Going Pro
- Thread starter poolshrk
- Start date
How have you done in tournaments so far. What were the pros and cons that you considered in your decision? What is your circumstance, and career prospects.
My local league director cracked this joke. What is the difference between a large pizza and a Professional pool player. The pizza can feed a family of four.
My local league director cracked this joke. What is the difference between a large pizza and a Professional pool player. The pizza can feed a family of four.
If you intend to make a living by playing in professional tournaments, it's going to be tough.
If you want to see where you stack up, tournaments are the best way, and the best tournament for your purpose is the Derby City Classic -- it has all sorts of games and all sorts of players. You will learn a ton even if you don't finish in the money. I suspect that you will find out you need to put in a lot more time on a 4.5x9 at either the pool hall or as a replacement for your 7-foot table.
Do you already beat everyone on Lewistown?
Attract a sponsor first then go Pro. This may mean winning some big amateur competitions first or maybe playing for stakes against established professional players to prove that you can do it. Going in off the street with false confidence such as winning local club competitions or regional events will set you up for a big fall.
I was a Pro once and have played all over the world in fact 20 countries to date. I can run racks like the next man and have had many centuries in snooker. However, although I had a few good wins in tournaments and for high stakes - I was financing myself and in the end the money ran out and I returned to my career.
However, it has been a great life experience that I wouldn't give up for the world and if you feel that you have what it takes - DO IT ANYWAY otherwise you will regret not giving it a shot (mind the pun) in later years.
Anyway, this is the best advise I can give from my experience.
Good luck
I was a Pro once and have played all over the world in fact 20 countries to date. I can run racks like the next man and have had many centuries in snooker. However, although I had a few good wins in tournaments and for high stakes - I was financing myself and in the end the money ran out and I returned to my career.
However, it has been a great life experience that I wouldn't give up for the world and if you feel that you have what it takes - DO IT ANYWAY otherwise you will regret not giving it a shot (mind the pun) in later years.
Anyway, this is the best advise I can give from my experience.
Good luck
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Not having any idea how good you play, it's not easy to suggest something.
Trying your hand at a high quality pro tournament is probably the easiest, least stressful way.
Or, as someone above suggested, walk into a known action room and offer to play anyone in the place. Probably not a real good idea
People come here from time to time with the same idea. Often they play nowhere NEAR good enough to make a living playing pool, either in tournaments or playing for money. How long have you been playing, how good is the competition you pit yourself against, how do you practice, how much seasoning have you had, what do you play? These are all questions that people here may ask before making suggestions due to the vagueness of your inquiry.
It's a real tough thing to do or even consider, for most.
Trying your hand at a high quality pro tournament is probably the easiest, least stressful way.
Or, as someone above suggested, walk into a known action room and offer to play anyone in the place. Probably not a real good idea
People come here from time to time with the same idea. Often they play nowhere NEAR good enough to make a living playing pool, either in tournaments or playing for money. How long have you been playing, how good is the competition you pit yourself against, how do you practice, how much seasoning have you had, what do you play? These are all questions that people here may ask before making suggestions due to the vagueness of your inquiry.
It's a real tough thing to do or even consider, for most.
Take 100 bucks out of your pocket. Tell the best player you can find you want to ply him race to 11 for it (try to get odds on the money if you can).... and see what happens from there.
First, get a million dollars.....or two......
first i would say you have to define pro. there is no real mens pro billiard association in the us that is holding a stict circuit of events. there are farctured tours around the country. so technically if you enter, pay and play in enough of these you can be considered a "pro".
next i would say you have to define your game. how do you stack up so far in tournaments? how do you play for cash? who have you beat? who can you beat but maybe haven't played yet? you won't win every match, everytime. no one ever has, no one ever will, but you have to book more winners than losers before you can say anything about your game that is meaningful. when a road player comes to town are you one of the people that are looked to for playing said road player? i know gambling doesn't mean professional but it is about as good a measuring stick as there is. if you can hold up under pressure for money in a one on one match up, you can handle the pressure of tournament play. have you gone deep in a lot of multi day tournaments? in addition to handling the pressure you have to have the mental and physical toughness to go at it for a few days.
these are just some things to consider. there is no road map to becoming a pro. there is no time line. there is you can either hang with the top guys or you can't. your natural talent and practice and playing will be different form everyone elses. it takes different amounts of time for all. but a good starting point is wake up one morning look in the mirror and ask your self, if i took every nickle i had and went on the road playing in pro pool tournaments and came home with nothing - would i be able to live with myself? because it's a very real scenario. and if you can, then go start playing.
next i would say you have to define your game. how do you stack up so far in tournaments? how do you play for cash? who have you beat? who can you beat but maybe haven't played yet? you won't win every match, everytime. no one ever has, no one ever will, but you have to book more winners than losers before you can say anything about your game that is meaningful. when a road player comes to town are you one of the people that are looked to for playing said road player? i know gambling doesn't mean professional but it is about as good a measuring stick as there is. if you can hold up under pressure for money in a one on one match up, you can handle the pressure of tournament play. have you gone deep in a lot of multi day tournaments? in addition to handling the pressure you have to have the mental and physical toughness to go at it for a few days.
these are just some things to consider. there is no road map to becoming a pro. there is no time line. there is you can either hang with the top guys or you can't. your natural talent and practice and playing will be different form everyone elses. it takes different amounts of time for all. but a good starting point is wake up one morning look in the mirror and ask your self, if i took every nickle i had and went on the road playing in pro pool tournaments and came home with nothing - would i be able to live with myself? because it's a very real scenario. and if you can, then go start playing.
Go to College! Earn a Degree in Business, Marketing, Computers, etc. Something that allows you to work on the road. Graduate from College! Start your own business. Purchase a RV and travel to all the big tournaments! Start beating everyone in Tournaments! Don't focus on Gambling! Keep your head above water (don't turn into a douche)! Gain some sponsors!
Winner winner chicken dinner. Define pro. IMO, pro means making a living, doing something as a job. Any pool player alive doing this with only pool? And can you beat those guys consistently enough to take their income away from them & put in your pocket?
TurdFerguson
Registered
I agree. If you are serious, just enter the US Open for $500. You will soon see where you stack up.
Good point, you don't meet many players who have bought a house and car playing the game full-time. In my opinion, you have to have a good job first as a backup like several people have already mentioned before you can should consider it. Trust me I think we have all seen to many 50 year old bums in pool halls who have never let go of the dream and have nothing to show for it.
Yup. After you can beat everyone in that room, then go to the next pool establishment and say the say same thing. Then the next one and the next one. You'll either go broke or go pro.
Don't listen to all these naysayers. Sure, you can't make d1ck for money right now. But AZB solves pool's problem every week or so.
yes i do... competitively i cant play great players here if you know what i mean... i intend to get a bigger table... i just dont have that space right now... i play a lot on a 4 X 8 that me and a buddy bought... and play several tourneys around the state with 8 footers...