Can you turn professional poker player through playing home games?

[magnus2022]

If you want to turn professional poker player, play games that involves financial commitments. Home games are mostly played with near zero stakes. Home games lacks competitive edge that will quicken your thinking and put some pressures on you. Losing few bucks will help a poker player to redefine his approach. Secondly, you are too familiar with the players and their playing patterns. But in cash games you will be different players with diverse playing strategies.
Through my personal experience, i realized that home games makes you dormant, unresponsive to changing game patterns because you have not to lose?
what's your thought on this?

 

[Kross]

I know the stakes are so low when you play poker home games. But I tend to place home games on a very high pedestal. I am hoping to be a pro poker player some day and home games have given me much value in that regards. With home games, I always have the chance to experiment new strategies that I learn online without the pressure and fear of financial losses. I think home games played a major role in my quick tests of all those poker theories I learned online.

 

[Nomad]

I think it is possible to become pro just by playing at home, however, whether you can do it or not is a different matter. You need to to continuously learn, build strategies and play a lot

 

[BenMachineSmith]

I think it is possible to become pro just by playing at home, however, whether you can do it or not is a different matter. You need to to continuously learn, build strategies and play a lot

There is a semi famous pro that plays home games at a very high percentage, almost 100%. His name is MJ Gonzalez. He was the guy that coached Daniel Negreanu to play the heads up game vs Doug Polk.

 

[Bawse]

Not really. Home games are mostly recreational players, and dominating those fields can separate you from the pack. However, once you move up stakes you'll face tougher competition.

 

[1stop]

I doubt it. Home games are more like vibes and banter. Snacks, jokes, distraction are everywhere. Professional level games needs structure and discipline. I’ve seen guys hype themselves from small wins at home and they couldn't do same in reality.

 

[Scorpion Girl]

That makes a lot of sense honestly. You' are right. when there's real money on the line and you're playing against different people with varied strategies, you have to stay sharp and adapt. Home games with friends probably don't push you mentally the same way. The stakes and unfamiliar opponents definitely force you to think harder and improve faster.