opmal7
04-15-2004, 05:42 PM
Hello everyone. I'm new to these forums, and am really impresses with the knowledge some of the people here have about the game. I've been playing low stakes home games with my friends for about a year. I will be graduating from high school in about a month, and will be going away to college next fall. I am working part time trying to get as much money as I can to bring with me to college, and I have been thinking of using Internet Poker as a way to give myself some extra spending money while I'm getting my education.
I know that poker is not a game of luck, and have been trying to become better before I start trying to win money in the game. I bought Sklansky's Theory of Poker, and read through it very quickly. Then I got $50 in chips on pokerstars, and was amazed at how quickly that money was gone even when I was playing at the 25-50 cent tables. I lost a lot of big pots to people who caught their draws on the river, and told myself that they got lucky, and that if I invested more money, I would eventually break even if I stuck to Sklansky's playing methods. I lost this money even faster than I lost my first investment, and I realized that I was playing very poorly, and still have a lot to learn about tha game.
I am putting a halt on my bankroll until I finish re-reading Sklansky's book. I am going over it with a highlighter, and it is reminding me a lot of studying for a big Calculus test. I will probably start playing again after graduation, and most likely will be needing help finding what I am doing wrong on certain hands (I apoligize in advance).
I know that it will take many many hands before I can begin consistantly winning, and that will mean a lot of initial money loss. I am not looking to become a professional player or anything (I will be studying mechanical engineering next year, and want to go professional in that), but I would like to get good enough that I can make a little extra pocket cash. What I would like is any advice you guys migh have or any books you have read that could help me minimize the costs of playing and learning the game.
I know that poker is not a game of luck, and have been trying to become better before I start trying to win money in the game. I bought Sklansky's Theory of Poker, and read through it very quickly. Then I got $50 in chips on pokerstars, and was amazed at how quickly that money was gone even when I was playing at the 25-50 cent tables. I lost a lot of big pots to people who caught their draws on the river, and told myself that they got lucky, and that if I invested more money, I would eventually break even if I stuck to Sklansky's playing methods. I lost this money even faster than I lost my first investment, and I realized that I was playing very poorly, and still have a lot to learn about tha game.
I am putting a halt on my bankroll until I finish re-reading Sklansky's book. I am going over it with a highlighter, and it is reminding me a lot of studying for a big Calculus test. I will probably start playing again after graduation, and most likely will be needing help finding what I am doing wrong on certain hands (I apoligize in advance).
I know that it will take many many hands before I can begin consistantly winning, and that will mean a lot of initial money loss. I am not looking to become a professional player or anything (I will be studying mechanical engineering next year, and want to go professional in that), but I would like to get good enough that I can make a little extra pocket cash. What I would like is any advice you guys migh have or any books you have read that could help me minimize the costs of playing and learning the game.