Getting serious into Poker...any of you guys have any personal stories/tips?

[abu]

Started playing for about 3 months now and it's addicting.  I'm still a n00b but I have my moments.  What are some of your guys experiences or tips? 

 

[the north west]

tip

expect to lose all your money every time you play

I have been playing over 6 years btw

 

[jordan723]

ive been playing poker before it became popular on tv. its a fun game, lots of stress, and if u want to get serious about it you need to read books and stay sharpe. My biggest advice in playing poker is always know your position. Im the type of player that likes to keep other ppl guessing so i always and usually only get in the pot when i raise and i occasionally get in a pot if the price is right then I just call it. it will take tons of time to get better. another advice is always remember to stay patient and always switch it up, play tight then switch it and play aggressive. keep ur opponents guessing

 

[blazinrook]

in the 6 years, are your up or down?

 

[bijald0331]

.

 

[bijald0331]

.

 

[bijald0331]

played a lot in HS. Nice sized cash games and tourneys with high schoolers and college kids in the area. Won a pokerstars 10 dollar tourney when I was 15 (3000+ payout). Also snuck into and played at charitable casino games during high school. Still remember the day we were caught; UCONN lost to George Mason...

I get the itch every now and then and will add 25-50 bucks on PS. Won 500 bucks online in the fall.

 

[the north west]

Originally Posted by blazinRook

in the 6 years, are your up or down?

at the beginning I was down due to the learning curve, but I stuck with it and kept studying and playing to improve my game

so to answer your question I was down for the first 6 months but ever since then I have never had to redeposit into any of my poker accounts

I started out playing nl micro full ring and now I play heads up medium stakes

 

[sickickz23]

here's what I tell myself after playing hold'em for about six years:

50% luck/ 50% skill. Even applies to the pros. Have a nice mixture of playing your cards how you want to play em(position, etc) and playing decent to great hands preflop to the river the right way. If you don't end up in the money(at this point for me, I don't care if I win in tournaments. As long as I make the money and profit, that's all I care about), then it wasn't meant to be that night. If you're not mentally sharp and get tired easily then this game isn't for u. Oh and don't believe the movie "Rounders" lol. Pure entertainment.

Good luck and my lady luck and the poker gods shine upon you lol.

 

[abstrakt]

- Don't play when emotional/drunk/sleepy (on tilt).

- Quit while you're ahead.

 

[s0lefunk]

I picked up some poker book when I wanted to learn about pot odds and all that. One quote that still intrigues me was: (In regards to maximizing winnings in the long run) "If you win every pot you bluff, you aren't bluffing enough.." That includes pre- and post-flop bluffing.

If you are playing for the long haul then definitely look into the art of bluffing. I wish I could find the book but what it said made sense. Of course, this is all after you've learned the odds for making certain hands at any given round, pot odds, and pot commitment.

Hold'em is a great game but you definitely need to pick up some literature to understand how to play efficiently. But also remember as with any card game, luck is a factor. You will be on the receiving end of some bad beats no matter how "good" you are..

 

[21 world b free 21]

start playing stakes as small as possible. .01-.02 or .05-.1, play tight and learn reading what type of players you are playing with..are they loose do they call too much etc. If you have success at this leave use a portion of your winnings to play at the next highest level. If you lose drop back down and repeat if you win build. Keep building a substantial bankroll before steeping up levels completely. Poker is 100% skill over enough hands (hundreds of thousands or more) but the short term variations/luck can kill you if you don't approach it smart.

I started playing 6+ years ago by winning 3 dollars in a 200+ person 10 dollar freeroll (2nd place). from there I played dollar tournaments until i get a couple hundred dollars and then played micro limits, small tournies until I built up into the high hundreds. I've done this on a few sites, never put in money of my own and have cashed out 35k+.

I haven't played much in last few years but my biggest mistake was playing too many tables. I started with just one or two but was eventually playing 4. When poker got boring to me but I was still playing for the money I played 4-16 tables at a time all while watching TV instead of concentrating. I played the same low limits (.25/.5, .5/1) and never moved up. It decreased my variance but I never got better because I wasn't analyzing the other players, my play and each unique situation.

 

[jwong]

All-in every hand

 

[akuratl02]

Originally Posted by 21 World B Free 21

start playing stakes as small as possible. .01-.02 or .05-.1, play tight and learn reading what type of players you are playing with..are they loose do they call too much etc. If you have success at this leave use a portion of your winnings to play at the next highest level. If you lose drop back down and repeat if you win build. Keep building a substantial bankroll before steeping up levels completely. Poker is 100% skill over enough hands (hundreds of thousands or more) but the short term variations/luck can kill you if you don't approach it smart.

I started playing 6+ years ago by winning 3 dollars in a 200+ person 10 dollar freeroll (2nd place). from there I played dollar tournaments until i get a couple hundred dollars and then played micro limits, small tournies until I built up into the high hundreds. I've done this on a few sites, never put in money of my own and have cashed out 35k+.

I haven't played much in last few years but my biggest mistake was playing too many tables. I started with just one or two but was eventually playing 4. When poker got boring to me but I was still playing for the money I played 4-16 tables at a time all while watching TV instead of concentrating. I played the same low limits (.25/.5, .5/1) and never moved up. It decreased my variance but I never got better because I wasn't analyzing the other players, my play and each unique situation.

True $++* !!!  I agree with that.

What books can I read to increase my skill level? 

I have a short attention span, and I never really can focus on other players long enough to feel like I'm reading them correctly. 
Its either that or I become over analytical and read into every hand!

I gotta give recession proof TRE a call .. LOL.  Meet me @ Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun ... No online poker though.  Too many bad beats!
  

 

[vancity74]

Any tips? Get out while you can.

99% of poker players are losers - even guys you see on TV. There's only a handful of players that will make it out ahead. But mind you, I'm talking about high-stakes players.

Personally, I can beat the .25/.50 NLHE pretty consistently, but the money is such small potatoes it's hardly worth my time.

 

[chadleroy]

Originally Posted by Vancity74

Any tips? Get out while you can.

99% of poker players are losers - even guys you see on TV. There's only a handful of players that will make it out ahead. But mind you, I'm talking about high-stakes players.

Personally, I can beat the .25/.50 NLHE pretty consistently, but the money is such small potatoes it's hardly worth my time.

...

but seriously poker can drag you down

short attention span isn't gonna help

 

[supersaiyan415]

Originally Posted by the north west

tip

expect to lose all your money every time you play

I have been playing over 6 years btw

this mentality works for me in cash games. its actually helped me from going on tilt. i also find myself playing a lot more efficiently with this mentality. ive been doing this thing since 05 btw so about a year behind the north west. get pokertracker3 as well if youre serious about it. the hud works wonders.

 

[ago225]

Originally Posted by bustinxjustin

All-in every hand

 me too

 

[davidisgodly]

Originally Posted by the north west

Originally Posted by blazinRook

in the 6 years, are your up or down?

at the beginning I was down due to the learning curve, but I stuck with it and kept studying and playing to improve my game

so to answer your question I was down for the first 6 months but ever since then I have never had to redeposit into any of my poker accounts

I started out playing nl micro full ring and now I play heads up medium stakes

So you're the dude taking my money?!

Don't you just love hit and runs in heads up?

Are you the dude who buys in double what he bought in beecuase he lost a double up? IF so...