Holdem questions from newbie.

[nutflush]

This forum is compulsive reading for a relative new holdem player such as myself. A couple of questions for you experienced lads to put put me right about please.....
Given the experience you now have, would you choose to play at a 6 player or a 10 player game?
Would you choose to play in a pot limit or a all in game?
Should i watch my potential opponents from the watching area before i join the game?
When you hit that spell during a long game in which lady luck isnt with you and no matter what you want to draw you simply dont, should potential playable pre flop cards be folded in order to minimize losses during this period of time? (i,m referring to that time spell we all get at some stage when it seems you,d get your own name wrong if asked!!!!)

[TrickyTree]

For a newbie the obvious answers are these.....

If you want to play ring cash games then play LIMIT poker only as this reduces your risk at any one time. You cannot blow all your chips on one hand as you can in pot and no limit. It buys you time to learn the game without getting crushed for a fortune.

Start by reading a good low limit book for beginners (this is vital) and then start playing at small stakes on 10 max tables. Dont try 6 max until you have gained experience as the aggression levels are far far higher and the bankroll swings are big. Most important........PLAY TIGHT to start. The book you read will tell you this, do not waver from this advice.

If you want to try no-limit games then wet your feet by playing small buy-in tournaments for $5 or $10. This will allow you to gain experience before you attempt to play no-limit for cash.

If your cards are playable then PLAY THEM. Over time if you play the correct hands you will become a winner. Luck evens out and you dont know when luck will change. Stick to your better hands and play them strongly. You simply cannot start folding hands like TT, JJ, AK, AQ in an unraised pot. Get in there and raise it yourself. But on the reverse always but always muck garbage preflop. Bad luck is short term, good solid play gets the money at low limits.

There is no harm in watching for a while to get a feel for the game. But there is no experience for playing and putting your own money on the line. This is the one thing that teaches you how to play (losing hurts).

Study and learn is the most important advice anyone can give you. Dont get over confident if you start winning. Stick to a strategy as it will pay you in the long run.

Hope this help you some.

Good luck at the tables.

[deacsoft]

I still like full tables on-line and short hand4ed at the casino.

I take NL over PL but I like limit ring games and NL tournaments.

Yes. You should always get an idea of who you'll be playing against before you sit down. If this can't be done I play tight untill I get a good feel for the table.

I play my game no matter what "luck" I do or do not have at that time. Folding the playable hands will prove to be more expensive over time than bad luck.

[JeanieJ]

NL PL and Limit Hold em can all be very different games. They each have their own strategy that you need to learn. The same goes for 6 handed versus 10 handed. Your odds change when you only have 6 players at the table.

When cards aren't going your way.... you should always play your game. Don't adjust your starting hands. In NL you may want to try and play your opponents more often, so you can pick up a few more pots. You need to learn to ride out your down swings. In the long run, your good hands will earn you money. It's the long run that counts, not the short term.