I guess it doesn't matter if I like poker now

'Cause I'm busted. For sh--s and giggles, here's the last hand:

I get KQs in BB and check preflop. That's right, I don't raise. Scared people off too many times. I'm going to flop a hand and take their money.

the flop is 5 7 Q. Top pair and lovely overcard. I bet a little and get a modest raise, which I call and no one else does.

I check and call the rest of the way. The other guy's bets eventually add up to the sum of my pitiful little stack.

He has 55 and I'm history.

Here are my reflections:

It was nice that I got an RF and the $500 Bonus. My first level of poker education came on someone else's dime instead of my own -- which is how most people have to learn. So in a sense I'm grateful.

In another, more accurate sense, I'm pistoff as all hell.

-The only consistent winning I did was with approximately zero knowledge of what I was doing
-I play with friends once a week and have not yet lost money at that game.
-I had a good experience when I first read a little postflop strategy, and ran up the bankroll a bit. This did not last. I tried to solve the problem my reading more strategy, with the results I've described. Is more strategy the answer? Or more money?

[quote ="LeFou"]-The only consistent winning I did was with approximately zero knowledge of what I was doing
-I play with friends once a week and have not yet lost money at that game.
-I had a good experience when I first read a little postflop strategy, and ran up the bankroll a bit. This did not last. I tried to solve the problem my reading more strategy, with the results I've described. Is more strategy the answer? Or more money?[/quote]

Well, online is a different beast than live games. They are both a ton of fun, but here's a comparison. Every week (Heck, every hour) take all of your friends that you have known for years, and replace them with strangers. Then, but a blindfold on so you can't even look at them.

As far as your early success? I think there has been a lot unsaid here for beginners luck.

I have been at many home games where the new guy win on his first night. He will then go on to lose, maybe in the same night, maybe a later night. But it's happened way too much to be ignored.

You can either be the person who ignores all strategy and you win some and you lose some (but the losses outweigh the wins)

Or you can be the guy who pays complete attention to strategy and you win some and you lose some (this time the wins outweigh the losses)

Or you can be right in the middle, pay attention to some of the strategy, ignore what you want and you will shoot from millions to 0 as though the money were greased.

I think you went from the first category into the third. But don't give up, the second (and best) is right around the corner. The answer (and you are not going to want to hear this) is more experience. Pay attention to what you know and what happens in every game you play. Read books and articles and focus on every part of your game. Pre-flop, post-flop, turn and river.

I am just starting to merge into the second category, and I'm loving it. I'm no where near the best, but that's OK, cause I also realize that I haven't peaked.