Texas Hold 'em Suggestion

[KTown]

Originally Posted by Crispy's Critter

I've never played for real money. I've thought about it, but have kept away because I've read/heard stories of rigged tables where basically a group of 3 or 4 friends will start a table, and allow 1 or 2 others to join, then converse back and forth via yahoo or msn to determine what cards the other players are holding, ensuring that they will win in the end and the others lose.
Not sure if this really happens, but have heard it from a friend of mine that he had been approached to get in on a scheme like this from a couple other players at one site he always played at. They told him they had done it all the time. (can't remember the site, thought it had 'tiger' in the name though )
Are there any sites out there that you can't control who sits at the tables? That would prevent something like this from happening probably.

I can see it happen, it most likely happens at the cash tables, because you can make a lot of money fast and lose it fast as well. If you play in the cash tournaments I can't see it happening. I stick to those as much as I can, in tournaments players get seated, you can't pick your seats.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

I play at Pokerstars as well.........usually only once a week.

There are a lot of players who make silly bets because it's fake money, but I usually try to play like more realistically to try to become a better player.

Doesn't take much skill to go all-in every hand with crap cards.

I'd be interested in some sort of CP tourney as well, could be fun.

[DementedReality]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Actually my fear would be winning too many hands. For example you start with 1000 play chips and within a month you turn it into 10000 play chips because you're playing fairly well and the pots you win are waaaaay too big because everyone is raising for fun. A person will think that this is easy money, start to play for real money and be in too many poor hands for smaller pots.

yes this is the other problem ...

basically, the hands dont get played to "form" when there is no money on the line and bad habits are developed.

lord knows I suck at real poker too!

[csnarpy]

go to pokerstars.net

its only play money games. you can enter tourneys there and everything. Best way to practice is against others and not cost a thing.

[Hemi-Cuda]

do you have an Xbox 360? there's a great Texas Hold 'Em game on Xbox Live Arcade that you can play single or multiplayer, i've wasted quite a few hours with it

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

I'd be interested in some sort of CP tourney as well, could be fun.

Online or in person?

In person would be awesome...... would love to meet Fotze..... maybe even Reggie.....

[droopydrew19]

Originally Posted by First Lady

Online or in person?

In person would be awesome...... would love to meet Fotze..... maybe even Reggie.....

If you are meeting Fotze... Bring the pepper spray

[bradster57]

I love playing the freerolls on Pokerstars. People usually make realistic bets (as if it was real money) because there are real prizes but it won't cost you anything.

One of the best programs I have found for tournaments (as an addon to Pokerstars or any other poker program) is Tournament Indicator. www.tournamentindicator.com there is a 48 hour trial period and some newbie information. Gives odds, player stats, and tons more. Worth checking out.

[edn88]

Originally Posted by bradster57

I love playing the freerolls on Pokerstars. People usually make realistic bets (as if it was real money) because there are real prizes but it won't cost you anything.

I don't know if this could be farther from the truth - perhaps you meant to hit the sarcasm flag.

Although the free rolls are fun, they are as far from real poker as you can get. If you have a 360 or the like, get World Series of Poker 2008 - you can play a variety of game types, and although it is still AI, seems to have some 'real' feel to it.

[ericschand]

Originally Posted by KTown

I've been playing online at party poker. They send me a free 25 dollars to play each year. Last year I lost that 25 pretty quick, this year they sent me the 25 bucks and I've been playing with the free money for over 4 months. I now have 400 dollars in that account. If I lose that money I will stop playing till they send me the 25. I just can't seem to loseit, I've learned the odds and the ropes and I win more than I lose. I also take players note on there betting trends.

I don't think I'm addicted because If I lose like 3 games in a row I tend to stop for like 4 days because I'm pissed. I also hate throwing my own money away. I have a hard time parting ways with it for stuff like this.

The problem I find is when you play at the 50cent or 1dollar tournaments people call raises with anything because they don't care about parting ways with a dollar.

So I play at the 10 dollar sit and go game. Its a 10 person tourney 11dollars each (10 to the pot and 1 to the house) 50 for first and 30 for second and 20 for third. People tend to not gamble as much and beat you with crappy hands too often. It will happen though. As much as skill is involved it also is luck. The key is just to put yourself in the best odds of winning. If you do that most of the time chances are you come out ahead.

I do pretty much the same. I have found at PartyPoker, that if you
stick to the $11 or $6 tables, you can't lose, as long as you play your
cards.

The players are weak and they really don't know when to let go. So
you enter the sit and go, and wait...wait...oh, there we go, time to
clean up. You raise pre-flop with KK and someone called with Q3 and
hit their Q. They still won't let go if you move all-in.

Move up to the $22 or higher and there's less and less of it.

Play the freerolls to build a stack, and also wait for the free $20
to $40, and then use that to build it up too.

As for many players at one table, there is a point of diminishing returns.
After 3 players, it's unlikely there's enough out there to win, as the
three of you will hold most of the money, and will be swapping most
of it between each other, losing to the rake.

However, it does happen. Once again, patience. Just wait, you'll
hit it and clean all of them out. Done just that numerous times,
much more in win than loss in that situation. And watch, most of
them when they are caught get mad, really, really mad, then
their play is erratic in your favour. If they are raising with you in
the middle, just get middle pair or better and re-raise all their raising,
watch their game slow down as they discuss the next move on you.
Usually they are raising you out with NOTHING. And then start taking
their money.

ers

[bradster57]

Originally Posted by edn88

I don't know if this could be farther from the truth - perhaps you meant to hit the sarcasm flag.

Although the free rolls are fun, they are as far from real poker as you can get. If you have a 360 or the like, get World Series of Poker 2008 - you can play a variety of game types, and although it is still AI, seems to have some 'real' feel to it.

You're right- it is different from a big money game. However, I find it is very hard to bluff anybody in a "play money" situation. In my experience, freerolls tend to have people playing a little tighter or cautious with their money than a regular play money table. At least they do later on in the tournament if you've have a few hours invested.

[evman150]

Hi, my name's Evan. I play poker.

Feel free to ask any questions.

[return to the red]

Originally Posted by evman150

Hi, my name's Evan. I play poker.

Feel free to ask any questions.

he wanted good advice I think

jk I've read some of your previous posts and I'll agree that you do play poker

with regards to anyone for a CP poker tourny, a few of us here tried to have a weekly CP tourny on Pokerstars but it quickly died out. That being said i would be all for it again but someone would have to set it up. I believe Newts set it up previously

[KevanGuy]

Thanks for all the tips guys. Looks like PokerStars is the answer. I might pick up Stacked for the PSP too. If it is possible to start a CP table or whatever we should set that up for after a Flames game or something.

[Thor]

Originally Posted by fotze

and some rubbers. (does anyone even use the term rubbers anymore?)

KG, I can invite you to our poker games, smoke cigars and drink beer. But the players I play with have no qualms losing $500 on a given night whereas I only play a $20 then I'm out, so needless to say I am bullied out pretty damn quickly on every occasion.

I could never be good at poker because you seem to have to play with the mindset that if you lose all your money, it will not bother you.

I think thats the key thing, if you want to get into Texas Hold em for money, do yourself a favor and stop now

If you love the game and the money adds a thrill to the game, then go for it.

Don't play free games if you want to get better and take it seriously, even the lower value bet open tables are going to teach you a lot of bad habbits. Just sign up for tournaments, usually you get people playing like they should there.

I don't play much if ever online, but I did play pokerstars when I did, I just prefer face to face play since thats a huge part of the game for me.

Good luck

[KevanGuy]

Well, this has been alright so far. I went into a room here...5/10, NL about half an hour ago. Took in $500 in play money and am now already at $8,910. A man could make a nice living doing that in half an hour!

edit: Make that $11 360. Holy cow, Im killing these guys.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by KevanGuy

Well, this has been alright so far. I went into a room here...5/10, NL about half an hour ago. Took in $500 in play money and am now already at $8,910. A man could make a nice living doing that in half an hour!

Until he finds out what the real thing is like!

[evman150]

I once turned 1k into 40k playmoney in one orbit at FT.

It was super shiny luckbox and super LOL.

[KevanGuy]

Man, now up to $16,054 off $500 in less than an hour. Obviously this isnt like the real thing but not bad none the less.

[arsenal]

Originally Posted by KevanGuy

Man, now up to $16,054 off $500 in less than an hour. Obviously this isnt like the real thing but not bad none the less.

nope. that's how they get you. People who play play money will chace absolutely everything. If they miss, oh well, they just reload.

When you play with real money, things are a lot different.