The Life Rake.

Talking to Marq O'Neill last night in the Fitz, Marq was decked out in the dealer uniform looking his usual hairy self. A lot of people would think "oops, Marq must have gone broke at the tables and is trying to get a bankroll together", I knew that wasn't it. I knew partly 'cos Marq is too good a player but then even the best can go broke, mostly I knew because when you turn pro or semi pro (as I'd class both of us) you discover a strange phenomenon I call "The Life Rake"

How many times have you heard someone say "I made as much playing poker last year as I did working. Next year I'm thinking of going pro!" Do me a favour, in fact do all of us a favour and *slap* the head off him. Most likely what he really means is "Last year if you add up all my big wins and ignore the small losing nights and all my ex's... I made a fair bit of cash". If physical violence towards your friends doesnt work for you, then ask him a few questions. Ask him if he had a good year last year. Invariably he will look at you, eyes wide, and say something "didn't you hear me? Dude I made about as much from playing as working! I had a great year. Next year I'm going pro!"

So he had a great year and only broke even. Broke even?? Yeah. Because of The Life Rake. See a funny thing happens when you go pro and no one expects it but we all should. You jack in the job, buy yourself a killer pair of Oakleys, and wait for the sponsorship offers to roll in. But all that arrives is the ESB bill. So you pay it. And the NTL bill. And the rent. But you doing well at the tables in your local club and you dip into your bourgeoning bankroll. You're up big this month and you can afford it. But then the lads are going to Cork to play the 500 freezeout or London to hit the Gutshot. So you go with them and get knocked out of the tournie by an A7 holding muppet. Time to hit the cash games and so you get your money back and maybe even cover some of your ex's.  You return home to find you're tired, sick of cards for a day or two and worse, you dropped a small bit  on the trip. Then comes The Life Rake and your bankroll is a bit raggy. How did that happen? Well, while you may have nearly broken even on the trip, you were away from your job for a week.

"Job? I jacked that in!"... No you switched jobs. Your job now is to crank out the hours at the card table. Or online. And you clock hours with an hourly expectation. And you took a holiday to have a crack at a big tournie.

The point here is expressed neatly when you asked your if he had a good year and he said he had a great year. He had a great year and only made the same as he currently makes. What happens when he only has a reasonable year? Or god help him, a bad one. Who pays the Life Rake then?

My advice to your friend is, stick with the day job and enjoy the fact that he now makes a bundle from his hobby!