I've barely touched the surface of this huge subject and I'd welcome comments....Is it possible to make a living out of playing poker
Is it possible?.... In short, yes.... Although, it's also possible to become a millionaire by winning the lottery.... Where I am from, you've got a better chance of being struck by lightening.... Twice (yes 2 times).... Then winning the lottery...
Now if a person is a natural mathematician with statistical knowledge and took a few months to do extensive research on poker, they would be far more likely to succeed after a short time of loss. Granted they had the ability to apply text book knowledge with real life experience quickly and constructively.
Although most of the poker industry will stop at nothing to convince potential players otherwise. The reality is, if a new player that is entirely uneducated in poker begins to win when they first start to play. They are 99.9% likely to just be having a good run of cards. Good luck has taken some new players into the millions, but just like almost all lottery winners they quickly go broke. Simply because they don't have the experience to manage that sort of bankroll or the ability to recognize that they were winning because of luck and that luck has run out. In other words.... They don't know when to hold'em and when to fold'em....