lightsaberboy

my advice is dont keep relying on the cards on the table to get a good hand. if you start out with a bad hand, and the first 3 cards laid out dont get you anything, dont stay in the game, hoping you'll get something good with the next 2 cards. i kept doing that, and losing a lot. >_<

and dont bluff too many times. one time i went all in with another guy, and he said "alright, what do you got?" and i went "nothing!" and i lost it all >_<

soloist124

look on google for some pointers but once you get going, you will want to play and cut work and cut school too to play, as i am now

soccerchamp76

Online play = bad
People play so different online, especially without real money. You chase more cards, bluff more often, and call shit cards. Second of all, you cannot read the other players because they are across the country somewhere.
Practice = good
The only way to get better is to play more. Change your style of play a lot. If you play against the same people like I do (dorm poker games 7 days/week) you have to change it up. Play loose one night, then ultra-conservative the other night. Learn what peoples tells are and get to know when they are bluffing.

__________________
Brian Griffin: Ah, if my memory serves me, this is the physics department.
Chris Griffin: That would explain all the gravity.

dbc

I play a lot. What helped my game most was reading books about the game. Getting different perspectives on the "right" play can really prepare you without having to pay any money. I was able to borrow a lot of books from friends though, so this may cost more for others.

Bratwurst

This is good advice - read a bit. I suggest Sklansky's "The Theory of Poker" and Phil Helmuths book, "Play Poker Like the Pros". Helmuth's first two chapters are a very good way to get into the game and tell you which starting hands to play.

I play a good amount on Ultimatebet.com. They have free tournaments that you can play during the day that are going to be a better way to improve your play than in a normal free card room where people play bad strategy because it is just free play chips.

FngKestrel

Don't forget that tournaments are different from ring games. Tournaments, with their increasing blind structure, force players to play with questionable cards as the tournament progresses. In addition, this ends up taking away emphasis on skill and puts more emphasis on luck. Think about what kind of game you want to play predominantly and read up on that.

Bratwurst

Tournaments are different then ring games, yes, but if you are looking for practice and don't want to play against people that are going to call a large raise with 10-7 offsuit playing with free chips, then online tournaments are a good thing.

Logik

I disagree. I tighten up as the blinds go up, unless I have the stack to cover it. Only short stacked players are forced to play marginal hands, and that applies at any blind level. And I also think it puts more emphasis on skill, because more hands end up being two or three handed at higher limits, and strategy plays a big part in winning pots shorthanded.

__________________
TVB > Everything.

FngKestrel

Bratwurst: I agree, free-roll tournaments are better than play money games.

Logik: I find that in the short run, luck plays a larger factor than skill. Suppose you have a slight mathematical edge on someone in a given situation. You'd want that situtation to come up as often as possible. Depending on the behavior of your opponent, sometimes you'll come up ahead and sometimes you'll be behind, but in the long run, that mathematical edge will be what ultimately keeps you ahead. That's how casinos stay in business.

In a tournament, with the blinds rising constantly, you're not given a chance to take advantage of that mathematical edge. If you run into a player that makes a loose call to your overbet even though you've taken away his pot odds, that's the kind of person that you want at a ring game because you know that given a similar situation, you can probably count on them to call you again. On the chance that he gets lucky and makes his hand, you know that the next time that situation comes up, when he doesn't make his hand, you'll have made your money back. With your adjustment of the pot odds and his loose calls, you can guarantee that the mathematical edge is in your favor. In a ring game, you can afford to wait out for that next situation. In a tourney, that first play may make you short stacked or take you out of the game completely.

Logik

I see what you're saying, but relying on luck at higher blinds only really applies if you're short stacked, and being low on chips changes the way you play the entire game, regardless of the blinds. When you can only cover three bets, you're more likely to go all in on a 99, for example, a play you'd never make if you were still in the hunt. But when you have two or three guys with tall stacks throwing around bets in a high stakes hand, you better use the strategy that got you into that hand in the first place if you want to stay alive.

And I also have to agree with everyone's opinion of freeroll tournaments. I prefer UltimateBet's over PokerStars' only because I think the players at UB have a slightly higher skill level. Plus the UB freerolls are a little more sane than PSs. For some reason, you can get right into a 2500 seat freeroll at UB without any problems, but getting into PSs 6000 seat tourneys requires luck and precise timing.

__________________
TVB > Everything.

FngKestrel

I'll concede that tournaments definitely require skill, as evidenced by the same slew of people at the WSOP every year. However, an amateur can even the odds between him and the professional by taking advantage of luck. A professional knows how to play each part of spread to maximize their potential for winning. Effectively, even if a professional has a marginal hand, they can outplay their opponent psychologically and win on that regard.

Amateurs can take away that advantage by playing pairs and AK by going all-in pre-flop. Anyone who calls with a comparable hand is still only about 50% to win, effectively reducing the game to a coin flip. By going all-in first, the player puts the hard decision on the other person, giving them the chance to make that big mistake. This prevents the opponent, professional or otherwise, from outplaying them. Mind you, this is only a preferred tactic if you know you're going up against MUCH stronger players. In addition, this applies regardless of the players stack.

In a broader sense, putting the decision on your opponent not only applies to NLHE tourneys but to HLHE ring games.

Mobo123

It's already been said by people here. Read, read, read, read, and read,. I have been playing hold 'em, even no limit for at least 20 years. It's the greatest game in the world. 10 years ago, it paid for a family vacation when i hit a straight flush at Harveys in Tahoe.

Advice- read, play lo-limit hold 'em at a local card club until you get comfortable with:

1. betting
2. bluffing (remember at the low limit tables, there wont be much of that)
3. POSITION PLAY- this is SO important. ALWAYS REMEMBER WHERE THE BUTTON IS. THAT DICTATES HOW YOU SHOULD LEAD OUT OR NOT, WHETHER TO RAISE OR CHECK RAISE.
4. what cards you should get as many checks in b/4 the flop
5. Tells- how to read people - subtle hints.
6. Folding - just as important as any other skill

This is the best game but it is soooo frustrating. Try getting a run of 7/2 offsuit for a while when the blinds and antes keep going around.

Mobo123

Last, i've probably read at least 20-30 books on hold 'em. Brunson's on hold 'em is the bible (the other games are written about by other gamblers) but there are other books that are really good as well. Helmuth's book was put together so he can make money. (mine)

basically, any book that makes you aware of what to look out for is worth it if you are going to play.

again, read and play lo limit until you are comfortable. Here in LA, at the commerce club or Hollywood park, you can find a 1-2 game. Not my cup of tea but a good
learning experience.

If you are a noob, DO NOT PLAY THE MIRAGE OR BELLAGIO. YOU WILL GET YOUR HEAD HANDED TO YOU. What used to be Binions downtown still has some good games as does Palace Station. The MGM used to have a great poker room until they took it out and put lions there instead. Around 4:00am, the poker room manager used to bring out hot fresh donuts and muffins with coffee free for whoever was there. That was great.

I forgot one thing on my list

7. If you can, always have the strongest player to your right. That way he/she cant go over the top of your bet. you can see what he/she is going to do b/4 you do what do you. Just ask the floor manager for a seat change or even a table change.

DasMarklar

Shoot, find a local bar that's doing some kind of poker night - the local one here does it for $5, and you play out the tournament. They usually have some kind of decent prize if you win, as well.

Bratwurst

If I could only find a club to play in that I could go to when my weekly game doesn't meet...