Now What Next...

[WalkAmongUs]

This is my first time post after reading these forums and attempting to play serious poker for the past 3 months. I mainly play .5/1 limit on empire. I have read about 15 books on poker so far...mostly 2+2 books. My first question is I have blown through about $500 so far in 3 months. Granted, when I first began I did not play well at all. Slowly I became better. Lately I have been trying to tune up my pre-flop play as I think this was a leak in my game. I followed the pre-flop charts in SSH (I've read it through twice now) religiously but managed to lose 100 BB. I am now re reading Hold Em Poker. I know there isn't TOO much variation between Hold Em Poker and SSH other than SSH includes adjustment for loose play. I was wondering what differences there would be in following Hold Em Poker versus SSH. Also, what recommendations does anyone have for moving up. I began following SSH preflop charts religiously and I was almost always ahead on the flop only to lose on the turn or river (to things like 8,10 offsuit and the like). I don't have poker tracker but I do use Stat King. Any comments?

[firedawg]

I think a general consensus is Party's .5/1 is much looser than anywhere in the world, even though empire is a party skin. I'd say switch to Party. Stick with SSH, (the bible) and keep plugging, you cannot lose if you follow the chart, don't hang on to your hands too long. Post some of your Statking stats on here for review that will help as well.

[davelin]

[ QUOTE ]
I think a general consensus is Party's .5/1 is much looser than anywhere in the world, even though empire is a party skin. I'd say switch to Party. Stick with SSH, (the bible) and keep plugging, you cannot lose if you follow the chart, don't hang on to your hands too long. Post some of your Statking stats on here for review that will help as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

The pre-flop chart is just a general guide plus it doesn't tell you one thing about playing these hands post-flop which is where most of your money will be made.

[Milky]

I'd suggest posting a few hands to get a feel for where you are and maybe plug some leaks.

[PokerBob]

Playing well pre-flop is a good start, but playing well preflop and being ahead pre-flop will not make you a winning player. You must learn to play well post flop to really see your bb/100 increase.

[realbad101]

[ QUOTE ]
I mainly play .5/1 limit on empire. I have read about 15 books on poker so far...mostly 2+2 books. [ QUOTE ]


This is too many books. Concentrate on one book, either SSH or Winning Low Limit Hold Em by Lee Jones. For a losing player with 3 months experience, I would recommend Lee Jones. Read the book. Review your hands. Repeat. Until you are a winning player and have mastered the concepts in the book. Then expand into new concepts presented by different authors.

[ QUOTE ]

My first question is I have blown through about $500 so far in 3 months. Granted, when I first began I did not play well at all. Slowly I became better. [ QUOTE ]


Hopefully, your win rate has improved. But apologies for the frankness of this next comment... If you lose almost 250BB at Empire / Party (same games different hosts) there are likely several major leaks to your game.

[ QUOTE ]

Lately I have been trying to tune up my pre-flop play as I think this was a leak in my game. I followed the pre-flop charts in SSH (I've read it through twice now) religiously but managed to lose 100 BB. I am now re reading Hold Em Poker. I know there isn't TOO much variation between Hold Em Poker and SSH other than SSH includes adjustment for loose play. I was wondering what differences there would be in following Hold Em Poker versus SSH. Also, what recommendations does anyone have for moving up. I began following SSH preflop charts religiously and I was almost always ahead on the flop only to lose on the turn or river (to things like 8,10 offsuit and the like). I don't have poker tracker but I do use Stat King. Any comments?

[/ QUOTE ]

I would recommend using the tight game pre-flop recommendations until you get plus EV. I also would not read HEPFAP given the current level you are playing and the state of your game. Re-read either SSH or WLLHE. Repeat. HEPFAP doesn't really start kicking in until you go up one or more levels.

And lastly, beware of what you read on this web site. There are a lot of posters (correctly for the most part) advocating some very aggressive play. But the key here is selective aggression. And this is something that you are going to have to develop yourself. Over time. So start out playing tight - neutral, and as you develop more experience you can slowly become more aggressive, at your own pace. Misapplied aggression is another way to lose money at these limits.

Furthermore, post hands. Or Stats. Stats can let you know if you are seeing too many flops, or going to showdown to much, but hands are a better at describing why the stats are bad.

[theghost]

[ QUOTE ]
I think a general consensus is Party's .5/1 is much looser than anywhere in the world, even though empire is a party skin. I'd say switch to Party.

[/ QUOTE ]

The tables at Empire are the exact same tables as the ones at Party. No need to switch (unless you want to bonus whore - recommended).

[droolie]

Focus all your book reading efforts on SSH. Read it 50 times. I'm not kidding. The book is very dense but contains everything you need to be kicking butt for many levels higher than you're currently playing. I keep my tattered copy of SSH in the bathroom and read a few pages of it almost every day when I'm "sitting" in there. Follow the SSH pf recommendation until you're comfortable with your preflop play then forget out about pf and focus on the postflop chapters. Postflop is where the money is.

Get pokertracker. It pays for itself when you use it with playerview.

I would not be playing .50/1 just yet if I were you. Go to the nano-limits on pokerstars for a while until you establish some winning strategies. Learning at .50/1 is very expensive as you've found out.

Good luck and welcome to the forums. Post hands here and comment on the play of other people. You will learn more here than anywhere.

[Milky]

[ QUOTE ]
I keep my tattered copy of SSH in the bathroom and read a few pages of it almost every day when I'm "sitting" in there.

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL I thought I was the only one /images/graemlins/cool.gif

And yes, read and re-read and re-read and re-read SSH. I've read it cover-to-cover twice and am always skimming through it looking for something I missed or don't yet understand.

[WalkAmongUs]

Thanks for all the comments. I'll try to get some hands together for discussion. I understand post-flop concepts fairly well. Applying them may be a different story. Generally, I'm cautious post-flop only being aggressive when I figure to have the strongest hand. I don't bluff and only semi-bluff when the pot has a "TAKE ME" sign hanging around its neck. Also, I play using a 56k connection through AOL. I DO NOT recommend this as I lose connection at least once every half hour on average. I am wondering if this affects my winning since a hi speed user pays $.75 to see 10 hands whereas I on average pay $.75 to see 6 to 7 hands. Since my cost per hand is higher I'm guessing this affects me. I own HPFAP but have not read it yet because I am concentrating on SSH. I also have read WLLH, TOP, Hold Em Poker, Inside the Poker Mind, Psych of Poker, and about 8 or 9 other books.

[jrz1972]

[ QUOTE ]
I keep my tattered copy of SSH in the bathroom and read a few pages of it almost every day when I'm "sitting" in there.

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting. I keep my tattered copy of Phil Helmuth's book in the bathroom, but it's not for reading.