Long time reader, first time poster

arabed

i know you get lots of questions from beginners but i hope you don't mind another one
for the last few months i have been dipping my toe in the world of internet poker curious after a few friday nights in watching poker millions 2
initially i won, in spite of myself
now, having read some articles and gained a basic understanding of odds and position i find that i veer between small wins or (moderately) heavy losses
i don't play for much and its more as a means of enjoyment and a challenge than as a money-making exercise but it would be nice to cash out more often
i have played on a few sites and don't have any real preference

and now, finally, to my question:

what type of game would you consider the ideal arena for a novice to improve in?
i generally play .50/$1 but i find that the amount of loose play makes it very hard to read hands and raises are rarely respected
after a few beats to runner runner straights i find myself more and more tempted by A4 or K8
should i be playing at higher blinds to play against better players and improve?
should i play at 10/9 or 6/5 seater tables?
woudl STTs be a more suitable environment?

any advice you could give me would be most appreciated
now, back to the tables - in this weather there's not much else to do!

Imposter

I presume that .5/1 is limit. If it's NL then get out of there.

Have you played some STT's? Do you enjoy them more than cash games? If you do then play there while you are learning. I played 5$ STT's for quite a while while learning. They are costly though as the rake id usually higher.

All of the above means nothing though if you don't understand the basics. If you really want ot improve your game get yourself some books. If you enjoy limit then get Lee Jone's - LOw Limit Hold'em book. This is a great book for a beginner (even for NL) as it goes through all the basics and gets you thinking about things.

After that The Theory of Poker by Sklansky is worth a read. This is a hard read largely because of the amount of maths contained in it. Again though you need to understand the concepts he mentions in it (It's not ALL maths). Once you've read those then keep practising and with this experience you should be able to move up the limits.

Again STT's are a great way of learning NL as you have full table, shorthanded and heads-up play. You have varying chip values etc.. too.

Another thing would be to learn a little about bankrolls and only play with money you can afford to lose. You'll need to learn more about bankrolls as you move up the limits but initially it's not overly important once you don't play for too much money.

Doc Farrell

very good advice.
remember, if you can't win at the lowest limits you won't at the higher ones either. play plenty of sit and go's, as imposter recommends.

arabed

thanks for that guys
and doc, "if you can't win at the lowest limits you won't at the higher ones" made me realise just how stupid it was to propose moving up limits as a loser
you may well have saved me a bundle!

Culchie

Read some books, they will flatten out that 'learning curve' and you will see immediate results in your game.
I'd highly recommend Harrington on Hold 'em, as it gives a vast array of practical situations, where you are in different positions, and the game is at different periods .... a brilliant book IMO.....can't wait for the next volume.

STT's are definitely the place to play, and proper bankroll management .... Best advice I ever read was the (minimum) 10 * Buy-In rule on STT's.

Take it from there as far as you want to go.

Imposter

Culchie wrote:

Read some books, they will flatten out that 'learning curve' and you will see immediate results in your game.
I'd highly recommend Harrington on Hold 'em, as it gives a vast array of practical situations, where you are in different positions, and the game is at different periods .... a brilliant book IMO.....can't wait for the next volume.

STT's are definitely the place to play, and proper bankroll management .... Best advice I ever read was the (minimum) 10 * Buy-In rule on STT's.

Take it from there as far as you want to go.

Does Harrington cover the basics or is it just relatively advanced tournament concepts (It's sitting on my bookshelf and is next in line to be read)?
If it doesn't cover the basics like what's covered in those 2 books I mentioned, then any concepts discussed are probably too advanced for a beginner.

Culchie

I guess different books and their text appeal to different people, even if the subject matter is the same.
I like Vincent Hogan, but can't bear Martin Brehony's articles on Sport.


I just know that Harrington really hit the right note for me.

Yes his book covers the basics, but it moves on to stategic play as well and for every point he is making, he has a illustration. There are hundreds of real game situations that you are challenged with.

He will give his opinion afterwards how he would have played the hand, and clearly explain why.

I won't do him justice here anyway ... read his book, it's bloody good, and very easy to read.

I'm ashamed to say I haven't read Slansky yet myself, so I'm gonna buy that book along with Harrington's next volume 2 which is due out soon I think, which I'm sure will be a follow on from volume 1, more advanced.

I think you pick up bits and bobs from each book you read, even subconciously.

Helmuths book 'Play Like a Pro' was 'bbrrrruuutttaalll' as Dustin would say, but had a great Limit secton in it, especially for a beginner ... kinda like 'Ping' the penny drops ...which is a great feeling when you are reading a book and feel you got something really worthwhile out of it.

TimFoil

I agree Culchie, Harrington on Hold em is the best book on Tournies to date, and Ive read em all. Probably not aimed at the beginner, though Id recommend anyone whos played even one tournie to read it. Experienced players can gain a lot from it too, I know some seasoned pros who rave about it. Anyway, cant believe Im recommending a book that can really improve your game, but what the hell, spread the love.