Is there any good poker system for me to learn how to play step-by-step?
- Thread starter louis007
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2004
- Location
- Haverhill
Read Getting Started in Hold'Em by Ed Miller
The majority of the books on poker at your local bookstore aren't worth the paper they're printed on. This one is. Start with this book, then progress to the other books recommended by this one.
The majority of the books on poker at your local bookstore aren't worth the paper they're printed on. This one is. Start with this book, then progress to the other books recommended by this one.
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2004
- Location
- Bexhill on sea, England
... or ever!Reef said:
Poker is a VERY dangerous game.
There are 100,000's of online players, and I reckon only 1 or 2% of them make long-term profit.
Play for fun with small stakes, and limit your deposits.
Poker IS great fun - but please be careful.
Just my 2c.
KasinoKing said:
It is commonly accepted that this number is more like 10%.
If you are are an average player you will lose, since you also have to beat the rake. The long time winners I know have read a lot more poker books/study than just Ed Millers book, but it is definately a very good start. But if you play very low limit it is easier of course.
With very low limit I mean max:
0.25/0.5$ FL or 0.15$/0.30$NL (30$ buy-in)
I feel that going over this limit will give noticable better opponents.
Also you need to learn to use PokerTracker+PokerAce if you want to find the errors in your play and improve you play.
I believe this is a good advice for the waste majority of new players, of course there are a few naturals. If you want to play 1/2$ NL (200$ buy-in) you better be prepared or be prepared to kiss a lot of money goodbye.
I see thanks for all the advice... at the moment I am only playing for fun on the rooms
I'm going to get learning...
I tought there was a step-by-step system you could follow to play isnt there one?
What about these auto play bots do they work?
I'm going to get learning...
I tought there was a step-by-step system you could follow to play isnt there one?
What about these auto play bots do they work?
arccos
Dormant account
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2006
- Location
- Best Not Said These Days
louis007 said:
I haven't ever seen a "learn Texas Hold'em in 24 steps" or anything like that. I learned from the book Internet Texas Hold'em: Winning Strategies from an Internet Pro. It was decent for a total beginner. I don't know if it was the best, but at least it wasn't too dry. Other, more experienced players can probably recommend some more books. Once you get beyond that, I enjoyed Doyle Brunson's Super System 2 to see if there are any other poker variations I would like to play.
Auto play bots? Like Winholdem? If you're talking about bots that you set up and play all day for you against live opponents, it doesn't quite work like that. You have to "program" the strategy in the bots, it doesn't work against anyone other than the worst opponents, and when you get caught, you'll be banned from the poker network.
If you're talking about training software, like Wilson's Turbo Texas Holdem, it's good for improving your game, but not too useful for brand new players.
*Sigh* To be new to poker again, before all the bad beats, wasted bonuses, and tilting. Enjoy the ride.
QuickLearner
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- Joined
- Jun 14, 2006
- Location
- Massachusetts
Bpb's advice was the best. Ed Miller's "Getting Started..." book is a great place to begin and you'll find recommendations in there for further study.
You asked about odds calculators, so I'll give my opinion. They work as advertised, but aren't nearly as helpful as you'd think. In many cases, the decisions you need to make can't be reduced to only probabilities. You will need to take the habits and styles of your opponents into account as well. Probability is one factor, and the calculators can help with that, but if you rely on them too much your play will become predictable to your opponents and they will take advantage of it. Some of those calculators are pretty expensive; I'd advise spending your money on a library of good poker books. The probability tables are in the books and the math is simple; you will quickly outgrow your need for a calculator if you do a little studying.
Forget about the bots. They are illegal and getting caught using them will get you banned from your poker room. The room will also confiscate your bankroll. Even if they were legal they wouldn't be a good investment of your money or time. They are expensive, require hundreds, and maybe thousands of hours of fine-tuning (during which you'll be losing your money at the tables while experimenting) and will never be more than a break-even tool for you. You'll never make your investment back.
Watch out for the play money games. They're a good way to learn how the software works, but a bad way to learn the strategy of poker. Even the lowest-level real money games play differently. Expect the games to tighten up significantly when you move to real money.
You're going to have fun as long as you learn that there aren't any systems, tools, or bots that can make you a success. If there were, the game would disappear. Study, practice, study, practice.....
You asked about odds calculators, so I'll give my opinion. They work as advertised, but aren't nearly as helpful as you'd think. In many cases, the decisions you need to make can't be reduced to only probabilities. You will need to take the habits and styles of your opponents into account as well. Probability is one factor, and the calculators can help with that, but if you rely on them too much your play will become predictable to your opponents and they will take advantage of it. Some of those calculators are pretty expensive; I'd advise spending your money on a library of good poker books. The probability tables are in the books and the math is simple; you will quickly outgrow your need for a calculator if you do a little studying.
Forget about the bots. They are illegal and getting caught using them will get you banned from your poker room. The room will also confiscate your bankroll. Even if they were legal they wouldn't be a good investment of your money or time. They are expensive, require hundreds, and maybe thousands of hours of fine-tuning (during which you'll be losing your money at the tables while experimenting) and will never be more than a break-even tool for you. You'll never make your investment back.
Watch out for the play money games. They're a good way to learn how the software works, but a bad way to learn the strategy of poker. Even the lowest-level real money games play differently. Expect the games to tighten up significantly when you move to real money.
You're going to have fun as long as you learn that there aren't any systems, tools, or bots that can make you a success. If there were, the game would disappear. Study, practice, study, practice.....
dominique
Dormant account
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2003
- Location
- The Boonies
Playing at pogo.com is free and fun and you can play against robots if you don't feel ready for actual people.
You could read some of the huge amount of stuff about poker on my site, it's free too and I have some pretty good players write for it.
You could read some of the huge amount of stuff about poker on my site, it's free too and I have some pretty good players write for it.
lots0
Banned User - troll posts - flaming
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2006
- Location
- Hell on Earth
Poker Academy is good poker learning software, that will teach you texas holdem step by step.
ace4suited
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- Joined
- Jun 12, 2006
- Location
- scotland
ok first off probabilities are not anywhere near as important as people say - yes they can help your game but do not get too excited by them.
The following is geared for tournaments not ring games
There is a good system that you can learn known as "the System" david skylanski (sp) created a simple and a slightly more advanced form of it (advanced tournament poker or find it free on the net). These systems are all in systems where you either fold or go all in. Whilst playing these would teach you patience they would not really teach you how to play.
The simplest way to play is a) start only freeroll/freeplays - learn the basics of the game for free
b) do the following
i) play only class 1, 2 and 3 hands on the following system
class 1 (AA, KK, QQ and AKs and if you really want akos)
class 2 I) (jj 1010 AK AQs AQ Ajs KQs)
II) AJ A10s 99 88 kqos
Class 3 (drawing hands - these include 89s, j10, 33 (playing for trips)
Class 1 hands you can play in any position - bet 2BB or 10% of your chips in early position (first three players to act) if no-one has gone before you in mid position then bet 3*BB or 15-20% of your chips in mid position if no-one has gone before you - if they have raise more.
Class 2II hands you fold in early position AND fold to a raise or if a tight player (playing sub 20% hands to the flop in this context) calls the flop
Class 2I hands you play as class 1 if noone else has acted BUT you fold or flat call if they have depending on what you think they have. Generally speaking calling a 2*BB raise is ok on class 2I but so is folding so play these hands carefully if at all and get a sense of how your opponent plays before calling larger raises should normally be folded.
Drawing hands ONLY play in mid-late position AND only where i) there are a few people in the pot and you can get in for cheap OR you can get in for a tiny % of your chips and ii) you do not thing it too likely that someone will reraise for a big amount after you.
Playing the flop
If you were the last raiser then UNLESS someone bets before you bet on the flop something from 2*BB/25% of pot to 4*BB 100% of pot. This should roughly be a standard amount
otherwise if you have a strong pair (or better) on the flop bet otherwise check again bet2*BB/25% of pot to 4*BB 100% of pot unless you have 4 cards to a flush OR 4 cards in sequence for the straight in which case either check or bet as you wish (bet standard bet if you are betting)
If someone bets then you need to reassess your hand. If you have anything less than top pair you need to think a) my hand has excellent realistic chances of improving or b) my hand is still the best to either call or reraise. Generally speaking you need top pair to play but this is particularly true if an ace or a king is on the flop.
If someone makes a huge bet you have to be really sure your hand is best to call - top pair top kicker may not be enough
This guide doesnt cover specialist flops - you must play them differently these are of the sort 995, j109, and 999 and 1 suited.
If a flop is 2 suited then you have to beware of people calling with a flush draw and be willing to fold on the turn/river if they start getting excited
That roughly is the flop - reraise if you think you have the best of it and your hand could get outdrawn, call/bet if you think you have the best and your hand is safe -
remember the more people in a pot the better the hand you will need to win it
The turn/river
If someone has called a big bet you have to read them as strong. Just because you have bothe checked doesnt make them weak. Here you continue to bet if you feel you are ahead here but there is nothing wrong with a few checks to mix it up. Generally you want to protect strong hands that can be beaten but are less needing to protect very strong hands so you can mix it up a little so that people do not always bet to you when you check. otherwise you continue your play from the flop be be wary of and ace, 3rd in a suit or a connecting card appearing on the turn/river as they may give a straight.
What ever you do your bet on the turn should generally be greater not less than your bet on the flop.
Overview
This strategy is tight aggressive. You should not play more than 20% of flops with this - if you do your are misplaying it badly. 14%-17 would be about right. If people are raising more preflop you will probably play less and if flops are rarely raised you might be playing 18-19% or so.
If you feel that people are betting crazily then you can revert to tight passive and let the other people do more of the betting.
The more you play the more you can introduce straight bluffs, slow playing etc to your game. As it stands some of the plays here are aggressive position plays that are done whether or not you are helped by the flop - this is still not quite the same as a bluff.
If you play this you will win more than you lose but you need patience and discipline and you will find yourself coming high up without coming first etc quite often.
This only works when there are more than 5 people at the table. If there are less you need to lighten up your requirements
The following is geared for tournaments not ring games
There is a good system that you can learn known as "the System" david skylanski (sp) created a simple and a slightly more advanced form of it (advanced tournament poker or find it free on the net). These systems are all in systems where you either fold or go all in. Whilst playing these would teach you patience they would not really teach you how to play.
The simplest way to play is a) start only freeroll/freeplays - learn the basics of the game for free
b) do the following
i) play only class 1, 2 and 3 hands on the following system
class 1 (AA, KK, QQ and AKs and if you really want akos)
class 2 I) (jj 1010 AK AQs AQ Ajs KQs)
II) AJ A10s 99 88 kqos
Class 3 (drawing hands - these include 89s, j10, 33 (playing for trips)
Class 1 hands you can play in any position - bet 2BB or 10% of your chips in early position (first three players to act) if no-one has gone before you in mid position then bet 3*BB or 15-20% of your chips in mid position if no-one has gone before you - if they have raise more.
Class 2II hands you fold in early position AND fold to a raise or if a tight player (playing sub 20% hands to the flop in this context) calls the flop
Class 2I hands you play as class 1 if noone else has acted BUT you fold or flat call if they have depending on what you think they have. Generally speaking calling a 2*BB raise is ok on class 2I but so is folding so play these hands carefully if at all and get a sense of how your opponent plays before calling larger raises should normally be folded.
Drawing hands ONLY play in mid-late position AND only where i) there are a few people in the pot and you can get in for cheap OR you can get in for a tiny % of your chips and ii) you do not thing it too likely that someone will reraise for a big amount after you.
Playing the flop
If you were the last raiser then UNLESS someone bets before you bet on the flop something from 2*BB/25% of pot to 4*BB 100% of pot. This should roughly be a standard amount
otherwise if you have a strong pair (or better) on the flop bet otherwise check again bet2*BB/25% of pot to 4*BB 100% of pot unless you have 4 cards to a flush OR 4 cards in sequence for the straight in which case either check or bet as you wish (bet standard bet if you are betting)
If someone bets then you need to reassess your hand. If you have anything less than top pair you need to think a) my hand has excellent realistic chances of improving or b) my hand is still the best to either call or reraise. Generally speaking you need top pair to play but this is particularly true if an ace or a king is on the flop.
If someone makes a huge bet you have to be really sure your hand is best to call - top pair top kicker may not be enough
This guide doesnt cover specialist flops - you must play them differently these are of the sort 995, j109, and 999 and 1 suited.
If a flop is 2 suited then you have to beware of people calling with a flush draw and be willing to fold on the turn/river if they start getting excited
That roughly is the flop - reraise if you think you have the best of it and your hand could get outdrawn, call/bet if you think you have the best and your hand is safe -
remember the more people in a pot the better the hand you will need to win it
The turn/river
If someone has called a big bet you have to read them as strong. Just because you have bothe checked doesnt make them weak. Here you continue to bet if you feel you are ahead here but there is nothing wrong with a few checks to mix it up. Generally you want to protect strong hands that can be beaten but are less needing to protect very strong hands so you can mix it up a little so that people do not always bet to you when you check. otherwise you continue your play from the flop be be wary of and ace, 3rd in a suit or a connecting card appearing on the turn/river as they may give a straight.
What ever you do your bet on the turn should generally be greater not less than your bet on the flop.
Overview
This strategy is tight aggressive. You should not play more than 20% of flops with this - if you do your are misplaying it badly. 14%-17 would be about right. If people are raising more preflop you will probably play less and if flops are rarely raised you might be playing 18-19% or so.
If you feel that people are betting crazily then you can revert to tight passive and let the other people do more of the betting.
The more you play the more you can introduce straight bluffs, slow playing etc to your game. As it stands some of the plays here are aggressive position plays that are done whether or not you are helped by the flop - this is still not quite the same as a bluff.
If you play this you will win more than you lose but you need patience and discipline and you will find yourself coming high up without coming first etc quite often.
This only works when there are more than 5 people at the table. If there are less you need to lighten up your requirements
