Toledo, Ohio – 'Pro' turned 'Rec'

[Ian McClellan]

I use the ‘Pro’ in quotes because I feel like it’s been so long since I played for a living. Graduating college in ’04, when poker was easy and the money was everywhere for the taking, I quit my first job in Advertising after about a year to pursue poker as a full-time gig. I live(d) in Toledo, OH, and played mostly in the Detroit Casinos – as well as the occasional trip across the river to Windsor. Low-limit grinder, sitting 1/2 & 1/3 averaging 8-12bb/hour @ 50 hours a week at the casino tables, playing in slew of home games and leagues to bolster the weekdays when the casinos were rather reggy and dead. Living the dream.

Some 10 months later, after managing to establish and maintain a consistent ~$5k bankroll, I decided that tournament poker would provide me instant (easy) millions, and split my bankroll down the middle to start playing some middle-stakes tourneys. Buying into several $500-1500 regionals with the Heartland Poker Tour and basically bricking or min-cashing, my bankroll and confidence were shot. I tried to go back to cash and recover for the next several weeks, but I had shot for the moon and missed, and decided to return to corporate life in 2007.

Since 2007, I have fluctuated the amount of time I have committed to poker. I have always played a couple times a month, but with 2 small children and running Marketing for a very successful commercial/industrial contractor in Northwest Ohio/Southeast Michigan, my poker is a side note. Through recent VLOG engagement with Brad Owen, Andrew Neeme, and the like, I have re-awakened my poker itch and can’t scratch it enough. I have gotten back to tracking my games, and while I still only get in maybe 4-8 hours a week locally with some random trips to Detroit, Windsor, Cleveland or Columbus to play, I am happy to be back at it with some level of consistency. The good news about playing so little, is that I only play at peak times, so my bb/hour is up around 12-12.5bb/hour, higher than I ever maintained back when I was playing full time.

I came to this forum with an open mind. I wanted to read the situations you all have been in and give my take, see what other opinions exist and how widely the play-styles vary. I am definitely on the nitty side of the spectrum, you will rarely catch me playing something completely wacky. Not a huge trapper, I think if you play on peak times in low limits, the best strategy I have is to play my hands very straight forward, and let math win the day.

Looking forward to weighing in on some hand histories and learning from you all!

[Author]

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