, top and bottom pair, ten-high flush or underfulls are super strong, because they assign hold em strength to them, and then just think they were unlucky when I show up with the nuts over and over
We also get guys who just have a shit ton of money from business, their family, etc. They want to gamble it up, they aren't very good, but they just lost 20k playing blackjack and the few thousand they'll dump in my game means nothing to them
I don't think mixed games are the future, they won't replace hold em for the masses because they are too complicated in comparison
Likewise, PLO will certainly continue to grow, but not sure if it can knock hold em off the perch because of its simplicity to the masses
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Anthony Martino
Royal Flush
I think there would have to be a couple of shifts first:
1. The rooms would need to permit filming like that
2. I would want to be at a point where my monthly nut was lower, so that I didn't need to play as many hours. I would have to be involved in the editing process somewhat, plus you have to market the channel, AND you need to constantly put out new content that is interesting to remain relevant
I think the VLOG would be a harder job and more time intensive than just playing for a living
YouTube money is no joke once you get big!!!
Plus the casinos are paying them and comping them beautiful suites on top of it.
EnjoyLife
3 of a Kind
Good luck to you
DO IT, DO IT, DO IT
grebe
Full House
Have you read Scoop!
If so, what's your opinion of it?
If not, what material do you use for study?
If so, what's your opinion of it?
If not, what material do you use for study?
Maybe reach out to Mariano, his vlog is simple and to the point and it's grown fast. Johnny vibes praises that kid for how fast he edits and still has amazing quality. Yes it's hard work up front, yes it takes a leap of faith, but sometimes we are our own worst enemies and can get in the way. These other vloggers have imo done the hard work to catch our attention, ride those coat tails and go big. The passive income and deals that can be made are +EV later down the road when grinding may become harder for whatever reason. Look at Vibes, he crushed souls for years and all of a sudden the game didn't exist where he lived. He had to sell everything and is now grinding out of his car... His vlogs to me have no appeal like Jaman, Mariano, Marle, Brad, and Andrews do.
Good luck w/e you do! When you realize that YouTube money will taste good be sure to let us know so we can get that sub count up fast.
Good luck w/e you do! When you realize that YouTube money will taste good be sure to let us know so we can get that sub count up fast.
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Anthony Martino
Royal Flush
I have not read it, but the PLO I play is 4 card high only
I believe there is a Big O game that runs in Oxford, north of me, but it's a much longer drive
I read Hwangs book (Pot Limit Omaha Poker) and Rolf Slotbooms Secrets of Professional Pot Limit Omaha
I also discuss hands with the pros I've become buddies with and post sometimes online as well to review hands won and lost
I'm not the best player in the game, but I know who butters my bread in the games I play, and who I don't want to play OOP against
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