My first day playing with real money

[theronin1]

Damn, what a roller coaster. I deposited $50 into party poker. I began quite well, winning a few pots in regular 0.50/1 and I came in third in a 5/1 tournament. I had previously talked to my friend who told me that he played 8 tables simultaneously. I decided to try playing two 5/1 NL tournaments at the same time. Big mistake, I couldn't keep up and ended up finishing out of the top 3 in both. Next, I went back to the regular .50/1 and encountered a run of miserable luck.

I was down something like $25. My luck would turn again after I finished 3rd in another tournament and won some money in a the regular tables...

So now I'm even.

One thing I had underestimated was the psychology of the game. Playing with your own money -when you're a poor ass student like myself - causes a lot of anxiety and trepidation. I'm sure that it's the worst frame of mind for a poker player to be in.

Ah well, Lee Jones book should arrive late this week. Maybe that'll help.

[afk]

That book will help. I think it will get you pointed in the right direction. But I believe that these forums provide superior help (especially post-flop) than that book does.

That said. Stick to one game. Stick to one table. And playing with money you can't afford to lose is no way to play and play well.

[rayrns]

$50 is not enough bankroll for .50/$1. Pull your money out and go to a site with micro .02/.04, .05/.10 etc games. Start out in these until you have close 300 BB for the next higher level, then give that level a try. Or deposit more money in your existing account to handle the fluxuations that will come at the .50/$1 level.

[Lexander]

Good luck on your journey. The book you ordered will really settle it down.

I agree with the post that you don't have the right bankroll for what you are doing. In all likelihood, between your inexperience and the normal shifts in luck you will probably lose that bankroll. Don't sweat it though, it happens to pretty much everyone.

Other than that, practice, study, practice, study, practice.

One thing to understand about people that play multiple tables (I play two myself, very rarely three) is that most of us are folding pretty much all the time. If you are doing the usual thing that new money players do (I know I did), you are playing hands like A6o, A3o, K7s, and so you are constantly running back and forth between the tables. When I play those same tables I am usually hitting the fold button and simply watching both tables.

[theronin1]

[ QUOTE ]

One thing to understand about people that play multiple tables (I play two myself, very rarely three) is that most of us are folding pretty much all the time. If you are doing the usual thing that new money players do (I know I did), you are playing hands like A6o, A3o, K7s, and so you are constantly running back and forth between the tables. When I play those same tables I am usually hitting the fold button and simply watching both tables.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the kind words.

I fold on hands like A6o, A3o, K7s, although sometimes I play borderline hands like 9To and QTo. The frustrating thing is that there can be stretched in which power hands come around so rarely. Right now I'm at $75. I think it should be enough.

[Lexander]

As sad as this is to say, at the lower levels, as long as you are folding pretty much all those marginal hands that everybody else plays, you will pretty much hold your own. There is more to it than that, but less than you would think against loose players.

The long stretches of nothing to play are just part of the game. I don't know what my longest stretch is (probably not long enough, I am sure I played a few hands I had no busines splaying), but 30+ hands is pretty common on a slow day.

[Mike Gallo]

Right now I'm at $75. I think it should be enough.

For .50-1.00? Probably not. I think you should have at least 200 big bets.

You can lose 75 big bets in a few bad sessions.

[Mike Gallo]

Right now I'm at $75. I think it should be enough.

For .50-1.00? Probably not. I think you should have at least 200 big bets.

You can lose 75 big bets in a few bad sessions.

[MrBlini]

[ QUOTE ]
I fold on hands like A6o, A3o, K7s, although sometimes I play borderline hands like 9To and QTo.

[/ QUOTE ]I know for a fact that supposedly marginal hands were solid money losers for me until I learned to play better. Anytime you read that a hand is "marginal", you can safely dump it when you are starting out. In a full ring game, most of these are only barely profitable for a good player who is selectively aggressive and can pick the right moves for the right spots.

You'll find opportunities to play these hands profitably later. Right now, they are probably costing you. KTo and QTo were big leaks for me early on. PokerTracker will reveal all!

[LondonBroil]

[ QUOTE ]
I fold on hands like A6o, A3o, K7s, although sometimes I play borderline hands like 9To and QTo.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is QTo really a borderline hand? I'll play it every time on the button or in the CO for 1 bet, sometimes raising a weak limper. Am I making a mistake with this hand?

[NoChance]

You are playing them correctly. Any other positions (minus the blinds) and these hands become easy losers IMO.

[bunky9590]

I had a run of better than 150 BB to the downside in a week and a half at the party 2/4 and I'm as solid and aggressive as they come (at low limit anyway)

Short term SD can and does last that long. In the three weeks that followed, I have made it all back plus another $600 or so. So, just remember, keep an adequate BR and there WILL be swings.

I think that 300 BB is much safer (I feel more comfortable with it now.)

[Lexander]

[ QUOTE ]
Is QTo really a borderline hand? I'll play it every time on the button or in the CO for 1 bet, sometimes raising a weak limper. Am I making a mistake with this hand?

[/ QUOTE ]

QTo is the classic example of a marginal hand. It can be played in a short-handed situation, but it isn't much of a hand.

The problem is that you will often run into AQ,KQ,QJ,AT,KT while playing QTo. The real disaster is if you are up against a better player playing one of these hands, who will simply tear you apart. The times that you don't run into one of these hands you are going to have a hard time extracting much from weaker hands while the stronger hands are going to raise you into the ground. So you basically end up hoping for a straight, or a miracle two pair that holds up. Hoping for nothing but a straight or a two pair is a losing play since these don't come around much and sometimes when the do you get horribly crushed. You really need the two cards to be suited to add the extra value of making a winning flush.

So you have a hand that does okay shorthanded (3-4 players), but performs subpar with multiple players even if multiple people are in the hand (trying to live on straights alone is a losing play even in a loose game).

The first time your Q /images/graemlins/spade.gifT /images/graemlins/diamond.gif hits a K /images/graemlins/heart.gifJ /images/graemlins/heart.gif9 /images/graemlins/spade.gif flop only to run into somebody holding Q /images/graemlins/heart.gifT /images/graemlins/heart.gif who is basically freerolling you for half the pot will make it much clearer why it helps to have your drawing hands (which QT most certainly is against multiple players) both suited and connected.

[DcifrThs]

[ QUOTE ]
Right now I'm at $75. I think it should be enough.


[/ QUOTE ]

well, i hate to disappoint you but there are many many times that one should expect to play perfectly and experience a 75 big bet ($1 in your case) losing streak. Combine that with the low probability you are playing perfectly and i do not think 75 big bets is anywhere near enough.

I just posted in the internet forum a way to get $$ out of party but an important factor was determining that i did not want to have less than 250 big bets playing party 15/30.

since you are beginning, its best to start with a hefty bankroll relative to your limits and steer clear of tourneys for now. stick to limit and play tighter than normal. try to get at least another few hundred behind you just in case and make sure to PLAY TIGHTER than normal since you are just learning.

concentrate on watching the table you are playing and determining the playing styles of all those there. every action gives you information. use it and determine the best way in which to capatalize on their mistakes.

if poker is a hobby or something you'd like to continue with, i'd suggest reading more than lee jones's book...i.e. most of the stuff on 2+2 if not all of it. and feeney's book, "inside the poker mind" is a must must must read! (its easier than TOP or HPFAP but does NOT give specific playing advice like those two titles)


GOOD LUCK!
-Barron

[TommyTutone]

Since the missus didn't know I was playing, I started with the bare minimum, $45, and started playing at Empire just under two weeks ago. I have stuck to the $.50/$1 and the $5/$1 tourneys and have so far gotten it up to $175.

That said, in the beginning, when starting out, I played like a rock. To some extent, I still play very tight and had to recently teach myself to relax a bit when the flop offers no help, but still is 'junky'. I had been throwing away too many hands that ended up winners because I was afraid when someone after me made a bet.

I am by no means a great player and know I have a long way to go, but if I can do it, you certainly can. As said before, stick to one table, keep track of the maniacs and add them to your friend list and milk them whenever you can.

Otherwise, make sure you do your homework with your book reading and just keep playing.

As a quick aside, two nights ago I lost $80 of my $170 stack. I refused to go to bed until I won some of it back and the frustration kept mounting with each losing hand. I ended up going to bed, regaining my composure after a day at the office, and hitting it fresh the next day (yesterday) and won the $80 back plus another $5 for good measure. My goal now is to hit the max needed to start bonus whoring at other sites and get the roll a little more cushy so that I can get into the $1/$2 soon.

[LSUfan1]

Just a little advice from someone who has been there. I have read WLLH, and a few others.

I thought I was ready for the games, and I tried to move up too quickly. Trust me the money can go quickly even when you are playing well.

The hardest thing for a beginning player is to play well in times of adversity. You would be surprised how quickly you can lose your stack with a short TILT! Even if you don't tilt (which everyone does at one time or another), the fluctuations can be brutal.

I am NOT a pro, and don't pretend to be but if you don't want to play micro's DON"T! Be aware that it is possible to lose your stack at the .5/1 tables though. It's also possible to run your stack up to 600 and move up to 1/2.

Good luck to you, and watch out for the TILT monkey! He's a pain in the butt.

[DcifrThs]

I used to do this and just plain stopped. it isn't worth it what with all the transfering and what not. if you have a good game with poor players on your site and are comfortable, just milk them. dont need to go everywhere squeezing whatever you can out of every little dollar unless you really want to do just that..

-Barron