In pursuit of knowledge regarding livelihood.

[EddieBme]

Let me start off with some info about me, I am 22 without kids, a girlfriend, house payment or car payment, and have always been able to live below my means no matter how many hours I work (to an extent) meaning the whole atypical broke billiards player wouldn't be an obstacle for me. So without allot of typical bills I'm able to put my focus less on work and more on perfecting my pool game, my aim to is to practice 20 hours a week (I work about the same) to become the runout player I need to be to compete at top levels. I am just a local player with a vision and dedication and what appears to be a great opportunity to do something I would love doing for a living. That has actually prompted me to focus more on the living/professional aspect of most of the "professionals". I see that the 2nd (Fargorate) player in the world (SVB) has this year alone accumulate something like 38k, obviously I cant compete anywhere near that level yet, nor make that amount of money, but thats what my training and competition exposure are for, to prepare me for that competitive pressure. My first thoughts are that I've noticed through watching online tournaments like CSI BCAPL, CSI invitational, or any the US Open tournaments have what appear to be several tournament formats, some only open to members of that affiliation (pay dues, whatever) to compete, whereas others seem to be first come first serve, while yet even other tournaments are invitational only based on skill. How do I determine where tournaments are, and info about them. Ive read several forum posts about what constitutes a professional player, but I seem to be missing allot of info from going from a local player with a part time job to a professional who is able to manage their expenses and winnings from travel. I understand as a billiards player you need to sometimes act as the ref., your own coordinator, recruiter, the player, and everything in between. Which begs the question, what about sponsors, in most other sports you get chosen to be part of that team by a talent recruiter, but without that team aspect it leaves everything to the player, but where to start? To recap, I'm putting in serious training at a local bar, but im not sure how you go from a bar room player (whether the best or worst) to the professional status player who can win (in SVBs' case 140+k). As an example you don't see too many people that pop up from their basement literally from no-where to win championships, So is it (after loads of training) just firing the 50$ after 50$ into a tournament in hopes of your talent carrying you to the win or are there other options like tutoring Ive just not been able to find thus far. To be fair I certainly don't feel like im ready for tournaments esp. anything major, I would just like to understand the process that a professional pool player ( who makes a living doing it) goes through to find new tournaments to play in to possibly win money from, do they each have a little black book with Tournament names, dates, fees and checkboxes if they qualify? I'm serious about playing professionally, much more so, I feel, than most anyone at the local pool room even if I am not the best there. Im looking for a direction to head towards, a goal to try to reach.. anyone with ideas, pointers, or even a response from someone who was able to make that transition from local league play to USBT 9 ball championships for eg.

Go for Snooker, if you're in it for the money.

 

[M.Ghost]

I had noticed that euro tours pay out so much more money, but pool is something I love, and I would like to see pool elevated to the same status that Snooker is in the EU. What I wold do if given the chance is promote the heck out of the game (sport) and share this wonderful gem with others, for example, how many people drink beer, smoke etc, while practicing on the field or on the court, none that I know of, but its also how the public perceives the game, is it a local amusement while you drink or is it a concise, scientific sport requiring the utmost discipline, that to me is the conundrum.

 

[Black-Balled]

I wouldn't take svb as an example. His experience is similar to about .0010023% of pool players.

Not that it would be impossible to replicate or surpass, but it would be foolish for any of us to think we could replicate his situation.
Life can provide an easy period.

Takingit up front usually has consequences.

All the cautionary comments are coming from folks that love pool, btw.

Wow guys, Im really impressed with the community here, and the interactions and suggestions, just amazing, the support.

Ive got a few older books like Byrnes' new standard of Pool and Billiards, Morins' Pool techniques and tricks, and "Minnesota Fats" on pool. Apart from those books Ive got an active sub to both Joe Tuckers' profesional pocket billiards, He has amazing videos for racks and breaking (the most important shot of the game IMHO) and Max Eberles' Pro Pool Academy. I also had a chance to look at VEPS from Dr. Dave from a friend in San Marcos, most of the basic and a good portion of the advanced shots I already comprehended, but that doesn't mean theres not plenty of room for improvement however

I started at 18 with great instruction from my father who tells me that he could at one point name the players in a state that could beat him. I feel like im off to a good start with the information at my disposal, and watching the top professionals play for hours on hours on Youtube really helps me see and gauge how much more practice I need, and it seems obtainable.

Now I cant break and run rack after rack yet, but I do get those games in where it seems like I'm playing above my level, my opponent never leaves his chair, and my break is working fantastic, it just comes down to the level of consistency at which I'm able to play. Having started playing 9 ball first my focus was on position play, but then when I bought a BCA rule book and found One Pocket and 14.1, I realized I should focus on the other aspects of the game just as vigorously, like safeties, shot selection, the mental game, etc.

I haven't had any one on one instruction except from my dad, but with my gopro I hope to analyze my stroke, shot selection and other fundamentals to ensure I am setting up a great foundation for later game play, I have several other tools I use, like laminated table diagrams and a dry erase marker so I can record shots I miss in a game, and can later go back to practice those particular shots. Thankfully the pool room/bar (I don't drink while playing) I go to have good diamond bar boxes and one 9ft Brunswick? and the pool is typically free so Im able to come and go as I please.

As far as dedication to the game, I've seen that it does take remarkable consistency to play at those top levels, which is why I don't settle for the beat up balls they give you at the pool room, I bring my own set and a magic rack, the balls I polish every week or so, but I'm ensuring not only BCA equip. standards but also an even higher level of consistency on my break, equal weight distribution, ball rolls, skid, etc. My playing cue has been a Joss209 with a original Z shaft for 3 years now, and I foolishly sold my McDermott Stinger jump/break for a sneaky pete cue I use to break with right now, I used to be against gloves, right up until I started playing with mine, now I try not to play without it.

Also back to the example of SVB, which would be a best case scenario, hes made well over a million playing pool and has made well over 100k per year in the last 8 years with the exception of 2010 ($93,391), and I do remember a comment in a match where the commentator explained that Shane approached said commentator about what he should do with his winnings in his savings ( some 250k If i remember correctly), Shane opened up a apartment complex I think, in
Sioux Falls, so I would count him among the few sportsmen across any sport that has wisely invested his money, in comparison to million dollar contracted professional basketball players broke soon after retiring from the league.

 

[Tramp Steamer]

I am surprised this many people gave their 2 cents.

It's because we haven't got anything better to do.
Every now and then a world beater wannabe pool player shows up and tells the membership that he's the next best thing to come along since sliced bread. I think Sam was the last one to declare his intentions on joining the pro ranks.
This Op got the same responses as Sam did. Anywhere from you gotta follow that dream to wherever that dream may lead, to get a job at McDonalds and amount to something.
We all know what the real answer is, but like I said, it's something to do on a slow day. :smile:

 

[Black-Balled]

It's because we haven't got anything better to do.
Every now and then a world beater wannabe pool player shows up and tells the membership that he's the next best thing to come along since sliced bread. I think Sam was the last one to declare his intentions on joining the pro ranks.
This Op got the same responses as Sam did. Anywhere from you gotta follow that dream to wherever that dream may lead, to get a job at McDonalds and amount to something.
We all know what the real answer is, but like I said, it's something to do on a slow day. :smile:

True that.

What happened to Sam? I see no posts from him since at least 5.1.16

 

[Tramp Steamer]

True that.

What happened to Sam? I see no posts from him since at least 5.1.16

My guess, BB, is reality set in and he's a bit embarrassed, or he was jerking us around in the first place and is over on SpaceBook bragging about it. Who knows?

 

[Rain-Man]

If you aren't a top shortstop by 22, you aren't going to make it. Why not pick a career path , a trade, whatever and work at tgat awhile? You can be set for life and play pool too.

There is no money in this game. Most guys peak by the time they hit 30.

^^^This^^^

Sorry, I really don't mean to be a dream crusher, but there just isn't any money to be made as a pool player.

 

[book collector]

Let me start off with some info about me, I am 22 without kids, a girlfriend, house payment or car payment, and have always been able to live below my means no matter how many hours I work (to an extent) meaning the whole atypical broke billiards player wouldn't be an obstacle for me. So without allot of typical bills I'm able to put my focus less on work and more on perfecting my pool game, my aim to is to practice 20 hours a week (I work about the same) to become the runout player I need to be to compete at top levels. I am just a local player with a vision and dedication and what appears to be a great opportunity to do something I would love doing for a living. That has actually prompted me to focus more on the living/professional aspect of most of the "professionals". I see that the 2nd (Fargorate) player in the world (SVB) has this year alone accumulate something like 38k, obviously I cant compete anywhere near that level yet, nor make that amount of money, but thats what my training and competition exposure are for, to prepare me for that competitive pressure. My first thoughts are that I've noticed through watching online tournaments like CSI BCAPL, CSI invitational, or any the US Open tournaments have what appear to be several tournament formats, some only open to members of that affiliation (pay dues, whatever) to compete, whereas others seem to be first come first serve, while yet even other tournaments are invitational only based on skill. How do I determine where tournaments are, and info about them. Ive read several forum posts about what constitutes a professional player, but I seem to be missing allot of info from going from a local player with a part time job to a professional who is able to manage their expenses and winnings from travel. I understand as a billiards player you need to sometimes act as the ref., your own coordinator, recruiter, the player, and everything in between. Which begs the question, what about sponsors, in most other sports you get chosen to be part of that team by a talent recruiter, but without that team aspect it leaves everything to the player, but where to start? To recap, I'm putting in serious training at a local bar, but im not sure how you go from a bar room player (whether the best or worst) to the professional status player who can win (in SVBs' case 140+k). As an example you don't see too many people that pop up from their basement literally from no-where to win championships, So is it (after loads of training) just firing the 50$ after 50$ into a tournament in hopes of your talent carrying you to the win or are there other options like tutoring Ive just not been able to find thus far. To be fair I certainly don't feel like im ready for tournaments esp. anything major, I would just like to understand the process that a professional pool player ( who makes a living doing it) goes through to find new tournaments to play in to possibly win money from, do they each have a little black book with Tournament names, dates, fees and checkboxes if they qualify? I'm serious about playing professionally, much more so, I feel, than most anyone at the local pool room even if I am not the best there. Im looking for a direction to head towards, a goal to try to reach.. anyone with ideas, pointers, or even a response from someone who was able to make that transition from local league play to USBT 9 ball championships for eg.

Think of the life of a top professional pool player as an endless hall, with a million doors, every door is harder than the last one, there are side doors and sometimes those need to be taken , but there will be no one there to help you , for most of them but you, to figure out which way to go,
If there is someone willing to help, most times they will be experts at deceit, and are actually trying to trick you for a myriad of reasons! Usually money!
You have to be able to figure that out on your own also!
You are here, asking for help, to find the town, so someone will tell you the street to get through the yard, to get to the first door.
Do you see how ridiculous it is?
I'm not saying this to hurt your feelings, but you are talking about pissing away some of the best years of your life, and even if you got to where you only missed 1 ball a day, it wouldn't matter , someone would make a game with you, where you could only miss 1 ball every 2 days and you still wouldn't win.
Pool isn't just about making balls, that's the easy part.

 

[Colonel]

You need at least 50-60 hours a week & talent. 20 hours won't do. Good luck with that though

 

[Flip_dat_Quarta]

Let me start off with some info about me, I am 22 without kids, a girlfriend, house payment or car payment, and have always been able to live below my means no matter how many hours I work (to an extent) meaning the whole atypical broke billiards player wouldn't be an obstacle for me. So without allot of typical bills I'm able to put my focus less on work and more on perfecting my pool game, my aim to is to practice 20 hours a week (I work about the same) to become the runout player I need to be to compete at top levels. I am just a local player with a vision and dedication and what appears to be a great opportunity to do something I would love doing for a living. That has actually prompted me to focus more on the living/professional aspect of most of the "professionals". I see that the 2nd (Fargorate) player in the world (SVB) has this year alone accumulate something like 38k, obviously I cant compete anywhere near that level yet, nor make that amount of money, but thats what my training and competition exposure are for, to prepare me for that competitive pressure. My first thoughts are that I've noticed through watching online tournaments like CSI BCAPL, CSI invitational, or any the US Open tournaments have what appear to be several tournament formats, some only open to members of that affiliation (pay dues, whatever) to compete, whereas others seem to be first come first serve, while yet even other tournaments are invitational only based on skill. How do I determine where tournaments are, and info about them. Ive read several forum posts about what constitutes a professional player, but I seem to be missing allot of info from going from a local player with a part time job to a professional who is able to manage their expenses and winnings from travel. I understand as a billiards player you need to sometimes act as the ref., your own coordinator, recruiter, the player, and everything in between. To recap, I'm putting in serious training at a local bar, Which begs the question, what about sponsors, in most other sports you get chosen to be part of that team by a talent recruiter, but without that team aspect it leaves everything to the player, but where to start?but im not sure how you go from a bar room player (whether the best or worst) to the professional status player who can win (in SVBs' case 140+k). As an example you don't see too many people that pop up from their basement literally from no-where to win championships, So is it (after loads of training) just firing the 50$ after 50$ into a tournament in hopes of your talent carrying you to the win or are there other options like tutoring Ive just not been able to find thus far. To be fair I certainly don't feel like im ready for tournaments esp. anything major, I would just like to understand the process that a professional pool player ( who makes a living doing it) goes through to find new tournaments to play in to possibly win money from, do they each have a little black book with Tournament names, dates, fees and checkboxes if they qualify? I'm serious about playing professionally, much more so, I feel, than most anyone at the local pool room even if I am not the best there. Im looking for a direction to head towards, a goal to try to reach.. anyone with ideas, pointers, or even a response from someone who was able to make that transition from local league play to USBT 9 ball championships for eg.

There are tournaments all over the country, every day of the week. Over 99% of all tournaments are open to anyone. All you have to do is sign up and pay the entry fee.

Facebook is the easiest way to find tournaments. Most tournaments are recurring: monthly, weekly, annually, etc. So every time a tournament is coming up the promoter will go on Facebook and tag all of his pool playing friends in a tournament flyer. You should find top players on Facebook and creep on their wall to find flyers.

Most players start out playing league pool. If they are good they'll quickly rise to the top of the league and move on to tournaments. During the week they'll play in a few tournaments which are usually pretty small (10-20 players) with small entry fees ($15) and small payouts ($100 - $150).

On the weekends they'll travel within a few hours of their house to go to monthly tournaments where the owner usually adds $500 - $1000 to the pot. Monthly tournaments are more expensive ($40 entry + Calcutta) with more players (40 - 60 players) and higher payouts ($1500 - $3000).

Most players play their whole lives without ever winning monthly tournaments. If you are consistently winning monthly tournaments you are usually semi pro level. At that point you can start traveling across the country to bigger tournaments where the owner adds $5000 minimum. Travel can get pretty expensive so you need to cash in a lot of tournaments to make it worth your while. You'll also need to be willing to stay late after the tournament's over to gamble and win more money.

So that's the general process. As of right now you need to network with other players via Facebook to find local tournaments. In the mean time keep practicing. You've got a long road ahead of you. Go get 'em!

As far as sponsors go, there aren't a lot of sponsors in this sport. Which is the reason it's so hard to make a living as a professional pool player. Unless you are very well known and are a favorite to cash in any top pro tournaments then you're not going to get a sponsor. A backer on the other hand is much easier to find. These are rich guys that can't play pool themselves but love to gamble. They'll back you in an action match and if you win you'll get the half the profit. If you lose, you don't lose anything. Only the backer's money is at risk. All good players have at least 1 backer for high stakes matches.

As for defining a "professional", there is no specific designation. Since there is not a professional pool tour, there isn't any way to differentiate between a pro and amateur. There isn't any need to either.

 

[commswatch]

Congrats on catching the bug that so many of us had/have. Dreams! Hopes! Money! Fame! Women!
(Yeah, I thought women...I was clueless). Pool game progression is kinda like a cactus with 4" needles, and you gotta climb that *****, buck ass naked, with swollen balls.
You can be smart, at the beginning of your climb, and seek professional help with your fundamentals. Early fundamentals foundation will shave 50% of the needles off that cactus. Or you can be like most of us....learn the hard way. Lose money - get pissed - lose tourney - get pissed - eventually you'll watch, learn, and improve, slowly.
Go to tournaments. play under pressure/stress, whenever possible play people BETTER than you and pay attention. Go to YouTube...TONS of videos on instruction, amatuer and pro matches, home matches...LOTS of info on youtube - "Tor Lowry" has some great videos out there for free on youtube.
As for how to get to "PRO-STATUS" or "sponsored"....put those thoughts aside. They will come
to you by themselves without your intervention. Play leagues or tourneys....get to where your at the top of your field in your respective area....then branch out. Get up that cactus!
Here's how many of us climbed that cactus....
1. Become the best in (insert podunk hometown name)
2. Take your awesome game to a small tourney in a "not so podunk town"
3. Lose your ass
4. Become one of the best in the "not so podunk town"
5. Take your awesome game to a Big Tourney! Show em who you are!
6. Lose your ass

Now, this last step is where it counts the most. Sometime prior to step #6.....you've probably
either A: given up the game completely, or B: Fallen in love with the game. If "B"...you no longer
play pool with the dream of making a living at it, being sponsored, or having a "pro" label attached to some stupid nickname attached to you. You play the game because it's the most beautiful and intricate game/sport on the planet. bar none.

AARRGGHH...I work 12 hour night shifts, on my ass, with access to a computer. I'm gonna ramble. =)

 

[jasonlaus]

20hrs of practice a week is not nearly enough.

Watch the top players on youtube, pay attention to what side of the ball they end up on, notice the patterns the play, then try to copy

 

[Colonel]

There are many players who can do what the "pros" do on any given night, physically. There are far, far less that can do what the "pros" do mentally, and there are far less who can do it as consistently as the"pros"do it.

This above is really the crux of the biscuit. What you will find in your journey is that it takes years of immersion, preferably at the youngest age possible to develop the physical skills & experience needed to play at an elite level.

Once that is accomplished & you've got the game then the real hurdle presents itself. While you may have mastered the 4 1/2 x 9' table you're playing on the real task now confronting you at that point is mastering the 7x8 sitting on top of your neck. With players of equal skill levels it's the mastery of the mental game that decides who's a champion & who's an also ran. It's far tougher than mastering the table. Spend time on meditation, self hypnosis as much as your physical game, it would behoove you to do so from the onset of your journey.

 

[Scaramouche]

Go for Snooker, if you're in it for the money.

http://www.livesnooker.com/category...t-following-world-championship-20160504-0001/

You have to go to the UK to find the type of competition to get you good enough to win at Q school and gain admittance.

Latest World Rankings (Top 100 only)

In pounds, not dollars, huge travel expenses, a financial disaster if you can't knock off the top players.

1 Mark Selby 680,041
2 Stuart Bingham 586,720
3 Judd Trump 453,166
4 Shaun Murphy 450,058
5 Neil Robertson 406,360
6 John Higgins 400,925
7 Mark Allen 392,700
8 Ricky Walden 324,752
9 Ding Junhui 314,925
10 Ronnie O'Sullivan 296,250
11 Joe Perry 290,083
12 Marco Fu 253,241
13 Mark Williams 237,375
14 Barry Hawkins 228,025
15 Martin Gould 217,759
16 Kyren Wilson 195,899
--------------------------
17 Liang Wenbo 187,101
18 Stephen Maguire 181,450
19 Michael White 178,033
20 Alan McManus 163,951
21 Robert Milkins 163,644
22 David Gilbert 155,683
23 Ryan Day 153,807
24 Graeme Dott 151,483
25 Matthew Selt 150,000
26 Mark Davis 139,877
27 Ben Woollaston 137,699
28 Anthony McGill 135,017
29 Michael Holt 133,533
30 Luca Brecel 130,357
31 Peter Ebdon 123,842
32 Allister Carter 121,050
33 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 103,207
34 Jimmy Robertson 98,372
35 Jamie Jones 98,183
36 Mark King 97,717
37 Mike Dunn 87,430
38 Dominic Dale 87,308
39 Jack Lisowski 86,149
40 Fergal O'Brien 85,925
41 Mark Joyce 79,691
42 Gary Wilson 79,674
43 Tom Ford 79,533
44 Matthew Stevens 79,018
45 Dechawat Poomjaeng 78,290
46 Sam Baird 76,107
47 Rod Lawler 75,724
48 Tian Pengfei 74,616
49 Rory McLeod 72,716
50 Kurt Maflin 72,283
51 Xiao Guodong 71,045
52 Li Hang 70,925
53 Joe Swail 66,997
54 Zhou Yuelong 65,658
55 Robbie Williams 65,174
56 Andrew Higginson 64,358
57 Ken Doherty 63,983
58 Jamie Burnett 60,608
59 Robin Hull 60,566
60 David Grace 59,516
61 Oliver Lines 50,808
62 Ian Burns 50,622
63 Yu Delu 50,400
64 Stuart Carrington 49,431
----------------------------
65 Zhang Anda (AT OoM) 45,816
66 Gerard Greene (R) 45,132
67 Liam Highfield (ET OoM) 44,716
68 Craig Steadman (R) 42,999
69 David Morris (R) 42,233
70 Mitchell Mann (ET OoM) 40,791
71 Anthony Hamilton (ET OoM) 39,223
72 Cao Yupeng (R) 38,175
73 Peter Lines (R) 36,525
74 Lee Walker (ET OoM) 32,833
75 Alfie Burden* 30,100
76 Michael Georgiou (R) 28,591
77 Martin O'Donnell* 26,875
78 Jamie Cope* 25,100
79 Joel Walker (R) 24,666
80 Ross Muir * 24,150
81 Scott Donaldson (ET OoM) 23,541
82 Noppon Saengkham* 23,500
83 Chris Wakelin* 21,700
84 Nigel Bond* 18,775
85 Zak Surety (R) 14,616
86 Michael Wasley (R) 14,582
87 Daniel Wells* 14,300
88 Barry Pinches (R) 13,639
89 Hossein Vafaei Ayouri* 13,625
90 Sean O'Sullivan* 13,250
91 Christopher Melling (R) 12,757
92 Darryl Hill* 11,550
93 Michael Leslie (R) 11,422
94 Tony Drago (R) 10,941
95 Rhys Clark* 9,825
96 Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon (R) 8,800
97 Sanderson Lam* 8,700
98 Zhang Yong* 8,000
99 Paul Davison* 7,750
100 Lu Ning (R) 6,817

 

[jojopiff]

You're 22 years old without anything holding you back. Put your focus on this dream for a couple/few years and see where you're at. People will tell you to get a career or whatever. Don't listen to them. You're at the point in your life where you should be doing what you're talking about, be it pool or musician or artist or chess player.

Important part is being honest with yourself, and knowing when to make pool a hobby instead of a career. Be it in 1 year, or 3 years.

Good luck and good rolls man. Hope you make it big.

 

[patavana]

Take the fast track. Get a job in the pool room, work 40 a week slinging burgers and beer, play 68 hours a week or more, sleep the remaining 60 hours or less. You will be a competitive player within three years. Or the father of 1 child looking for a better job.

 

[Rhea]

Ask Sam Lambert or Rhea.

Don't listen to anyone on AZB. Do what you feel you can do. Honestly no one can judge you but you. All human beings have the capacity to push themselves as far as they need to. You should be proud of your accomplishments and of your dreams no matter how outlandish they may seem to others.

I am pretty happy right now doing what I do. I don't play pool full time but I do wish that I still did. I do not regret ever trying to follow my dream. And I don't believe I am done either. I just happen to be taking a break since I have a temporary job for now making less than I made when I was on the road doing what I love.

 

[GoldCrown]

Don't listen to anyone on AZB. Do what you feel you can do. Honestly no one can judge you but you.
I am pretty happy right now doing what I do. I don't play pool full time but I do wish that I still did. I do not regret ever trying to follow my dream..

I do not expect you to disclose your personal finances to anyone but are you happy with your life savings right now. Got everything covered? Medical & car insurance. Have a nice car. Credit cards paid off. Other than following dreams would you take the same path. Your life, your business....you're suggesting playing pool for livelihood is ok. I'd love to play pool for a living. Also would like to be a great musician, dancer. Can you honestly say pool pays. Yes follow your dreams if the talent is there. Otherwise follow your daydreams....and they ain't paying the bills....but a person will have a good time..........................until it catches up.

You're telling the OP to go for it....... would you like to see how good he is or isn't first? To work and start saving/investing at 22 pays off later.

 

[KissedOut]

OP, you've been playing since you were 18 and you are now 22 and preparing for a pro career? And you are going to be going up against people like Shane, who has been playing since he was a little kid? I asked a couple of the best players at the place I play at when they started playing seriously. Every answer was in the low teens or earlier. And these are terrific players - one went hill-hill in a match against Shane.

None of them would ever dream of trying to make their living playing pool. And chances are they are not only way better than you are, they are way better than you are likely to get in 5 years, practicing 20 hours a week. Most of them play more than that even now.

But here is the unvarnished truth:

You need to do some serious introspection to find out whether this is not just a way to procrastinate growing up. It is hard to imagine that having been surrounded by pool all your life, this burning desire just now emerging at age 22, the very age where young men are expected to have some notion of starting to make their place in life.

Someone with an actual burning desire capable of fueling a ride to the top would have gotten it a lot sooner and be a lot better by now than you represent yourself. If you had a true burning desire you would not have been able to help yourself from constantly being at the table, playing, practicing, learning. By 22 you would be able to beat every decent player within 100 miles, if you really had the talent and desire to make a living playing pool. The fact that you are, really, just starting out to get serious speaks volumes about both.

Sure it is easy for people to cheer-lead and say "Go for it!" and cite examples of people who were told they would never make it and did. These are great stories but they are great stories because that happening is very rare. For every one that people will cite to encourage you, there are hundreds or thousands of case where that burning desire was just not enough. It is like being encouraged to buy a lottery ticket because "someone has to win". Sure, that is true, but it is not a basis to build a life on.

Do something real.

 

[AtLarge]

... Latest World Rankings (Top 100 only)

In pounds, not dollars, huge travel expenses, a financial disaster if you can't knock off the top players. ...

And I think that list is 2 years of earnings, as they use a rolling 2-year basis for their rankings.

On the other hand, not all good-paying snooker events are ranking tournaments, so some players earn more money than is shown on the rankings list.