Everyone wants to learn poker when they see the money...

[Jorge10]

Heres an interesting story, its the story of my gambling. I started with nothing, I played at the play chips tables at UB, they gave 1 ultimate point for every hour on their free tables, I played 400 hours within 2 months. I had 400 points and a lot of play chips. I played that much because I was on winter break from college so I had a month off. And the first month of every quarter is slow.

At about this time UB started to have 100 point sit and gos. I turned those 400 points into 20k in points. Then I bought my first poker book, it was Hellmuth's book, I knew nothing about nothing at the time. Then UB started allowing people to pay for tourneys with points.

I played my very first no limit holdem tourney, it was a 5 dollar tourney with a lot of players. I got second and won 350 dollars. The following day they were having a limit omaha high low tourney. I was barely capable at holdem, knew nothing about omaha high low, but I figured hellmuth talks about it and its only 10 bucks. It turns out it was a massive tourney with over 200 entrants and UB added 1000 to the prize pool. I won first place and won 950 dollars.

I took out all the money except 100 dollars I left for tourneys. I lost a few holdem tourneys and wasnt even close to the money. I played more high low tourneys however and kept making final tables and won another one for another 550 dollars. I took it out almost all out. I recklessly spent all my cash I had won from tourneys because I didnt know any better. With those 100 dollars I won 3 more high low tourneys of 500 each. I took all the money out and spent it recklessly. Left 100 in UB and ran cold for a few tourneys not to mention I kept trying to play omaha high low and holdem cash games without having any skills at them at all. I eventually went broke and had 0 on UB.

I decided that tourneys were too unstable and the only way to make cash was with cash games, but I was broke and was a college student so I only had 100 bucks to spare. I put them into party and tried to find a game I enjoyed. I found Pot Limit Omaha High Low. This game combined allowed me to use all my skills because it was like no limit holdem but also like limit omaha high low. It was the perfect mix.

I started with 100 and played at the 25 tables, I played and thought about the game a lot. I ran that money into 600 dollars. Moved up to the 100 tables and ran it into 1300 dollars. I took out 300 and bought every poker book I could and read them all carefully and tried to relate their advice to my game and analyzed hands in my spare time. I had 1k left on party and I ran bad, real bad. I was down to 300 again. I stopped playing and looked at all the recent hands I had lost and why, and thought about the game and tried to find what I was screwing up with.

I spent hundreds of hours thinking about my game and analyzing hands and going over why I had lost and why I wouldnt do it again. I then began to play again and ran those 300 dollars into 7k and havent looked back since.

Heres the problem, my parents obviously found out I was making money from poker, I mean I all of a sudden had cash. No I wasnt spending recklessly I learned not to do that the hard way. But I bought a lot of books, all of a sudden packages start arriving at the house and im paying for them? Anyone can put two and two together at this point. Well my mom told everyone in my family I made cash from poker and now my cousin is coming to "see me play" this weekend, which is another way of saying he will probably ask me to teach him or something. Hes not the only one, I have a bunch of friends, one of them plays poker as a hobby and we talk about hands and its great, but another one doesnt really play poker, but he found out I make money and all of a sudden he wants to play poker.

I am a young player I really am barely starting my playing, I dont really want to teach people or reveal my tricks. I dont mind answering questions about hands on the boards or to my poker buddy, but I dont really want to actually teach someone everything I know about Pot Limit Omaha High Low. Not only that, but its like it was so hard for me to understand a lot of things about poker, I mean the reckless spending thing, I played through a lot of tourneys in order to develop my game. I dont want to teach them everything and I really dont think I could I mean I barely started and eventhough ive been through a lot I dont think they can understand everything I have been through with words, I doubt my teachings would be any good. This really could become messy specially if they lose their money or something because one I didnt teach them right and two I didnt really want to teach them. Any way I can tell my cousin and my non poker interested friend(that is suddenly interested in poker cause I make money) this without coming off as a jerk? Any comments would really help me out. Sorry for the long post just been thinking about this a lot lately.

[dirty moose]

when you say you sent all these hours looking and anazyling your game, what were you looking at? i never know what i should be looking for? an answer to this would be great.

[Jorge10]

I looked at the losing hands and the reasons I lost. I would try and find any error at all. I would just think over every street, why did I check? would a call or fold have been better? I lost a lot of hands so this was a lot of time spent thinking. Also how about a reply to the post?, lol!

[bernie]

You can learn alot when you teach. It will help your game as well as theirs.

About them losing money, you tell them up front the risk. And pound it into them. So there is no question or blame if they lose it.

At least your parents seem supportive. Which is minority on these boards for starting players.

b

[bernie]

[ QUOTE ]
I looked at the losing hands and the reasons I lost. I would try and find any error at all.

[/ QUOTE ]

There's errors in winning hands too.

b

[Jorge10]

Yes there are errors in winning hands as well, but for some reason you dont remember the lessons when you didnt lose anything. But if you see that you lost a big pot, all of a sudden the lessons stick. Also, they really dont know anything about poker. I also doubt they have any idea how difficult it is, somehow it seems that they think that the money comes easily and anyone can do it. I think they just think they will just magically start making money like crazy, I mean why else would they suddenly be interested? Thats part of the reason behind me not wanting to teach them, their interest is not real in a way and I doubt they are willing to put in the time. Also my non poker friend has quite a temper and drinking problem, I know he wont be any good. How about some suggestions on saying no?

[MagicMan08]

I think just telling them to go out use play money, give them some tips or send them to this place. Its a great resource.

[Alex/Mugaaz]

Can you buy me a lottery ticket please?

[punter11235]

Interesting post.
I had similair problem with my friend few times.
I explained them that poker is difficult, its not easy money. It takes a lot of work and good chunk of life. Its similair to tennis and golf. I asked them if they considered starting to make money from playing golf or tennins (or chess for example)? Poker is similair.
If they dont give up I would tell them ok. I can answer your questions I can lend you all the books and I can give you few things for thought for the start but that's all. There is no magic and they have to go by theirselves and its risky business.

One more thing. I dont think its good policy to boast about all the money. Its ok to inform family and few good friends but you should ask them for discrecy.

Best wishes

[JoshuaD]

Be awfully careful that you're actually indentifying mistakes, and not just bad luck.

You're on the right track mentally to become a strong player. Make sure to read Theory of Poker if you haven't already, that book will help you analyze things in the proper way.

Good luck!