How did you learn to play No Limit Hold'em?

[derick]

How do I learn Live No Limit without losing a fortune?

I tried playing Live .5/1 No Limit Holdem for the second time last weekend. This was the second time I played NL. I find I love the game except I lost. Badly.


For the first hour or so I made some money. I played tight and only raised with premium hands.

Then disaster struck. I think I was playing too predictable. If I had a hand I would raise $5 on the pre-flop and $25 on the flop.

I catch AKo I bet $5. Flop come K,rag,rag. I raise $25 (I figure top pair top kicker is good.) I get reraised about $50. I call and lose to a 2 pair.

Two hands later I catch AA, I raise $5 and get called in 2 places. Flop comes K,6,2 I raise $25 and get raised $70. I think for about 3 min and call. I lose to trip sixes.

I lost my stack in 2 hand playing .5/1!



I've read SSH, HEPFAP,WLLH but the only book I've read that talks about no limit is Supersystem. I'm considering getting the Ciaffone book. Right now I’m working my way through TOP and I’ve ordered ITH.

How do I learn how to play NL Hold'em? I want to be able to hold my own in this live .5/1 NL game. I like the game except I play like crap. I find I enjoy live games much more than online games. An added plus is that it’s near where I live in Hamilton, Ontario. BTW I’m looking for a friendly lower stakes home game near where I live.

So how did you learn to play No Limit and what would you do differently if you were starting again?

[ThaSaltCracka]

I sort of jumped right into the game with some buddies. Basically we switched our entire regular game from limit dealers choice, to NL holdem with .25/.50 blinds. I started to learn a lot of the concepts there, but I also starting playing tournaments online as well. There is a difference between NL tourney play, and NL ring play but its good practice. The best advice I can give is read up some more and play more. You may want to try to be less obvious as well with your play.

Oh yeah, also, don't let loosing bother you. [censored] happens sometimes, like your AA losing to trip 6's.

[elyk]

Derick its unreal someone here is also from the "Hammer". I live in Toronto now but would love a game. Drop me a line and we'll see what we can set-up.

[Radio]

I too want to learn to play NL, Iv read internet texas holem but thats a limit book and i find playing limit is starting to be like watching paint dry as according to the book if i was a good player at my limits id need to play for 100 hours just to win $100 pathetic, i want to win bigger bucks. So how do adapt what is in that book to NL holdem?

[derick]

Thanks for the advice. I enjoy live no limit games much more than playing online. I'm going to try to seek out more very low stakes games around Hamilton, Ontario.

[ThaSaltCracka]

I recomend sticking with the 2+2 books as I find them the most informative, especially Sklansky's book. Get a lot of basic concepts down, especially starting hands, posistion, and reading players. Those three things are the most important things to learn and they really carry over into both limit and NL.

There is probably some NL books out there, but unfortunately, I haven't read any of them so I can't point out any to you. If you play online, go hop in one of the lower level NL ring games and get some practice in.

[SheridanCat]

[ QUOTE ]

I've read SSH, HEPFAP,WLLH but the only book I've read that talks about no limit is Supersystem. I'm considering getting the Ciaffone book. Right now I’m working my way through TOP and I’ve ordered ITH.


[/ QUOTE ]

Get the Ciaffone/Reuben book. There's useful advice there. You may have to read it a number of times to get the advice out, but it's there. None of the other books you've mentioned are going to help you much with NL except maybe SuperSystem, but you're still better off with the Ciaffone book.

Regards,

T