Learning Pre Flop Play

Brand new to Hold Em and would like to know what techniques have worked in learning the pre flop plays. I have played a few times in the local casino but have not faired very well. Seems I still get confused on which hands to play.

Get Sklansky's basic hold'em book. All the hand groups are listed on one page. Memorize them. (I never did, but do it anyway.) But you then have to know what to do with each hand in various positions and given certain action. This is more important than the strict rankings. Learn why some hands are good in certain situations and others are better in other situations. Get HPFAP and read these forums for more of that. I think it will be easier to learn if you have the groups totally memorized.


After her big tournament win my wife decided to learn more about hold'em. She has been playing the play money games on the internet the last couple of days. I have talked about pre-flop play with her, but I also handed her the basic Sklansky book so she could look at the book as her hand came up. I did something similar. I had a computer program that played hold'em (badly). I won millions on the computer. It didn't play well but you could consult the hand rankings when your hand came and get a feel for certain things. The play money games I have seen on the internet are a bit dangerous because the play can be ridiculous. But if you know the problems with them they might be an OK tool. But since so many pots are raised and 3-bet, you get a skewed view. I have to tell my wife, "well, in real life you'd never call 2 bets with that..."

Beware the play money games. My girlfriend has been killing the play money games on Paradise, so she deposited a $100 and tried the .50/$1 games. It took her about a week to lose the $100; she is now back at the play money tables. I've tried to teach her about starting hands and strategy, but she still insists on playing 10/4o because that is her lucky hand.... lol


The best advice for a newbie is to read, study and follow these forums. Post hands that give you trouble, and spend some time at the tables.


Good luck and may the flop be with you!


Fitz

learning in a cardroom can get expensive. since ya got a computer, get turbo holdem from wilson. along with a good book play until the evaluation is up around high 80s/low 90s. this will give you a good start in the cardrooms. as you play more, the number will go up. the big benefit is that it wont cost you nearly as much as the casinos. and you can play many more hands per hour also. if id have known sooner, i would have saved tons.


good luck..


b

Thanks for the advice... paitience needs to be the key before I go back to the cardroom!!