How to really study the game.

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What about finding a mentor? My gut feeling is that's what I really need right now. I emailed ZeeJustin offering to pick up his dry-cleaning. But surprisingly was not taken up on my offer. He did respond though, nice guy.

I did find these very helpful: http://www.tightpoker.com/visitor_histories.html

I played along with Strassa and Daliman and tried to guess what they would do. Anyone know where I can find more of these posteed, by truly great players?

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Good Link, Thanks.

I've had to start a second poker folder for all the stuff bookmarked from people on this site.

[timmer]

All good points listed. one other

Know thyself (not biblically though)

through realistic feedback and total accountability

"Play well and prosper"

timmer

How about this and other forums? I'm a regualar at PokerForums.org and check in here once in a while to see waht other's are saying, pick up tips and general strategy discussions - great way to learn from other and the cost is just right!

[Shandrax]

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Mike Caro said in an article that you need to think about the right things in the right order.

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That for example is damn good advice! Do exactly that and you will be a guaranteed winner for the rest of your life.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

the median player has never read a book

And a lot who have read the books either won't understand the concepts or will mis-apply them.

Is this an advertisement for a different forum?

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What about finding a mentor? My gut feeling is that's what I really need right now. I emailed ZeeJustin offering to pick up his dry-cleaning. But surprisingly was not taken up on my offer. He did respond though, nice guy.



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Thats actually really good advice,

I found a mentor, a solid poker winning player at higher stakes.

After a few weeks I had made vast improvments with his guidence. I realized that for me, I was only going so far being self taught.

Sure some people have a natural ability and understanding of the game that allows them to become a great player on thier own. But others like myself need to be shown or the lessions will take 1000s of hours of experience before we stumble into them.

[AlanBostick]

Think about the goddam game!

David Sklansky didn't descend from a mountaintop with his hand rankings inscribed on stone tablets. Mike Caro didn't transcribe The Book of Tells from sheets of gold foil while wearing Andy Latto's magic glasses. Doyle Brunson didn't achieve enlightenment while sitting underneath a tree.

These are ordinary men, who happened to put a lot of thought into poker, and perhaps talked it over with their friends, and worked things out that turned out to be useful, and they wrote them into books.

You can put a lot of thought into poker and talk it over with your friends and work out things that turn out to be useful, too. You don't necessarily have to put it into a book.

[Fletch46]

This is really for newer players -

I started playing about a year ago and until very recently only played at the B & M. Right at the beginning someone told me not to let anyone know I was new to the game. Since I figured any decent player would know I was new, I did the opposite and asked lots of questions. The players have been great and have been a tremendous help. Lots of things that I eventually read in books I had already learned at the casino. So if you're new to the game, take advantage of those who are willing to share and pick their brains. Just make sure they're decent players. Everytime I cash in a tournament, someone is always taking credit for teaching me everything I know. But seriously, they're a very generous and patient group of people and I'm very grateful to them.

I've also read lots of books and find it's important to keep going back to them. As you get more experience, you'll get more and more out of them. I agree that it's important to think about the game when you are not playing and to rethink hands you've played, both with good results and bad.

And of course this site is a treasure. I was very fortunate to have it recommended to me by someone I met in Reno and seldom meet anyone in Vancouver who knows about it. I always recommend it but I don't think most people make any effort at all to improve their game.

Seems like a good opportunity to thank all the posters for the great advice and to everyone who runs the site for the terrific job they do.

[Lash]

First off, thanks to all the posters on 2+2. The posts found here are in my belief, a great way to really study the game. Another place often overlooked is your friends. It's easy to forget how helpful a sincere outside opinion is.