I suck at poker..

[Jason]

Damn...

I've recently become a little interested in Texas Holdem....but I suck. I haven't played with any 'real' money yet, but based on my experiences, I don't think I should. Been trying my luck/skilz on pokerstars.com

I suck...:crying:

[Tigerkn]

You are not suck until you loose in the end playing with real $$$. Your game will be completely difference when real $$$ involve. Like anything, it takes a lot of practice. I do not go to casino to play unless I am in Vegas but for the last 3 home game at friends house with (small) $$$ involved, I walked out very happy. Good luck!

[Jason]

You are not suck until you loose in the end playing with real $$$. Your game will be completely difference when real $$$ involve. Like anything, it takes a lot of practice. I do not go to casino to play unless I am in Vegas but for the last 3 home game at friends house with (small) $$$ involved, I walked out very happy. Good luck!

I really like the game when I watch it on TV and all, but apparently don't know squat on when/how to bet....

Practice is needed indeed.....

I'm not much of a gambler by nature. I got married in Vegas, but spend pretty much most of our money on food and shows, lol...(was there for a week and probably only gambled @$500)....

[edward]

It's best if you stick with the play $$$$. i do.
you may get frustrated if you lose but your bank account stays the same.
It is a whole different game when playing for real dollars.
good luck

[rumonkey2]

Well, come on down then!

Damn...

I've recently become a little interested in Texas Holdem....but I suck. I haven't played with any 'real' money yet, but based on my experiences, I don't think I should. Been trying my luck/skilz on pokerstars.com

I suck...:crying:

Hmmmm....wanna take a visit to 'Bama?? I've got a seat open for ya...:eyebrows:;);)

And while it's good to learn the ins and outs w/ "free money", it's hard to hone the skill until yours is on the table...
Haven't played online in a while...keep mine to "private" games about 2 times a month with a local tourney now and again. Good thing I don't have "big" money to play with - but soon to be single, I see alot more playing in my future:yes:

[droht]

The thing to remember about Texas Hold Em is that it is an incredibly boring game if you are playing in a traditional way with betting limits. The key virtue is patience, because to play properly you need to fold almost every hand you see. On the net, for no money, people play very badly. Not a great idea to try and learn there.

No Limit tournaments are much more fun, imo, and require a very different strategy.

I think you can pretty easily learn Hold Em from a book. There are a bunch of "How To" books out there, written by many of the guys you see playing on TV. The book I'd recommend, however, is The Biggest Game In Town, by Al Alvarez. A great book that will teach you lots about Hold Em as you read it.

[graphicguy]

Hmmmm....wanna take a visit to 'Bama?? I've got a seat open for ya...:eyebrows:;);)

And while it's good to learn the ins and outs w/ "free money", it's hard to hone the skill until yours is on the table...
Haven't played online in a while...keep mine to "private" games about 2 times a month with a local tourney now and again. Good thing I don't have "big" money to play with - but soon to be single, I see alot more playing in my future:yes:

Price....you seem like the kind of person who could do well. But, I do agree with most everyone else, until it's your greenbacks on the table, it's a very different game.

I'm no pro by any stretch. I do play in two tournaments every year in Vegas. One is Binions (probably the biggest of them, with more than 700 amateurs (no pros allowed at that one). Won it once 3 years ago.

The other is a tournament over on the "Strip" at Paris. Haven't won that one, but have been to the "final table" a couple of times (and quickly dispatched from there).

Then, particularly in summer, there are local tournaments where 200-250 people get together to play. I see some of the same people at those. Those happen roughly about once/week and usually sponsored by one of the local churches or local sports groups to raise money.

Breaking it down to who plays (especially in Vegas), you've got guys (and girls) who play friendly games with their friends and neighbors. They don't risk much, they don't win (or lose) much, outside of their entrance fee (could be as little as $100-$200). They mostly play good hands and are easily intimidated if you're aggressive with them. You'll see that early in the tournament. They're easy to spot and exploit. You want them at your table early so you can build a chip lead.

You have the ones who seem to play most hands. Law of averages at that point. You know they aren't going to have a strong hand, every hand. Also easy to exploit. They try to "buy" most pots by betting big, a lot. They want to be seen as aggressive players. Also easy to exploit.

Then you have those who change their style...sometimes conservative, sometimes aggressive. Those are the hardest to play against. You try to look for patterns in their play, but it's hard to find any. They're also trying to find the same patterns with you.

Funny characters play in tournaments. You've got the guys (and girls) who come all decked out with what they've seen on TV.....sunglasses, ipods, hoodies, etc. Then, you've got the guys who see the bantering on TV and try to do the same. Some insult your play. Others try to get you to tip how you play with friendly banter. Then, you've got others who have more dollars than sense that they try to throw around. They want to be seen as "high rollers", whether they are, or aren't is a different story.

Bottom line, tournaments are a grind. The longest tournament I played in was 2 days. The Pros are in tournaments that last twice that. Over that period of time, you have to guard that you aren't getting tired and sloppy (developing patterns of play, and sending "tells"). You have to be keenly aware of the people at your table (which changes regularly).

Personally, I have to guard against intimidating, or being intimidated. The hands you throw away are just as important as the hands you play. No matter how good you think you are (again, too many see the personalities on TV and believe they must play the same to be successful), one bad read, one poorly played hand, one "what the hell was I thinking" moment, can send you home.

Find one person at each table you're going to "bust out". Then it's a matter of elimination on who/when you bust out that person, at each table you're seated at.

If there's one rule I think pertains to all Hold'em tournament is...."if you can't spot the sucker(s) at your table, the sucker is you".

Also, remember it's not the cards you're playing, it's all about the person(s) you're sitting across from.

[Kevin_Wadsworth]

That sounds like good advice, graphicguy. I only play a couple times a year with a ~$20 fee, but ever there the difference between play styles between that and with free money is vast. Without real money, everyone plays very loose so that they can be in hands. (An example, I was holding something like Jack, 9 and the flop comes up J,J,5. First to act bets ~75% of his chips and 3 people call. There's only one other jack out there - they can't all have good hands.) I wish that even with free money people would at least treat it like it's real.

Hold 'Em definitely a fun game, I wish I had the chance to play more often.

[graphicguy]

Kevin....it is a fun game. Like anything else, the more you play, the better you become.

While a lot of internet sites have sprung up, it's not real money. And, you can't sit in front of a person and get a "feel" for what they're going to do, or what they're thinking. More often the best hand wins online. That's not necessarily the case in a "live" game.

Live play is really the only way to get that experience. No matter if it's a $20 buy-in, or a $10K buy-in (like WSOP). You have to forget all about the buy-in, or the amount you risked.....other than to say, it's easier to be willing to lose $20, than you'd be willing to do with a....oh, I don't know....say a $500 buy-in.

Like in business, Hold-em is all about risk/reward. People who don't play crappy hands, aren't willing to risk anything. They play tight. I've never seen them win.

It's also all about confidence. Your "jacks" story reminds me of one. One local tournament I won last year came down to one hand. I went up against the chip leader (he had 3-1 compared to my stack). I had a 7-2 all black off-suit. Most would muck that hand. But, you have to change your style of play in a long tournament.

Flop came 3 hearts. Obviously, the flush was on everyone's mind. I made an aggressive bet pre-flop. Didn't take long for the most of the table to fold except to 2 other players, and me. The turn was another heart. Now, the flush was real. Guy to my left smirked a little, bet big. He'd hit his flush. If he'd hit it with a high heart, he probably would have gone "all-in". Guy to my right called (didn't raise). That meant, at least to me, that he may have hit the flush (or maybe a small pair), but probably it was with a little heart, based on his bet, and how he was super quiet. I knew another big raise would cause him to fold. I raised. He folded.

Now, it's heads up. River was a diamond 7. I paired my 7s. If my heads up partner was bluffing on the flush, he'd fold on that diamond 7. If he hit the flush, and had an Ace of hearts, he would have gone all in and either bust me, or at least buy me out of the pot. He should have checked, making me think he was trying to trap me. Instead, he put in a little raise.

So, I'm figuring he's probably thinking I've got a bigger flush than he does.

I pushed all of my chips in right behind him. He himmed and hawed, fidgeted. Finally, he folded.

I told him I'd show him my cards if he showed me his. He agreed. He had a Jack of hearts and a garbage card. When he turned them up, simultaneously, he asked if I had the Q,K or A of hearts. I showed him my black 7-2 off-suit.

He went on tilt. He lost all his chips shortly after that. He wasn't a bad player. He just lost confidence to read me (or anyone else at that point).

[droht]

I haven't fooled around with on line poker in quite a while, but I think it would be fun and funny to set up a private table on one of the sites and play with the crew here. Anyone up for that? Play money, of course, but bragging rights would be worth something...

[graphicguy]

I haven't fooled around with on line poker in quite a while, but I think it would be fun and funny to set up a private table on one of the sites and play with the crew here. Anyone up for that? Play money, of course, but bragging rights would be worth something...

I'm up for that. The Facebook poker games aren't bad.

[Tigerkn]

Nice story but obviously with 3-1 chips stack over you, the chip leader didn't know how to exercise the power of his stacks and let you push him around on the "River". He could of box you out on the "Turn" and I am sure you would of run and fold careless of how confidence you were.

Kevin....it is a fun game. Like anything else, the more you play, the better you become.

While a lot of internet sites have sprung up, it's not real money. And, you can't sit in front of a person and get a "feel" for what they're going to do, or what they're thinking. More often the best hand wins online. That's not necessarily the case in a "live" game.

Live play is really the only way to get that experience. No matter if it's a $20 buy-in, or a $10K buy-in (like WSOP). You have to forget all about the buy-in, or the amount you risked.....other than to say, it's easier to be willing to lose $20, than you'd be willing to do with a....oh, I don't know....say a $500 buy-in.

Like in business, Hold-em is all about risk/reward. People who don't play crappy hands, aren't willing to risk anything. They play tight. I've never seen them win.

It's also all about confidence. Your "jacks" story reminds me of one. One local tournament I won last year came down to one hand. I went up against the chip leader (he had 3-1 compared to my stack). I had a 7-2 all black off-suit. Most would muck that hand. But, you have to change your style of play in a long tournament.

Flop came 3 hearts. Obviously, the flush was on everyone's mind. I made an aggressive bet pre-flop. Didn't take long for the most of the table to fold except to 2 other players, and me. The turn was another heart. Now, the flush was real. Guy to my left smirked a little, bet big. He'd hit his flush. If he'd hit it with a high heart, he probably would have gone "all-in". Guy to my right called (didn't raise). That meant, at least to me, that he may have hit the flush (or maybe a small pair), but probably it was with a little heart, based on his bet, and how he was super quiet. I knew another big raise would cause him to fold. I raised. He folded.

Now, it's heads up. River was a diamond 7. I paired my 7s. If my heads up partner was bluffing on the flush, he'd fold on that diamond 7. If he hit the flush, and had an Ace of hearts, he would have gone all in and either bust me, or at least buy me out of the pot. He should have checked, making me think he was trying to trap me. Instead, he put in a little raise.

So, I'm figuring he's probably thinking I've got a bigger flush than he does.

I pushed all of my chips in right behind him. He himmed and hawed, fidgeted. Finally, he folded.

I told him I'd show him my cards if he showed me his. He agreed. He had a Jack of hearts and a garbage card. When he turned them up, simultaneously, he asked if I had the Q,K or A of hearts. I showed him my black 7-2 off-suit.

He went on tilt. He lost all his chips shortly after that. He wasn't a bad player. He just lost confidence to read me (or anyone else at that point).

[arthurs]

I haven't fooled around with on line poker in quite a while, but I think it would be fun and funny to set up a private table on one of the sites and play with the crew here. Anyone up for that? Play money, of course, but bragging rights would be worth something...

I'd be up for that....

[graphicguy]

Nice story but obviously with 3-1 chips stack over you, the chip leader didn't know how to exercise the power of his stacks and let you push him around on the "River". He could of box you out on the "Turn" and I am sure you would of run and fold careless of how confidence you were.

That's a good point. And, he didn't have the confidence. I did indeed push him around on the river card (when he should have been pushing me around, even though I got aggressive on him). But, I didn't know I could do that until I was sitting at the table, face-to-face with him (having played several hands against him over a period of time).

With that chip stack, and that strong of a hand, he could have pushed me off the pot fairly easily, and should have done so on the turn (if he'd have put me all in on the turn, I would have folded). Instead, I tested his confidence, and he showed his weakness in his confidence. Once that happened, he made some half hearted attempts at a few more pots, but it was clear he could no longer play in the style he was accustomed to, or preferred. He was sent off his game.

When he first sat down at the table, he was aggressive, not mucking many hands. With his chip lead, he could do that and no one was challenging him. Once I decided to challenge him, especially with his strong hand, he thought I was stronger.

What also happened at that point was, I owned the table after showing my bluff. No one knew what I would do. When someone tried to test my strength, and I made a move, they'd lay down for me holding hole pairs or strong straight flops. Whenever anyone was strong, and they came over the top of me, all I had to do was fold because I knew they would only play if they were very strong. I took a big chunk of their game away from them, and the possibility that I could be out flopped. That set the stage allowing me to do whatever I wanted to do at that particular table.

Point being, play your opponents, not necessarily the hand you're dealt.

[graphicguy]

If anyone else would like to join in, let's leave this open until tomorrow evening. We can see who's in, when we want to play, and then set up a time to meet over on Facebook.

Sound like a plan?