Today we’d like to introduce you to Adric High.
Hi Adric, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started playing poker eight years ago. I was working at Olive Garden at the time & some of my coworkers and I started playing $20 games every Sunday night. After about a year, I visited my first casino and took a shot at a slightly bigger game. For the first time in my life, I bought in for $100! I managed to make $430 on the night & the idea of playing poker for a living started to come to mind. I started looking for every game I could find & before I knew it I was playing 30+ hours a week while at the same time serving/bartending for 35 hours a week. The games in central Illinois are very limited though, so in 2017/18, I found myself making trips to Vegas every other month to test myself in bigger games. Unfortunately, this didn’t always go as well as planned. Time and time again, I would miss manage my bankroll & go broke. But thankfully, I had a decent job waiting for me when I got home that would help the recovery process. In 2018, I felt comfortable enough with my skill level & bankroll to quit my bartending job & start playing poker full time. In 2021, I started noticing the games in my area slowing down. My hourly rate was down & the games just didn’t run as consistently as they once did.
Last summer, I decided to gamble & move me and my two dogs to Austin. The poker scene is amazing & on top of the endless opportunities that this city offers, it just seemed like a no brainer. My time here has been Rocky to start mostly due to non poker related issues that have hindered me. But I am happier than I have ever been & I know that I will come out ahead in the long run as long as I stay focused & maintain a positive attitude!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Poker bankroll issues have been my biggest problem. My family grew up very poor & my parents never had extra money to actually show me how to save. Every time my dad got paid, it went straight to either bills or groceries. I spent my 20’s wasting so much money on materialistic items whenever I had a big win. When I should really be putting that money towards my poker bankroll so I can move up the stakes & eventually play in bigger games. Now that I am in my 30’s, I have gotten much better at managing my role. Money management is such an important skill when it comes to playing poker for a living & is very commonly overlooked until it’s too late.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As a professional poker player, I have the luxury to set my own hours. But I still have to put in the time, I can’t just play for one night a week & expect to keep my head above water. Players are constantly getting better & adjusting to your tendencies. So it’s up to you as a player to spend time away from the table to study & improve your game.
What’s next?
My plan is to continue making YouTube videos & growing my channel. I also want to bring more people into the game & show them that it’s not as intimidating as TV makes it look. Austin has one of the biggest poker scenes in the world & most people don’t know it yet. My Vlogs give an inside look into my life & what it’s like to play for a living and deal with the inevitable swings.
Contact Info:
- Email: Flopsetturnboat@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/adrichigh?r=nametag
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC4qd716lLd3GXdj7MjLjw3A
Image Credits
@hayleyochophoto
