just a beginner from over the pond

[miler]

As late Brit newcomer to poker, largely playing 'hold em' in modest tournaments, but a bridge player of many years I lose consistently. Now Reading Slansky on poker theory and is that a 'bad beat'. The stuff on odds etc is as they say 'doing my head in'. I wonder if there is a not quite beginners guide that can lead up to the more technical stuff. It seems that unless you get your head round the odds and stats you will always be a loser or is it just experience that counts in the end. My trouble is that the 'sands of time are running out' Maybe the answer is to leave the game up to the yanks!

[Dante]

If you're just getting into Hold Em, do a search through the small stakes forum - there are some excellent posts that recommend which books to read in what order.

In general, starting your education with Lee Jones Low Limit Holdem and Sklansky's Theory of Poker seems to be best. Then can move on to more advanced topics

Dante

[HDPM]

et sklansky's regular "Hold'em Poker" book as well. You don't need to know a whole lot of odds to get started in small games. Learn about the hand rankings and how you are looking to play the hands when you hit - or not. Know the approximate odds of flopping a set, hitting a 4 flush or strt after the flop, etc... Then alternate playing and reading. Pot odds aren't all that hard. As mason pointed out in an essay, the player who calls when the pot is "big" and folds when it is "small" is not giving up a whole lot to more precise players in many situations. The poker theory book is a great one though. Those concepts can take you a long way.

Also, tournament poker is a whole other beast. IMO it is not the way to learn a game.