Free Tables and Learning (first post)

Here's my sitch:

I learned on free tables - learned how to beat them. Spent six months there and dominated the tables at NL and Om8.

I have read (no lie) 30 books on how to play poker.

Foolishly believed that I knew something. Watching WSOP and WPT led to this delusion of course.

As some have said, you learn how to play at the free tables, not how to win.

I did learn that - expensively, and despite reading many books, I did learn that "there is no substitute for experience".

Or as I have learned in other areas of my life, " 'Experience' is what you get from f**king up the first time! "

I pass this on as info so that others may learn from my mistakes.

Hubris.

Or "Pride goeth before a fall."

Of course I believe[d] that I'm a better poker player than I truly am! My wins are due to skill. My losses are due to "bad luck" or "I can't believe you called me with that hand!"

<SarcasmMode> = Off

Here's my point:

It has been said that "you can't learn from the free tables", but I have gone back there to learn. At this point, I am playing [play money] SNG tables only - SNG in Limit, NLHE, and Omaha both Hi and HiLo.

I try to play TAG there, and I have found that making it to the last three is some of the hardest poker I have played. True, there is no REAL money on the table, but that doesn't mean that folks don't use all of their skills to beat you.

And I have also found that those folks have played some serious money, have read "The Bible" and "The Theory of Poker", etc.

I could go on, but I'll just leave it with . . .

Comments welcomed.

TJ