Helping my friends out

[medaugh]

My questoin is is it in my best interest to help my friends play Hold 'em better or just take their money and continue to read books and make my self better. There is usually 7 or 8 of us that play on Sundays at one guys house. Will my game benifit long term by playing better compatition and reading books or just by reading and judging my own play.

[IsaacW]

I think you need to reconsider your definition of "friends" if you're asking this question. I don't treat my friends as tourists, I treat them as students of the game (most of them are). The ones that don't want to get better can give me their money, sure, but I won't withold information from them.

I let my friends read my poker books, and I talk with them about poker all the time. It helps my game by identifying areas that I don't understand well enough to explain to them; these areas are almost always holes in my own game. I get experience playing for small stakes (we play 50c/$1) against players that are improving and starting to get quite good, so I'm sure that will help me as I move up limits.

[medaugh]

Yeah thats kinda what I was thinking. I guess I don't want to come across as overbearing and a know-it-all cuz i don't. I have learned alot from this sight and my poker books, and do consider myself a student of the games as well. I guess the next step is to see what my friends long term goals are in regards to Hold 'em and go from there. We don't play anything too serious either maybe a ten dollar 8 person tourney or a 5 dollar no limit game. thanks for the reply

[the_rookie]

Whenever I play with friends it's for the social benefit rather than the financial benefit. The money is meaningless in my home games, so I don't bother teaching strategies... Hell I don't even follow my own.

If they choose to play online and wish to make some money, I'd defnitely help em out. I direct them to this website to SSH, etc... But you know what? Many will still not listen.

[the_joker]

Yea, I wouldn't give anyone advice unless they ask for it or you will be annoying to people that are just there to have fun.

[AncientPC]

As long as the stakes aren't at a point where the game's "serious" just have fun. If you find yourself winning too much lose some of it back.

[medaugh]

[ QUOTE ]
If you find yourself winning too much lose some of it back

[/ QUOTE ]
Isn't that blasphamy (sp).LOL. Point taken

[smoore]

Tear them up repeatedly, show no mercy but plenty of sympathy. You get extra pocket change and everyone tries to beat the ringer so they get some fun out of it (that guy who's the weekly fish won't remember the $$ he's lost but he WILL remember that one big pot he took off of you). Anyone who wants to be serious will approach you. I answer all questions my less skilled home opponents ask but I don't volunteer unwanted advice.

[Kenrick]

If people know you are good, tell them you will help them if they want, but do not give advice unless asked. I'll go to the ends of the Earth to help my real friends, but even most of my real friends simply do not understand or care about poker and other gambling topics. They play for fun, and so I let them. I am incapable of having fun while gambling, but I do not take that excitement away from others.