So I want to be a poker player... (long)

[carlosblack]

I have been lurking arround the site for a few months, ever since a "home" game developped at the office. I don't go into anything half heartedly so when I decided to give poker a go I looked for the best information on the net. After a lot of false leads I found something I did not expect, the 2+2 forums! I have never seen anything like it, I have been overwhelmed about the information and sharing in these forums. I really appreciate the fact that serious players take the time to read posts like this, and I just can't get enough of the posts with hand examples.

Goals:
1)Start playing internet poker: Started two days ago
2)Start playing "home" game: plan to start in 3-5 months
3)Start playing mid limit poker: plan to start in ~3 years

I have a rough "game plan" to achieve this goals, looking for ideas, suggestions and corrections.

My poker background: none, I have always known how to play draw, picked up the rules for hold em about a year ago, never played for money. I have bought and read the two + two books (Hold'em poker, HPFAP, Theory of poker, Tournament poker) and lou kriegers low limit book. I have also bought some related software, turbo hold em and pokertracker.

Goal 1) I started playing in party .5/1 this weekend, I started with 200 bb and I will be putting in up to 200bb/month as necesary whenever I don't have 300bb on hand.

As far as playing I made all of the beginner mistakes that I told myself I would not do:

Started winning arround 30$ and got smug(mistake 1), went to two tables(mistake 2) then three(3) and relied on very tight opening hands to bring in the money(4?). Soon I was up about 60$ and I went to four tables(5), when the smoke cleared (or in this case the "you have options" messages cleared) I had lost half of my winnings and made some of the most absurd plays, threw eight dolars away on unimproved Aces when a flopped set kept betting into me for example. I switched back to one table and decided to win back what I had lost(6) I tightened up for a while but I was "not getting any cards"(7 starting to tilt), marginal hands started looking better. Started playing any suited ace, any pair, any suited connector in any position trying to hit the flop(8). I finally decided to quit after (9!) yelling at my wife for talking to me during a hand, have to choose my battles <g>. Fortunatelly I never got into the red, if I had I would probably have tilted a lot worse. Suggestions (aside from not playing four tables again any time soon)?

Goal 2) the "home" game is a two table tournament with little money and high bragging rights. Mostly weak tight players with a few tight agressive and lags, blinds that double every fifteen minutes with the whole thing over in two hours. I want to win it, suggestions?

Goal 3)I have no idea how to do this, I first thought about building a bankroll on lower limits and keep trying to climb up as I get to 300bb for next limit, but if this was easy everybody would do it. I could bankroll the 300bb on 15/30, but how would I know I am ready for this limit? I am in no hurry to get there, suggestions?

I will start posting hands in the microlimit forum this week. Thanks for reading this far and say hello if you see me on party!

[Mike Gallo]

Welcome aboard and congrats on the first step.

Play post and read everything on these boards, you will come out ahead of 80% of most poker players.

[thirddan]

welcome to the boards

I would suggest like MG said to read every hand from the micro forum to start with, hang out there, we are really cool

Working your way throught the limits is the best approach if you want to become successful IMO...playing micros is a very patience/discipline game but it is necessary to start with the basics before jumping in limits with better opponents...will look forward to your micro posts...

[Ed Miller]

I had lost half of my winnings and made some of the most absurd plays, threw eight dolars away on unimproved Aces when a flopped set kept betting into me for example.

This is almost never an "absurd" play. If you NEVER folded pocket aces EVER in these small limit online games, you would be damn close to correct.

Many people seem to think learning to lay down big hands is the key to playing winning poker, but it REALLY ISN'T... I PROMISE. Especially not on small stakes online games where people play like nutcrackers. When they will happily cold-bluff to the river with jack-high, you just can't go around folding pocket aces for one bet.

[jdl22]

[ QUOTE ]
Started playing any suited ace, any pair, any suited connector in any position trying to hit the flop(8).

[/ QUOTE ]

While Ed is the resident expert on these games (in case you are unaware he is writing the most anticipated book since the Gutenberg bible) I don't think playing any suited ace and any pocket pair is much of a mistake if any at all. If the table is passive (little raising) and loose (lots of limpers) then you can play these up front and simply drop them if you don't hit a flush draw or two pair with Axs or a set with your pocket pair.

If I'm wrong here feel free to correct me. I have mainly played NL where implied odds are more important and it is acceptable to play 22 utg.

[ericd]

I think 95% might be right. It's just making sure to sidestep the others.

[Mike Gallo]

I think 95% might be right. It's just making sure to sidestep the others.

Lately with the influx of new posters I agree.

[Phil Van Sexton]

[ QUOTE ]
1)Start playing internet poker: Started two days ago

[/ QUOTE ]
My only advice would be to pick one strategy and study it. Reading 4 different books is probably information overload, especially since a lot of the information in those books doesn't really apply to 50/1 on party. Study the low-limit book, or find a guru on this forum and follow their advice to the letter. You can then study the other books as you move up levels.


[ QUOTE ]
2)Start playing "home" game: plan to start in 3-5 months

[/ QUOTE ]
As for winning a 2-hour, 2-table tournament....a tournament that short is basically a crapshoot. The blinds will be going up so fast, it will just come down to who gets the cards at the end. You can practice at the party 5/1 or 10/1, but it will just come down to getting the cards. If you want to increase your chances, you need to lengthen the tournament. We play 4-5 hours, no one gets bored, and the best players usually make the money.

[ QUOTE ]
3)Start playing mid limit poker: plan to start in ~3 years

[/ QUOTE ]
Search the archives for posts on moving up in limits. I think 300bb is too much when moving up limits. Many people will adopt a plan like "move up when I have 200bb, but drop back down if my backroll drops below 120bb". Again, search the archives. Personally, I don't see a huge difference between 50/1, 1/2, and 2/4. You are wasting your time if you don't move up ASAP through these lower levels.

[Saborion]

Welcome aboard. One advice is that you find an affiliate for some site and sign up through him/her. My recommendation would be Empire since you already have an account on Party. In the long run, this will add up to a lot of extra $$, and that is always nice when you're trying to build a bankroll.

[lostinthought]

In regards to number 3 -
I think you will be able to get there sooner then that, depending on how much time and energy you spend. Also, if you get good advice early on (from places like here) it will accelerate the learning process. I played for about half a year before I started reading this forum.. Looking at my results, that was the point I started playing much better.

You'll want to move up as fast as you comfortably can, as the rake can be killer at low limits. The only reason that low limit play online is profitable is because there are so many bad players going to far with hands.. (combined with the ability to multi-table)..

Learn how to play one table first.

good luck, and welcome to the forums..