Apres-ski POKER - does a poker virgin stand a chance?

[Cliff Huckable]

I've decided poker is my route to riches, so I've bought Poker For Dummies. And I'm learning, but haven't actually played a game yet - which is OK 'cause I'm a complete tool at poker (and so many other things).

I'll probably play and practise online before I give myself up to money-hungry humans.

In the book they mention that Wilson Poker software is good...but the book seems not to have been updated since 2000.

What is a good program to learn poker (Texas Hold 'em, I guess, since it seems popular...?)...
...and what about sites for learning and/or playing?

Any advice is really appreciated.


This dude has been playing part-time for two years and he just won $8.25 million, so why can't I?

[dre66]

no limit hold 'em is the game of choice for most people these days. if you want to get good play online a bunch, although people don't tend to play seriously if it isn't for money. playing online just helps you understand the systems of blinds, etc.

study numbers a lot! really know the odds and percentages on each hand (i.e. what are the odds of hitting a nut flush or drawing to an open ended straight). start playing friendly games with friends for like $20 or w/e and you'll see how different the game flows at a real table for real money.

a lot of people will say poker is a game of people not numbers. i'm sure that must be true for those who are really good. for me personally (although i can ocassionally bluff my way through a few hands in a $20 game) i prefer to wait, fold, and play the odds until i can win big. this formula has worked thus far.

after that... be patient. the good hands will eventually come and if you play them right you will win.

[shera]

Good luck!

I'm just a little ahead of you. Pretty much hooked on hold em. Played 9 hours of low limit in Central City last Sunday and played in a free no limit tournament last week in Summit County. Probably playing tonight. Going to Vegas in December.

I don't like playing on the internet. Don't know why. I'm sure I would benefit from the practice.

I'm reading some books.

[GoNads]

Beginners luck.. you're more or less set your first time 'round.

[Steepdeepnlong]

You're welcome in our game. Saturday, 9pm. Bring your money.

[toiletduck]

Play a lot. Play for play money until you've got the grasp of the rules, play for cents until you've got a grasp of how to play for money, then play like 15c/25c or whatever to get a grasp of how it's actually played. (edit - oh, and if you want to get good quickly, play cash games not tournaments, play online not live. Tournaments are kind of like the lottery with a skill factor thrown in. All the hype around tournament pro's is a little out of proportion but sells well for TV...)

Spend a tenth of the time you spend playing reading books.

Best advice I can give you is don't be a fucking moron and use your common sense to figure out situations. It's not a game of numbers or of bluffing/reading/etc, it's about being logical and applying your logical conclusions to the situation.

You do need to know the math to work out the logic but it turns out there aren't actually that many combinations of different generic situations, so you'll figure it out sooner or later.

Oh, also - play for equity not for pride. Your aim is to get your money invested in profitable situations, not talk smack/act like you're amazing/playact like you're on TV. People like that are pretty much the gapers of poker and easy meat.