How long does it take

[poppel]

I have been playing cards/poker for about 2 years, maybe one year seriously, where I am actually trying to learn. I have read 3 or 4 books, and I am starting to see some success at the home games I play. Does the fact that currently I only play online or in home games inhibit my advancement in poker?

How long did it you to start earning a regular hourly rate. In my current home game 3-5 (dealers choice) I am making about $10 bucks an hour. Is that a good starting point? I only put in about 10 hours a week.

[bernie]

how could playing inhibit your learning process? at most, your playing multiple types of games so your not necesarily focused on just one game. but thats about it.

i picked one form of holdem when i started...after dabbling in different ones, it was screwing me up. so i decided to learn limit holdem. until i had a sound game....then i built off that and learned no limit/pot limit/tourneys. however, i dont really get into the other games...i can play em to save my life, but thats about it...im not saying its wrong to play other games at all. but id focus on one primary one to start with.

online has some great benefits...you cn play fast, ingraining starting hands. you can have an odds sheet next to you to help, and eventually you wont need that sheet. among others.

one day, it just clicked for me. it was a january night and bam! i was above a break even player. i just felt it. alot of things made sense all of a sudden. i still had alot to learn, but i felt i was over a hurdle....that took about 1 1/2 yrs. but i also studied it very intensely the latter part of that time.

Turbo reeeaaallly accelerated my game. and it saved me quite a bit of cash from going to the cardroom to learn the basic plays. i still advocate that with the software out now, there is no reason to have to go into a cardroom to learn basic starting hands and basic flop play(fit or fold). i know, because im an example of it. and did it.

but keep playing...just reading wont do much. you have to play in some form and put concepts to practice to see how they work.

also understand that your win rate in your home game may also be against less than stellar players. ive seen some guys go to the cardroom after beating their home games and get smoked. then they get shellshocked. the first thing they notice is its usually much faster than a home game. however, your online play may offset this. even some online players have a tough time adjusting to their first 'live' game. its a little different than having a screen in front of you and being able to express yourself without anyone seeing you. you have more surface to cover to see everything. that affected me at times if i play alot of online and i go back to a live game. a minor annoyance getting back in the groove.

just some ideas...

b