Poker Tips For a Newbie

[Joe Canadian]

Ok, I've been fooling around with PartyPoker for about 3 months, of course not having a clue what I've been doing... and I've been watching poker on TV for a couple of years. Beyond the basic rules I had been lost, but I've always wanted to both learn more about the game and try to get a regular weekly game started.

Part II of that has been fullfilled, as 6-10 of us have played every Wednesday night for the past 3 weeks. But up until Sunday, when I purchased a Intro to Hold 'Em book, I really was flying blind. After reading some basic startegy out of the book, for example playing "Blackjack" hands starting out, I have improved my play on Playmoney PartyPoker Tournaments... actually winning the last three I've played.

I know alot of you guys are somewhat experienced poker players when it comes to online and "home" type situtations. What I'm looking for is any information that could be helpfull. Are there any good websites, books, etc. worth looking into for strategy? How did you guys move from Playmoney to Real Money, do you regret making the move so early? Etc.

I've found hxxp://www.homepokertourney.com/ , to get some general guidlines and running more professional weekly games, as ours are currently a bit too relaxed and helter skelter for our liking. How do you guys run your weekly\monthly games? What do you use in terms of table? Do you know of any quality chips (currently using ol' reliable Bicycle chips :))?

Thanks as always for any help you can offer!!!!

[jbmagic]

i am a newbie too

start out on low limit holdem

Books to get
Winning low limit poker by lee jones
Small Stakes Hold'em by Ed miller, Sklansky and Malmuth


best poker forum.. people talk about poker, post there hands for reviews, etc

http://www.twoplustwo.com/

http://www.flopturnriver.com/

[Joe Canadian]

That's something I've been wondering, as I'm still not 100% on all the rules and terms... what is considered Low Limit, and how does it differ from other games?

[Draft Dodger]

just play at a table I'm at lately - you'll make lots of $$$.

[henry296]

That's something I've been wondering, as I'm still not 100% on all the rules and terms... what is considered Low Limit, and how does it differ from other games?

All low limit refers to is the new stakes, which varies by person. The rules are the same. Typically people are more risky.

Todd

[Radii]

I know alot of you guys are somewhat experienced poker players when it comes to online and "home" type situtations. What I'm looking for is any information that could be helpfull. Are there any good websites, books, etc. worth looking into for strategy? How did you guys move from Playmoney to Real Money, do you regret making the move so early? Etc.



RE: Online poker

http://www.posev.com/poker/holdem/strategy/preflop-abdul.html - good intro to pre-flop strategies


As for books:

Theory of Poker - Sklansky
Holdem Poker for Advanced Players - Sklansky/Malmuth
Small Stakes Holdem - Miller backed by 2+2/Sklansky/Malmuth

I think those are the best places to start. Lots of people don't like Lee Jones low limit book. Leads to weak/tight which is not good.


I didn't play play money much so little advice there.

[primelord]

I think those are the best places to start. Lots of people don't like Lee Jones low limit book. Leads to weak/tight which is not good.
FWIW I think Lee Jones book is the perfect place for someone brand new to the game to start. It absolutely leads to weak tight play, but that is not a bad place to start. Weak tight play will win money at the low limit games. It isn't optimal, but it is a very good start.

Once you have the play in Lee Jones book down moving to Small Stakes Hold'em by Miller, Sklansky, and Malmuth is a must. That will teach you to play tight and aggressive which is where you want to be. I think starting with Small Stakes Hold'em tends to lead newbies to be LAGs.

[Radii]

FWIW I think Lee Jones book is the perfect place for someone brand new to the game to start. It absolutely leads to weak tight play, but that is not a bad place to start. Weak tight play will win money at the low limit games. It isn't optimal, but it is a very good start.

Once you have the play in Lee Jones book down moving to Small Stakes Hold'em by Miller, Sklansky, and Malmuth is a must. That will teach you to play tight and aggressive which is where you want to be. I think starting with Small Stakes Hold'em tends to lead newbies to be LAGs.


That is very possibly true.

I started with Lee Jones book and I have to fight weak tight impulses constantly, but then again, my personality would lead to a weak tight game(according to Psychology of Poker :D) so that may not mean anything.

[QuikSand]

FWIW I think Lee Jones book is the perfect place for someone brand new to the game to start. It absolutely leads to weak tight play, but that is not a bad place to start. Weak tight play will win money at the low limit games. It isn't optimal, but it is a very good start.

Once you have the play in Lee Jones book down moving to Small Stakes Hold'em by Miller, Sklansky, and Malmuth is a must. That will teach you to play tight and aggressive which is where you want to be. I think starting with Small Stakes Hold'em tends to lead newbies to be LAGs.

Yes yes.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

I actually started out with a bankroll of $2.50 off a jackpot win on a play table. I played NL hold em on UB with blinds of .01/.02. I've been playing at that level for about 9 months and I've now got my bankroll built up to $210.00. I know that some talk about moving up quickly. I find that I'm a much better player compared to where I was because I play against some of the worst players on the site. Teaches you to be very patient and wait on hands. People are too often willing to play mediocre hands. It sounds like you're avoiding that pitfall, so that's an excellent start. I'll probably be bumping up to .05/.10 blinds soon just because I have winning sessions around 75% to 80% of the time, so I think I can make that move. It has also helped me tremendously playing at home games because there are similarly bad players at those games and I'm not as flustered by some of the bad plays that they can make in those games.

My best suggestion to you is to take your time and move slowly. I made an early move up to higher blinds after about 3-4 months thinking I was king of the world because I beat the lowest level. I went up to a .25/.50 limit table and got manhandled. I quickly figured out that my 'wait for cards' approach worked much better on a NL table than a limit table. Take your time and you will figure out what works best for you.

Disclaimer.....this is what has worked for me. If you're looking to play bigger games in a hurry, this is obviously not the choice for you. If you're looking to take a free trip every few years with your winnings and just play for a hobby, this is not a bad way to go.

[AnalBumCover]

Limit and No-Limit games are two very different creatures, and should be handled as such. As Mizzou_B-ball_fan has illustrated, one can be good at No-Limit but may not be able take that same success over to Limit, and vice versa.

The books suggested above are geared toward limit games - in particular, low-limits.

/shameless plug

You can read about my adventures in the low-limit (micro-limits, actually) in my dynasty (http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~fof/forums/showthread.php?t=34561) where I am trying to turn $5.00 into a big screen television by strictly playing $1/2 limits and below.

/end shameless plug :rolleyes:

[Icy]

Looks like Online Poker is the new trend in online gamming...i'll need to investigate and look into building some sites about it. Where do you guys play it?

Off Topic, just to show you how much can some guys play in one night into an online casino. This are the stats for a French guy that joined yesterday night one casino that i promote. Right now he is winning $1183.86 in one night, that couldn't be a lot... but look at the amount he played. Before i went to bed i checked his stats and he was winning around $9000 but seems he ended loosing part of it later. I can even smell the adrenalin rush he had!

Player ID: CTR24883322
Deposits Amt: $6700
Bonuses Amt: $575
Bets: $183,080.22
Wins: $191,864.08
Total wins/lost: +$7783.86 (this means he is winning right now $1183.86)

[jbmagic]

That's something I've been wondering, as I'm still not 100% on all the rules and terms... what is considered Low Limit, and how does it differ from other games?


low limit is from micro limit from .01/.02 to $3/$6

i think limit holdem is easier for a newbie over no limit...in no limit texas holdem, there no limit on how high you can raise.

if your new start out low and move your self up after getting alot of hands played


books like Winning low limit poker by Lee Jones is a good book to play if you never played texas holdem

than once you played alot of hands and get some experience than get Small Stakes Hold'em Book

so order of read should be
Winning low limit poker by lee jones
Theory of Poker
Small Stakes Hold'em book

the other book mention Holdem Poker for Advanced Players - Sklansky/Malmuth is reallly for limit poker for higher range like $20-$40 and up

[AnalBumCover]

so order of read should be
Winning low limit poker by lee jones
Theory of Poker
Small Stakes Hold'em book

the other book mention Holdem Poker for Advanced Players - Sklansky/Malmuth is reallly for limit poker for higher range like $20-$40 and upI concur with this order.

I've read in the following order: Winning Low Limit Poker ---> Hold'em Poker for Advanced Players ---> Inside the Poker Mind* ---> Small Stakes Hold'em

I have yet to read Theory, but I do have that book.

* Has anyone read Inside the Poker Mind? It's a good book (2+2) telling how one should be thinking/reacting as a successful poker player vs a poor player. It leads you away from the weak/tight play that Winning Low Limit teaches you. I highly recommend it.

[jbmagic]

i dont think he needs to read Hold'em Poker for Advanced Players

that for higher limit range like $20-$40 and up....

he not ready for that..and stuff in that book will confuse him .. its a different strategy for that level

[AnalBumCover]

I agree. Let me clarify that my last post merely listed the order that I have read the suggested books. It is not necessarily the order that I would recommend to newbies.

[Joe Canadian]

I'll have to pick up those Low Limit books, before I give "Real Money Games" a go...

Now, how about Home Tournament advice beyond what's covered on the website I linked to? Anyone have any stories to tell? What about chips? Tables? Etc.

Thanks again for the advice!!!

[jbmagic]

I'll have to pick up those Low Limit books, before I give "Real Money Games" a go...

Now, how about Home Tournament advice beyond what's covered on the website I linked to? Anyone have any stories to tell? What about chips? Tables? Etc.

Thanks again for the advice!!!

here a great web site to show you how to set up a home tourney

http://www.homepokertourney.com/

[AnalBumCover]

The HomePokerTourney website is pretty throrough in the whats and hows of hosting a poker tournament.

You mentioned that you've been playing a regular Wednesday night game between 6-10 players. That's a good start. All I can offer beyond the website is just to establish a set of rules for your regular game, and stick by it.

And understand that your home tournament will be different from your neighbor's. So when you play at his house, abide by his set of rules. There may be times where you disagree with a ruling or two. Be civil about it and do not raise too much conflict. You might not be invited back. But then again... you might not want to be back.

I've played/hosted the home poker game for two years already, and it's come to a point where four of us agreed to a standard set of rules that we all use when we host our own tournament (which can be as large as 30 players!). It worked out so well, that we've created a league where all participants have a chance to qualify for a "Tournament of Champions" at the end of the season.

But I digress. My point is: set your rules before running a tournament and be consistent in enforcing these rules... And your home games will flourish for a long time.

[Joe Canadian]

Thanks again guys!

Any advice on where to buy some quality poker chips?

Also, how many chips and what kind of blinds do you gusy use?

[jbmagic]

Thanks again guys!

Any advice on where to buy some quality poker chips?

Also, how many chips and what kind of blinds do you gusy use?

same web site...it tells you too

[AnalBumCover]

A lot of it depends on how much you're willing to spend. The twoplustwo website has a forum called Home Poker. There they discuss a lot about poker chips.

[EagleFan]

what kind of blinds do you gusy use?

The PC term is 'visually challenged'.

[Northwood_DK]

We just played a 8 persons home game last week. 500 chips in 5 different values were more then enough.

[AnalBumCover]

We use chips of the following denominations: $5, $25, $100

We give each player 500 in chips, and use the following blind schedule:

Level 1: 5/10 20 minutes
Level 2: 10/20 20 minutes
Level 3: 15/30 20 minutes
Break
Level 4: 25/50 20 minutes
Level 5: 50/100 20 minutes
Level 6: 75/150 20 minutes
BreaK
Level 7: 100/200 20 minutes
Level 8: 150/300 20 minutes
Level 9: 200/400 Until winner is determined.

We'll race off the lower denomination chips when deemed necessary.


Our tournaments usually last between 3-4 hours. I've been told that this blind schedule moves up too fast, especially in the middle rounds. So I increased the starting bankroll from 300 to 500, and that seemed to have solved the players' concerns.