Hand #3

[andre0020]

PokerStars $0.01/$0.02 NLHE. 7 Players.

andre0020 is UTG+2 and is dealt T/images/graemlins/spade.gif4/images/graemlins/spade.gif

UTG and UTG+1 call, andre0020 calls, everyone else calls, small blind completes, big blind checks.

Flop ($0.14): Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif 5/images/graemlins/spade.gif T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif

UTG and UTG+1 check.
andre0020 bets $0.46.
Folded to UTG+1 who raises to $0.92 (check-raise!).
andre0020 calls $0.46.

Turn ($1.98): 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif

UTG+1 bets $1.45, andre0020 folds .....

[Ben]

Fold this preflop.

In that position, with those cards, it's a fold. It's not even close. It's not even a little close. It's always a fold.

Want to learn NL poker?
1) Stop playing these low limits. They are giving you amazingly bad habits that will very quickly lose your entire bankroll at something like the $25 NL tables.
2) Buy and read Hold 'Em Poker by Sklansky.
3) Reread it.
4) Buy and read 'Pot and No-limit Poker' by Ciaffone
5) Reread it.
6) Put $500 on Party and start playing the $25 tables.



You have some serious leaks in your game. You need instruction and those books are your best bet. Your leaks are significant enough that it's not even really worth posting hands here yet. Your time would be better spent with introductory texts.

-Ben

[andre0020]

Thanks for replying Ben.

I don't really have $500 to deposit on Party though. The most I can deposit is $10-$50 at any one time.

Do other people agree with what Ben said in his post?

[josie_wales]

Andre,

I just read the few hands that you posted and I really didnt even know where to start to give you advice on them.

It seems that Ben may well be correct is his assessment. I think that a thourough reading of available literature and this board is imperative.

JW

[george w of poker]

yes.

[Ben]

If you can't afford it then I guess you have to keep playing these tables. But be warned you're doing yourself a disservice by playing there.

Either way, you must read those books if you wish to continue playing. They're just full of too much good information.

If you can't afford a real bankroll, you could always try putting $50 in and giving it a shot. My current bankroll was built from a $50 deposit, but you have to get lucky early-on and play very well for this. Be aware that your must-likely result is losing it.

-Ben

[SacraVia]

Ben, thats how I have done it at the different sites I play at, Party Poker, Poker Stars, etc. And though I think this is a valid way to start a bankroll, though not the best of course. It does work... I have had good luck with it...

However, I am not sure this is a good way for him to go about it.

Needs to read a few books. I would recommend Winning Low Limit Holdem first. Its about limit but it should give a good base knowledge though his hand recommendations are way to loose. Then graduate to the Ciaffone book and then to the Theory of Poker.

[Ben]

Are you disagreeing with me on something?

Your post says the exact same things as mine, just slightly reworded...

[LikesToLose]

I mostly agree with Ben. As for bankroll of $500, I realize that can be a lot of money to play at a game where you do not have any experience and will possibly lose all of it. Even after reading the books, because you will not play like what you read.

Building initial bankroll from $50 is actually very, very easy. Look at bonus whoring on the casino sites. There are sites that deposit $50 and give you a bonus of $25 (I think), or $75 to get $75 or $250 to get $300. You have to play a lot of blackjack, but only use the sites with autoplay features. The expectation is to lose about .3 cents per hand. Building to $1,000 will take a couple of weeks, but at least you won't be losing at poker at the same time.

Take the $1,000 and buy the books and Poker Tracker. Read for a couple of weeks. Deposit $100. F the bonuse on Party. When you lose it, read for 2 weeks and study your game results. Lather, rinse, repeat. If you do not have the discipline to do this, learn a good Roulette system as it will be cheaper in the long run.

Many of the people you are playing against take their 'game' that seriously or more and will cut you to pieces, especially in NL.

Then again, you could just have fun at the micro-limit and not worry about coming out ahead in the end.