The story of a poker player

[1800GAMBLER]

[ QUOTE ]
I think that u should switch to limit holdem. NL has to much variance. If u insist on playing no limit play tournaments. Your risk factor will be greatly reduced if you do either of the above. Most money players play limit.

[/ QUOTE ]

NL has a larger win rate with smaller variance for the winning player.

[Mike Gallo]

I started playing poker when I was 10. My best friend tought me how to play five card draw and it caught on me like white on rice. I loved the game. We played nearly everyday. Usually by the end of the month we were both even. After we noticed this trend in our play we decided to expand. At school we would invite other kids to play with us and usually they left with nothing more than milk money. We made our own little bankrolls off those pint sized fish.

I laughed for about fifteen minutes straight after reading this. I reread this post before commenting.

I have come to the following conclusion after reading this post. Your problems go beyond your poker abilities. However if you want to improve on your game, take Gonoros's advice.

[Oblivious]

I know a ton of people with this guy's story. It goes: I saw rounders, I watched tournements on tv, I dont know how to play real poker, so I play no limit with my college loan money.

It didnt really go that way for me. Youve got to read and then read some more. Learn to play limit games. Any complaints college kids have about playing limit games are born of complete ignorance.

If you must percieve your poker career throught the movie Rounders, take Kanish's advice: dont over-extend yourself, play within your means. Table stakes NL is not within many peoples means. If you do your homework, and learn limit poker, you can work your way up through the micro limits, but it requires patience and is devoid of glamour.

[nyholdem]

First, many thanks to all of you in helping me try to learn this game...Quick story... six months ago I embarked on learning this game, I had previously played many home poker games and also played a very good game of blackjack in the past. I actually first got interested when I was reading "Gambling for a Living" Well the poker bug hit me hard and I have spent a lot of time studying and learning the game. I now have about 10 books and have played the Wilson software extensively. I have played thousands of simulated hands and I feel I am starting to get an idea and a feel for the game. I am not trying to make a million or become a pro, I have a great part time job that supplies me with enough income. I just love the game and would like to become proficient at it. I have recently begun to play online. Any advise would be great.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

I consider myself to be pretty good at poker

Despite all the evidence to the contrary? Stop blaming suckouts and address your own misplays. Until you admit you're not as good as you think, you'll be incapable of learning.

At this point I feel like Matt Damon's character in Rounders

This is twice you cite Rounders. Here's a news flash: It's FICTION. I like the movie, too, but it's full of holes big enough to drive a truck through.

One more thing. Stick to limit at first when you do come back. From your post, you seem to have a hard time getting it through your head that a lot of low buy-in no-limit players will call small preflop raises with cheese because of the implied odds they get when they hit their hands. Limit allows you to manage your bankroll and learn to play without the possibility of catastrophic one-session swings. The vast majority of successful pros don't play no-limit.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

I think the key issue here is contained in the words "for the winning player." [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[Bokonon]

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...;Number=317711

. . . reads a lot like yours, except that I studied before my crash and I'm not nearly as bitter [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].

These guys are right. Listen to them. And entering a $100 NL game with your last $100 is just *insane*.

[Bokonon]

Hey, I liked Rounders! The fact that Damon's character actually *folds* at one point to an all-in where he was ahead . . . and then defends it as the right move . . . I loved that scene [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].

[webiggy]

[ QUOTE ]

2. The next time you are jonesing for poker, take the money you were going to use for your buy-in and invest in some poker literature. Study them, study them hard, and study them continuously.

There is no easy way to say this. You probably need to put a lot of hard work into your game, and even then you may still be a losing player. You just need to keep learning.


Doug

[/ QUOTE ]

Great advice!!! My wife looks at me with frustration, interest and dismay everytime I pick up HEPFAP before bed.

I'm a CPA and recently took up the game for fun and profit. My interest was not spurred by "Rounders" (which in my opinion is a highly over-rated movie) but by watching the WSOP. What truly struck me were the comments I had heard while doing so which were comments that I've heard before; Specifically, poeple who earn a living at playing poker do so because many of their opponents don't know what their doing.

I have to say that reading Jones and Sklansky coupled with my ability for quantitative analysis has helped me tremendously. I also read this forum alot - send hand histories to friends and play alot of LL poker.

Gonores is right - you have to study, study and study. But also, don't forget to bathe, eat, sleep, meet girls, work, pay your bills and pay your taxes.

[Gamblor]

Care to remind me of that scene?