Fedor Holz's Top Tips for Becoming a Professional Poker Player

Poker pro Fedor Holz has shared his top three tips for those aspiring to become professional poker players. The first step, according to Holz, is to assess your current situation and skills. He advises conducting a thorough inventory of your poker career, including statistics, ROI, and results across all limits. This assessment helps in understanding your true level and planning your transition to professional poker.

Holz states that combining high-level poker with another professional activity is not possible. He believes that the lifestyles and time commitments are too different to manage both effectively. Therefore, if you have a full-time job, poker will always remain a hobby rather than a profession. Holz emphasizes the importance of being honest with yourself about your expectations and the time you can dedicate to poker.

Holz suggests that a small positive ROI in tournaments with an average buy-in of $5-$10 is a good starting point. He believes that with dedication and hard work, players can progress to mid-stakes and eventually high-stakes. Holz also advises regular work on the game, including using tools like ICM calculators and solvers to improve postflop play and refine pushfold with a short stack. He notes that playing with an accurate and well-learned preflop is a simple way to significantly improve your game.