In Response to Re: Newbie Question. : Thx for reply - any good reading suggestions as there seems to be a billion books - is there any notable stand outs? Posted by Ploppy33
First of all, welcome to Sky mate.
You'll get better advice above than I can give regarding where to start out. I'm pretty much a newbie like you.
But books : They've already been mentioned but : Harrington's, Harrington's, Harrington's. On-line play is probably (definitely) far more aggressive than when he wrote them. And Sky's 6-headed compared to the 9 headed tables he generally talks about. But Harrington's books teach you how to think about poker. They're the greatest ever written about poker, without any shadow of a doubt. I read, re-read and re-read the problems he sets out at the end of each chapter and they just get you totally into poker thinking mode. You'll need to adapt that mode of thought to the modern game but they have to be the starting point of anyone that wants to take the game seriously.
In Response to Re: Newbie Question. : By far and away just read The Theory of Poker by Sklansky + Harrington on Hold EM 1,2,3. Start at NL4 with 4 quid a go, and try the 2.2 deepstack tournies. You're misleading yourself if you think it's impossible to win 'because people call too much'. This is a good thing, to beat someone playing that sort of strategy you play tight and bet your medium-good hands strongly for value taking into account every step of the way the wide range of holdings your oppo can have. You can learn tonnes from books, but you'll also learn tonnes from just playing and losing (you learn less when you win because you don't think about what you've done because you won, so it must have been good right?). As with most things doing your homework really pays off so look back at how you play and keep trying to improve (the game can sometimes, sometimes be fun!). Posted by beaneh
Problem I have found with this strategy is that you wake up with a good hand after sitting and watching all the antics for the last 20 mins - losing your blinds periodically - bet big and everyone thinks hmm heres ploppy (wasnt aware he was still here?) must have a monster - lets all fold - yippee win 8 - 20p go back to sleep.
By my reconing I will need premium hands a lot more than is statistically likely to make this work. I therefore find myself being drawn into the stupidity myself, ie. getting involved in more & more marginal hands (ESPECIALLY in position) Is this good for my game? What is the reasonable range for getting involved in position, say for instance on the button? suited connectors? J10? A-rag?
In Response to Re: Newbie Question. : Problem I have found with this strategy is that you wake up with a good hand after sitting and watching all the antics for the last 20 mins - losing your blinds periodically - bet big and everyone thinks hmm heres ploppy (wasnt aware he was still here?) must have a monster - lets all fold - yippee win 8 - 20p go back to sleep. By my reconing I will need premium hands a lot more than is statistically likely to make this work. I therefore find myself being drawn into the stupidity myself, ie. getting involved in more & more marginal hands (ESPECIALLY in position) Is this good for my game? What is the reasonable range for getting involved in position, say for instance on the button? suited connectors? J10? A-rag? Posted by Ploppy33
uv noticed the main thing which is POSITION.
id prob avoid raggy aces, it cud put u in difficult spots u just dnt need to get in2 at this level.
just dnt try and do anything fancy, the vast majority of players at this level are not sitting there and thinkin 'oh ploppy hasnt raised 4 half hr, he must have a hand now' its more like, 'oooohhhhh, i have a Q and a 6, and they are d same suit and everything'
raise big, alot of players who are willing to pay 16p 2c a flop, will also pay ~30p, so make them!
TOP U play every hand, and get called by every player everytime u raise.
------- In-between ------
MIDDLE U play a reasonable range of hands, and you get called in lots of spots.
------- In-between -----
BOTTOM U play a very strict range, and they run a mile as soon as you put money in the pot.
They are like the 2 ends, and the middle of the spectrum. It isn't set in stone, u dont have to select ur hands and have a set gameplan prior to sitting down.
The whole idea of poker is to be constantly adapting to your opponents and table dynamics. Whats happening, who's calling to see every flop, who is playing tight etc etc etc. You can then take these things into account, thinking about your position at the table in relation to each player.
For example if you are in an un-raised pot, and you are on the button with Ace 2 of spades.
If the player in the big blind is calling every single raise, no matter how much you make it, you want to raise the pot up, to play a pot against him in position with an above average starting hand. (if he is playing every single 2 card combo - u are ahead of him more times than not here right?~)
Same scenario, and hand, but the player in the big blind re-raises every single hand. You would want to fold your ace 2, and wait for a chance when you are happy to play a big pot against him (AQs+ JJ+)
If the player in the big blind is folding every single time u raise his blind, you will be raising the button in an un-opened pot 100% of the time, no matter what u are holding.
Your hand selection is really important, you have to learn to do the right thing, at the right time, having assessed correctly the players at your table. Don't get stuck in a rut, of having a set range of hands to play, and sticking to them no matter what.
It seems that you think you know it all???,and why not,after all you're a veteran of a 1000 hands,and a BR of £50 a month. With all that going for you,you can call people 'idiots' how dare someone beat your Aces,a catastrophe of Tsunami proportions, lol. Kind regards
In Response to Newbie Question. : It seems that you think you know it all???,and why not,after all you're a veteran of a 1000 hands,and a BR of £50 a month. With all that going for you,you can call people 'idiots' how dare someone beat your Aces,a catastrophe of Tsunami proportions, lol. Kind regards Posted by ALIVEHAT60
Read the whole post!! - the above was an example that seems to happen over & over again not a specific - just an illustration of a point fof view.
You will also notice (even from the heading) I'm hardly referring to myself as a "know it all" - the complete opposite in fact! Hence the word Newbie!
My whole point is that I want to try to learn to play properly or at least not erratically as I am doing now. I am finding this difficult as stated above because it is very difficult to assess a situation where I am in a (another illustration to make a point) 5 handed pot with lets say AA against 5 oppos each of which can hold any 2 cards.
My point is that when u watch say the TV etc this does not happen as most players will be playing within a realistic range of hands not any 2 - I understand that at any time & at any level there is always a variance and that quite possible my AA will lose to 63 but should I adjust my play (such as it is) to account for this 100% of the time.
Thx a lot Dohhhhhhh for your response very informative.
Comments
You'll get better advice above than I can give regarding where to start out. I'm pretty much a newbie like you.
But books : They've already been mentioned but : Harrington's, Harrington's, Harrington's. On-line play is probably (definitely) far more aggressive than when he wrote them. And Sky's 6-headed compared to the 9 headed tables he generally talks about. But Harrington's books teach you how to think about poker. They're the greatest ever written about poker, without any shadow of a doubt. I read, re-read and re-read the problems he sets out at the end of each chapter and they just get you totally into poker thinking mode. You'll need to adapt that mode of thought to the modern game but they have to be the starting point of anyone that wants to take the game seriously.
Good luck mate.
By my reconing I will need premium hands a lot more than is statistically likely to make this work. I therefore find myself being drawn into the stupidity myself, ie. getting involved in more & more marginal hands (ESPECIALLY in position) Is this good for my game? What is the reasonable range for getting involved in position, say for instance on the button? suited connectors? J10? A-rag?
Would appreciate comments please
also for my two pennyworth--
and it took me along time to learn but--
"I don't play poker to 'outplay' anyone"--
I just want good cards--
at the table for me, i leave all the ego stuff outside and focus quietly on the tournament--
ps-- i don't play much cash games--
It seems that you think you know it all???,and why not,after all you're a veteran of a 1000 hands,and a BR of £50 a month. With all that going for you,you can call people 'idiots' how dare someone beat your Aces,a catastrophe of Tsunami proportions, lol. Kind regards
You will also notice (even from the heading) I'm hardly referring to myself as a "know it all" - the complete opposite in fact! Hence the word Newbie!
My whole point is that I want to try to learn to play properly or at least not erratically as I am doing now. I am finding this difficult as stated above because it is very difficult to assess a situation where I am in a (another illustration to make a point) 5 handed pot with lets say AA against 5 oppos each of which can hold any 2 cards.
My point is that when u watch say the TV etc this does not happen as most players will be playing within a realistic range of hands not any 2 - I understand that at any time & at any level there is always a variance and that quite possible my AA will lose to 63 but should I adjust my play (such as it is) to account for this 100% of the time.
Thx a lot Dohhhhhhh for your response very informative.