The first was to build up my bankroll over time until I had the $10,000 to buy a seat. Whenever I finished in the money in any tournament or cash game, I always put half the money in our family’s savings account and the other half into my poker bankroll. My entry fee for my first few tournaments had come out of the 5 percent of my paycheck that I set aside each week. After about six months, I had enough in my bankroll for my poker hobby to support itself. My wife was very happy about that. As my bankroll grew, I played in bigger tournaments with larger buy-ins and payouts. By the start of 2007, I’d built up more than $5,000, which meant, theoretically, I was halfway to a seat in the main event. However, I would never in a million years spend $10,000 to enter a single tournament. I am a businessman, and from a business perspective, it makes no sense to risk $10,000 in a tournament with over 6,000 entrants from around the world. In a tournament where fewer than 10 percent cash out, you have to be very lucky to win no matter how good you may be.
