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Start
Slow
By John Reger
Posted: 4:30 am PDT 2006-09-10 |
Courtesy Of Internet Casino and Poker Room at WagerWeb.com |
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e in poker could be the first one,
and it could set the tone for the rest of the evening. That choice is what level of Texas
Hold'em you want to play. There are obviously several, but don?t be lulled into a bigger
game than you can handle just because you have visions of big pots.
There is no easier way to lose money than to get into a situation you can?t handle. You?ll
bust out quicker than any bad beat.
I watched a guy last week show up at a $3-$6 table and sit down. He was nervous, the signs
were obvious. He knocked his chips over after he stacked them. When he called a bet his
hands visibly shook as he threw the chips into the pot.
He didn?t know when to post the blind or when it was his turn to bet. The dealer attended
to him, prodding him when it was his turn.
During one of the rare hands he was out of, I engaged him in conversation to try and
figure out if this was an act or not.
Unfortunately for him, it was not. It was the second time he had ever been in a poker
room. I asked him why he picked this level to play at, and he said because the list was
the shortest.
He dug into his wallet a couple of more times before he was finally finished, a mere three
hours after he sat down. He lost $300 in that time and had the look of total defeat when
he finally rose from the table.
The lesson for him, if he chose to learn it, is an important one. Know your limitations
and accept them. Play at a table you are comfortable on and learn the nuances of the game.
That is what is so valuable about online poker. No one sees some of your mistakes online
and the people that do see, it doesn?t matter. You are anonymous. It is better to make
those mistakes online than to do it in person, because I guarantee you people will
remember. I don?t even know that guy?s name whom I was talking to, but I sure remember
what he looks like, and the next time he shows up at my table I?ll know that he is an
inexperienced player.
A good way to start is to play $1-$2 for at least 10 trips to the card club. You aren?t
going to make much money, resign yourself to that fact, but also know that this is a
learning experience. The guys who play those tables are usually perpetual losers. They
play too many hands, they chase too many flushes and straights and they complain every
time they lose. Every beat to them is a bad beat, and unfortunately you get to hear about
them all.
It will help you lose the rabbit ears. I don?t even hear the complaining anymore, which is
good, because when you get to the higher level games, complaining is used as a tool to
throw you off your own game.
Move to $2-$4, and the dream chasers are still there, trying to fill their flushes and
straights, but there is more skill there. You still aren?t going to chase them off with
aggressive bets, but you will learn a little bit more.
The $3-$6 table is where skill really begins to take hold. The players don?t chase as
much, and the ones that do aren?t around long because of the pot sizes. This is where you
should spend a good amount of time. I am a pretty decent player, but I still play this
level because it fits in my comfort zone.
When you move to the $4-$8 table, expect at least one professional at your table. This is
a good place for them to shark a little bit and take money off players who are not as
seasoned as them and maybe a little loose with their chips. Identify them and stay away,
unless you feel you have them beat. You will know you have them beat because they will
fold.
The bigger games can be lucrative, but also have bigger players there. They have been
playing for years and have honed their skills. You should do the same whatever table you
choose to sit down at.
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