Tubo Texas hold'em software vs online play

[Dieter01]

First I would like to thank you all for the great discussions on this forum, I am learning a lot from it!

I am a novice player compared to most here, but trying to improve my game as much as I can. Over the past 6 months I have started taking it increasingly serious. Read Super/system, Caros's book of poker tells, Jones' Winning low limit hold'em and two of the books by Sklanski. I feel that I am starting to get a better grasp of things, but would like to get some more game time in. Right now I am playing once per week in a homegame.

I have been playing some on Pacific Poker, but only for play money. I mostly use it to practice calculating pot odds/implied odds etc. It is starting to get increasingly annoying how the vast majority don't have a clue on how to play though... I mean, if it was real money I would be happy to take their cash, but I am trying to learn here...

I heard of the software Turbo Texas Hold'em. Never tried it, but understand you can simulate playing with several different kinds of opponents. Does anyone have experience with this software? Is it worth buying? Are there any earlier freeware versions out there? Or any other similar freeware software that I havb't heard of?

Alternatively considering online play for real money... I do not want to sit at a 20/40 table, it would have to be low stakes. I am doing this to practice calculations and desicion making, not to win money. For now anyways... Would I find significantly better opposition and tighter play in these games than the pretend money tables?


Thank you for your time.

[uuDevil]

There is a trial version of TTH you can download from their website: http://www.wilsonsw.com

The trial version is quite limited but enough to judge for yourself if it is worthwhile. I have found it useful, but you'll get mixed opinions here. Do a search for "TTH" to find some posts on the topic.

You can also try playing microstakes online. I don't know about Pacific, but Ultimate Bet has games as small as $.01/.02. Playing against and winning money from real people is much more satisfying than TTH, even if it's only a few cents [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Hopefully your books include Theory of Poker and Holdem Poker for Advanced Players. Study them between playing sessions. Of course continue to read the forums and also post some hands.

Good Luck!

[gacm]

G'day Dieter,
If you have been studying the game for 6 months, forget trying another "game" and get into the real thing. Play the small limits i.e. .5/1 etc, if you have leant anything at all you should do alright. The play at these limits is the same as at the play money tables so you'll feel right at home. I dont think going past 6 months of study is going to teach you anything, poker is just as much about experience as anything else and you cant really hurt yourself at .5/1, especially if you have learn't anything over the time you have already spent.

[Dieter01]

Thanks to both of you for your replies.

And I am trying the real thing to... Was in Vegas for 4 days this week, sat down at the 3-6 dollar table 3 of those days and all three days I cashed out and left after multiplying my $100 buy-in two-three fold. It was my first try at casino play and I loved it!

Problem is though, I just can't play online poker the same way I play the casino games/home games. First of all, the betting is so loose that my pot odds justify playing a lot more hands and chasing draws. So much that I don't always feel it is "realistic", and that it isn't really good training for me. I am trying to develop a more tight way of playing, but feel that if anything I am becoming more loose from online play.

I am also a bit reluctant to playing online for money because it has to be so easy to cheat. Have calculators/poker simulators etc running in the background... But then again, if people bother seting up such things why play the lowest limit table. I probably will try a few rounds though, just need to get PayPal hooked up

[Webster]

Don't worry about cheaters. There are no programs out there that are THAT good.

Turbo Texas Hold'm - get it. Play a lot of hands watching what the advisor says. There are many many things the advisor is wrong at BUT there are SO many things that it is good at that after 10,000 hands you will beat most online players.

STOP playing play money games NOW. They are counter productive and will teach you many many bad things.

Read, think, talk poker. Beating online poker really is not that had IN THE LONG RUN. Play good solid poker, play the cards and don't chase. simple as that.

I would worry more about cheating LIVE then then online.

Do not underestimate your play. If you are readingthis forum you are probebly good already and are at LEAST an even player.

Remember - 90% of the players out there are playing by hunch and from what they see on TV and THAT is NL, not limit.

Put $100 on the line and give it a try Play Party, I think Party is an average poker room for players, not the fishiest but not the tightest either, it's in the middle and 40% flops (under3/6).