Article Contributed on: 2/18/2008 8:15:52 AM
People always tell me you should go back to work since your children are in school. I tell them this is the critical time children need guidance and someone home. My oldest will start middle school next year and my youngest 3rd grade. I plan on raising them and being there for them until they graduate. Then they can make their own decisions with the support of their father and I.
However,once they graduate I would like to be a professional poker player. I hone my skills in online tournaments. Some of you might say it's not the real thing. I say look at the World Series of Poker and the Poker Tournement curcuit. A lot of players came from online tournaments.This is the new way to hone your skills. It doesn't cost you a dime.
Most poker sites have what they call Freerolls. These are tournaments that cost you nothing to get into. Some pay small amounts of money that you can then play on real money tables or real money tournements. Some you win a seat into a tournament that has different prize pools. Some you can win a seat into a pre-World series of Poker Tournement. If you win they pay your $10,000 entry fee and expenses, I came close to that one twice.
I play a daily tournament on one site that gives the top five a seat into a $50,000 tournement. Last week I came in 60th out of 12,000 people. I had to go pick up my kids at school and started playing sloppy. I had $250,000. I should have played smart, sat out and ran to get the kids.Then come back to see how much I had left after the blinds and ante. Dumb move on my part.
I won my first tournement three years ago,while I was putting together Easter baskets for my kids. It was a Omaha Hi/Lo and I ended up winning it outright and going on to play in a money tournement that went bad really quick.When you hot your hot,when your not your not.
I often win money from $5 to $150. I then let my husband play the real money tables and he loses it. He doesn't have the patience that I do. I don't mind it's free money and he enjoys playing too.
Playing poker online is fun and you meet people from all over the U.S. and the world. They must speak English on the tables or their chat is disabled.
Sometimes you run into some real idiots, but I think they are playing with peoples heads and I ignore them.You can also play with play money to learn the games better.
You can play Hold Em No Limit or Limit, Omaha or Omaha Hi/Lo No limit or Limit, 7 Card Stud or 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo, Horse, which is a combination of all the games, a new game called Razz, this game lowest hand wins, no pairs and some sites have 5 Card stud. My favorite is 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo,however I do play a mean Hold Em.
If you want to know some of the best sites for Freeroll Tournements I'll share this info with anyone who wants to know.
In the mean time I will continue to hone my poker skills and I can pick up tells very easy online. Poker players will know what I'm talking about.
No need to go to Blackhawk or Central City. The only way I will go to Vegas is if I can win a seat into a tournement there or other places.Until then I will bide my time and get better at what I do: raise my children and play poker.