good and bad days, how to avoid bad ones?

Someone please give me a strategy or tips on where to read or learn to play the game. I play with some friends, NL Hold 'em, it's really almost no money, but...
I have my good days and bad days, I played on dec. 26, lost almost 100 chips, with 40 chip buy-in (no more, no less). On 28 I played again, I won almost 200 chips, I had nice hands that day, tonight I played and lost about 80 chips again I own the Phil Helmuth's Million Dollar POker system, I have watched it at least 6 times. But I don't know how can I be great on one day, and suck another day.
My opponents are "newbies" as well as I am, we have been playing around 4 months, I believe I'm the most experienced player at the table, but my opponents are sometimes unpredictable
The day I won, I was playing somewhat loose, because the day before I had played extremely tight, that's why I believe I lost. Tonight I played loose and lost again. What books, or anything would you recommend me to read, test, buy, etc...

I recommend in this order:

The Theory of Poker
Hold'Em Poker for Advanced Players (Advance Player)
Caro's Book of Poker Tells

Good luck.

i dont think its possible never to have bad days....just tonight i was playing in a game that i normally dominate, filled with weak/passive players...but tonight they were all playing really agressive (which doesnt bother me, but came as a suprise) add to that the fact that i just wasnt hitting on any of my cards all night long and youve got the recipie for a bad night. in a game where i usually take it for granted that i'll walk away with profit, i lost 50 bucks tonight (not alot to some of you,but thats big in our games).

I guess my point is, sure i lost tonight, but i know that 9 days out of 10 im going to crush the people in this game, so i'll just take the bad day in stride and get the best of it next time.

Poker is gambling, some days the fish are going to get the best of you.

Here is a little help on defending against the bad days.

-'rilla

Originally Posted by Jason Shoulders

I recommend in this order:

The Theory of Poker
Hold'Em Poker for Advanced Players (Advance Player)
Caro's Book of Poker Tells

Good luck.

I was going to buy D.B. Super Sytem, should I wait for more experience before reading that one? I couldn't decide between Sklansky's Hold 'em for advanced players and Supersystem, Which one do you recommend?
I also want to buy another DVD, I have Helmuth's MDPoker system, and now I don't know if I should buy Helmuth's Secrets to Bluff and tells , or Poker for Dummies. I trust Helmuth's teachings more since he's 9-time champion, and Poker for dummies is made by Moneymaker but it's alot more general, and secrets to bluff and tells it's only bluff and tells

Experience is the best way to learn.

-'rilla

don't buy any of those books for advanced players. you aren't advanced.

Originally Posted by Gabriel

don't buy any of those books for advanced players. you aren't advanced.

LMAO. If you have a 3-digit IQ you're advanced.

I agree with Gabe, if you dive into Holdem for advanced players you may find it difficult to understand some of the material, good first reads are supersystem (it introduces you to many NL concepts and simplistic limit concepts), or better yet, get "Theory of Poker" by Sklansky.

Originally Posted by gambit_viruz

I was going to buy D.B. Super Sytem, should I wait for more experience before reading that one? I couldn't decide between Sklansky's Hold 'em for advanced players and Supersystem, Which one do you recommend?

I have Super System and don't like it as much as the others I mentioned. For starters, it covers many games and Hold 'Em is only one of a few.

I wouldn't worry too much about buying books though because it takes a while to read them and it takes a lot of playing for all the dots to start to connect. The books I've mentioned cover a lot of information and after reading them, I feel like I'll need to re-read them several times before I will both comprehend and retain it all.

Yes, the concepts in Advanced Hold 'Em are advanced, but that's why I listed it second in the order to read. After you've read the Theory of Poker and feel comfortable with it, you'll be ready for the Advanced book.

Good luck.

Once you further advance your game pick up "The Psychology of Poker" by Alan N. Schoonmaker. It's a great read and here are some of the things you will learn when reading it.

How to play against:
-Loose-Aggresive
-Loose-Passive
-Tight-Aggresive
-Tight-Passive

It also let's you rate yourself on what kind of player you are, helps teach you the reality of poker, and how to change your bad poker habits into profitable choices for the long term. This book is $25 but you can get it off Pokerstars for FPP.