Hello-I'm New

Hi everyone:
I was very excited to find this site; I became fascinated with poker a couple of years ago when on a trip to Las Vegas, I saw some Texas HoldEm on TV, one of those celebrity poker things they used to show, and I don't know why, I was just hooked from then. I got a couple of books (Gary Carson's on Hold "em was the first), joined a couple of sites (Full Tilt, Ulimate Bet and Doyle's Room are the ones I frequent, but just with "Play Money,"), and I have a couple of programs running on my computer Tik's Texas Hold "em and Poker Superstars III, where you play against the AI. I also have WSOP 2008 Battle for the Bracelets, which runs on XBOX 360, that I spend a lot of time in playing against the CPU. With all this I have played quite a bit of no limit hold em, BUT am still very new to the game, because I have only played live twice, and done badly both times.

Now, maybe it will just take a few more times to get used to, but when I am live in the card room, though I know basically what to do, I get behind in the action, miss when it's on me, when I'm the blind, etc. It's very entertaining to play in "real life," I played low stakes no limit, say $100 buy in for $2 and $5 blinds, that kind of thing, and I do enjoy playing, but after an hour or so, after I've folded a lot of hands and lost the few pots I've played, my money's gone, and I feel like I failed. (Well, wait, I did). One thing is, well I know it's only been twice, but I can't seem to catch any cards, everything is 7-2 off suit, and 6-3 and crap like that, in my lest session, last Tuesday, I never was dealt a pair, of any size, the entire session; and only one suited connector, 4-5 clubs, which I played, but then folded because I got intimidated by a $70 raise, the dealer was amused because I had folded every hand up to then, she put my cards aside and said she was curious what I had, so when the board was finished it was 4-q-8-5-7. Ooops. The big raiser had a pair of eights and I had two pair. Would have won. Argh.

So here's my question-how does one who wants to get better playing live improve his game? Play more hands? Play any 2 cards? Switch to "21?" I'm tired of playing the computer or online and I don't really want to play on line for money because I want to see the people I'm playing against. I would like to set aside say $100 a month for my poker entertainment. What are the better Southern California card rooms to go to, for a beginner, low stakes, no limit? I have been to Hustler, and Commerce, so far.

Thanks and nice to meet all of you

Bruce

Well.. What hands *Do* you play?

Do you understand that you can only play the very best hands when you're first to act, and you can play very liberally when you're last to act?

What do you think of a hand like AT:
Under the Gun?
from Middle position?
on the Button?
On the button but UTG+1 raised 30 chips, and MP Re-raised 120 chips?

KQs?

Also how are you at picking up reads? What about the tells you put off at the table.

Poker is about playing the man, not playing the cards.

As for the hands you were getting? We have a word for it. Get used to it: VARIANCE.... This is the most important word in your repitoire when it comes to poker. It's entirely possible to be dealt aces 3 hands in a row, and then sit for 18 hours not getting another hand worth sniffing the pot. That's variance.

What you went through at the table, was simple variance. It wasn't your night, try another.

read through all the strategy articles that apply to cash games on this site to develop a solid basic understanding of how to be a successful cash game player, im sure thall help you alot.

Welcome to FTR and good luck.

Originally Posted by spoonitnow

Welcome to FTR and good luck.

Yea, what he said.

Welcome!!!!

Welcome!
You need a lot of patience, so don't give up cause you had a cold run of cards. Read some of the stuff here and keep playing solid holdings (i'm assuming you play fairly tight) until you have more experience at the table.
Some days u may not get to play many hands, but some others u'll make up for it getting aces all the time, that's just the way it goes.

Hi Ragnar4
Thanks for your reply. I think that I'm so new at live playing, reading the other players, well I have no idea. In my mind, i understand about variance, it's just frustrating, for a newbie, to have the variance all on the negative side when you're trying to play. One thing I have learned is, this is something that you have to learn by doing, I can't expect, with about 5 hours of live playing, to play like someone who has hundreds or thousands of hours.

The cards I do play? I'm still pretty timid, UTG, nothing under 9-9, later positions or button, if i get Kx Ax Qx etc or suited connectors, I would probably go in, on the button any "beginner's hand", but problem was, at the last table, I didn't get anything but that little suited connector. That last question with the reraise, I'd probably get scared, and fold, thinking, yeah I have trips but he probably has a flush, etc, I'm too timid right now, maybe.

But I"m not giving up. I love the game, I know i can learn it. And if I get good, it's not only entertainment, maybe I'll make some money too! Thanks again for your time....

Bruce

Originally Posted by Ragnar4

Well.. What hands *Do* you play?

Do you understand that you can only play the very best hands when you're first to act, and you can play very liberally when you're last to act?

What do you think of a hand like AT:
Under the Gun?
from Middle position?
on the Button?
On the button but UTG+1 raised 30 chips, and MP Re-raised 120 chips?

KQs?

Also how are you at picking up reads? What about the tells you put off at the table.

Poker is about playing the man, not playing the cards.

As for the hands you were getting? We have a word for it. Get used to it: VARIANCE.... This is the most important word in your repitoire when it comes to poker. It's entirely possible to be dealt aces 3 hands in a row, and then sit for 18 hours not getting another hand worth sniffing the pot. That's variance.

What you went through at the table, was simple variance. It wasn't your night, try another.

Hi ATOTHEC101

Thanks for your reply. I am reading them I spent all day yesterday

Originally Posted by ATOTHEC101

read through all the strategy articles that apply to cash games on this site to develop a solid basic understanding of how to be a successful cash game player, im sure thall help you alot.

Thanks to everyone that wrote back, I'm going to hang in there. Thursday I'm going to try my luck again at NLHE at the stratospheric stakes of $2 and $5 blinds! (Hustler Casino is 10 minutes from me). Next stop WPT, baby. Or, not.

2/5 is waaay too big for you to be playing, put the money online and play .02/.05.

Originally Posted by spoonitnow

Welcome to FTR and good luck.

Welcome! (although I am also new)

You definetly have to play only your premium cards, especially in a live game. Like everybody else has said, check out the stickies, which do help immensly, and take a look at some starting hand requirements.

Originally Posted by drmcboy

2/5 is waaay too big for you to be playing

Oh. Well I tried to start online cash money accounts, and even though Full Tilt and Doyles Room SAY they take US players, my credit card was declined every time. If I can't do it with credit cards, I'm not going to deposit money on line. This might have something to do with my pinhead goverment, i.e. they can't tax the sites because they're offshore, so they ban me from playing. Bastards.

Go to a RiteAid, Walmart, or something like that and buy a prepaid credit card and use that.

Originally Posted by SoCalBruce

Oh. Well I tried to start online cash money accounts, and even though Full Tilt and Doyles Room SAY they take US players, my credit card was declined every time. If I can't do it with credit cards, I'm not going to deposit money on line. This might have something to do with my pinhead goverment, i.e. they can't tax the sites because they're offshore, so they ban me from playing. Bastards.

this is called the unlawful internet gaming act enacted by our wonderful congress. You see, poker is immoral and unethical but that isnt the problem. The problem is that Jesus Christ flipped over a fucking table which people happened to be gambling on. Of course, this means that any payment plan under US jurisdiction isnt gonna work...cuz the banks/providers dont wanna get jail time or fined. The prepaid all access visa's etc work though, because these arent regulated by the government.

Welcome to FTR I am a new one here too

sup kingchen!