Some Questions, Please Help!

(This is my first post here, glad to have found such a great site)

I've been playing NL hold'em for about six months. I've been playing strictly in house games with anywhere from 8-14 people. We have a $20 buy in and $20 rebuy, with only the top two finishers in the money.

As a self-taught player I finished mostly in the middle of the pack for the first four and a half months. I had a few third place finishes, a few fourths, and actually had one victory for a $200 payday. I was getting a little better every week, but not at the rate that I would have liked.

I'm a pretty competitive person and like to be very good at the things I do, so I started reading anything I could get my hands on about hold'em. It has greatly improved my game. I have some new insights into strategy, realized some things I was doing wrong, and realized "why" things I was doing right were working.

Over the past month and a half I've played six times (we meet once a week). I've got one victory, four third place finishes, and a fourth place finish. I've been in the money or VERY close, but it's been really annoying to be so close so many times. I've analyzed my play and have realized that I play just a little too tight (hence why I finish so high but not in the money). I've also realized that I'm not on quite the same experience level as the guys I'm playing with...

I need to play more, but I'm hesitant to play online because of lack of bankroll (I just moved into a house with my GF and we are by no means rich or even "well off" right now). I really want to improve my game so I can start placing in the money more often, so I have a few questions...

1) I've found some great material here on the internet, but I'm looking for a great book or two on NL hold'em. I've already described the types of games I play in, so what type of NL book would you recommend?

2) Playing online....Could somebody point me to a link that explains everything to me? I feel that I'm good enough to make some money online, but heck, everyone feels that way or they wouldn't play. I'm not ready for big-time games by any means, but just some lower level stuff maybe to gain experience. What would you recommend for somebody at my play level?

3) To gain experience I've been thinking about going to a local bar or two (I'm in the Kansas City area) that have free poker nights. I'm a little bit skeptical of these because you're not playing with real money, so the gambling may be a little stupid at times (just as it is online when you play with demo money). So....is playing in Bar Tournaments worth it for experience?

Like I said, I just really want to improve my play. All of the guys I play with know that I've really improved over the last two months, and I want to keep improving. There are three guys that are consistantly in the money, and I'm the 4th guy just knocking on the door almost every time. They've realized this, I've realized this, and I just want to get over that hump...

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

1) I've heard Harington's new book is really good. Check out the tools of poker forum for more ideas.

2) If you can drop 50$ into a site like pokerstars where there are micro-limits start at the smallest limits and work your way up. Also check -'rilla's bankroll management thread for some info on when to move up etc...

3) No Idea never played one.

- sed

My recomendation for you would be to play at the micro-no-limit tables there are a lot of sites that have them.

NOTHING AND I MEAN NOTHING compares to playing experience.

I still reread Doyle Brunson's Super System at least every other month.
I find it to be the most accurate information for playing no limit hold em.

I do not recomend playing in "Play Money" games of any sort. I mean what's the point?

I think, but am not sure, that you are very interested in being a better tournament player. Therefore, I would recomend that you make your way to the sit and go tournaments as soon as you can handle the buy in requirements. I think they start at like $5+$1 or something like that.

Although I am not a tournament player for the very reason you have problems finishing in the money, I can offer this advice to you. In the first, or earliest, rounds of a tournament you need to relax a little bit on your starting hand requirements. Then play the flop accordingly.

Also, watch the 3 guys that win on a regular basis as closely as possible in the early parts of the game you regularly play in. You may just find a secret or two you never noticed before.

One last thing, I think you should consider getting away from the tournaments all together if you don't seem to improve your ability to loosen up enough to make it to the final table with enough chips to be relavent.

I had the same problem as you do. I quit tournaments altogether about a year and a half ago. I have went from playing the $25nl tables on Party Poker to the $200nl. It was a slow steady process. The trick, or difference for me at least, is the ring game lets me play MY style of tight aggressive poker. Where the tournament structure forces you to play the more marginal hands very aggressively. All I know for sure is this, I am making some decent money on a very cosistent basis.

Good luck to you.

1) As Sed stated, Harringtons book is supposed to be really good. I recommend starting with 'Theory of Poker' followed by 'Holdem for Advanced Player' written by Sklanksy and Malmuth (only HEFAP).

2) Examine the poker sites, and ask us questions, but if you can get 100$ you can deposit it and be fairly safe playing 5$ Sit n Go's.

3) Never heard of free bar poker.

P.S. Your signature is hilarious.

Thanks for the information guys. I picked up a book a few days ago and have already read through it. It isn't one of "the" books, but it was pretty informative. My next book I purchase will be Harrington's or Brunson's SuperSystem.

As far as bar poker is concerned, its actually pretty huge here in the Kansas City Metro Area. There are at least two bars having tournaments every night (60 people), and they keep track of how well people do. I guess at the end of the year there's a "tournament of champions" where the winner gets a spot at the WSOP. From what I noticed, the play was pretty legit, the crazy bettors lost their money early. I finished 20th, then finished 2nd in the late game....both out of sixty people.

And....I finished in the money TWICE last night in two different house games I played in. I finally got over the third place hump and finished second both times.

My play needs to loosen up in the beginning, and I do need to take more calculated risks in the end to finish first, but I'll take money any time.

Thanks again, guys.

You know humphrind is right across the state line, you two could hit it up...

And if I still lived in Olathe...

*sighs*

Jah, limp with some stuff early on that is marginal, it could hit big. And when your short stacked and need chips late game don't wait for pkt aces, your probably gonna have to push with a marginal hand. It is much harder for one to call an all in than push, so you'll have that working for you. Even if no one calls the blinds may be sizable, could adda chunk of change to your stack.

Get Harrington's book, and his hat too. (Green Throwback Redsox)

Also, cheer for the Chiefs, brings your percentage of ITM up 50%, like the percentage of games they won this year.

Actually, I had a PM conversation with Humphrind and he gave me the low down on the Amatuer Poker League. I guess he lives up north and plays sometimes. I live a few blocks from Westport so I could travel up there just as easily as I could go to Johnson County (which is where I'm originally from, Shawnee to be exact).

I've been hearing a LOT about Harrington's book. I was at B.Daulton today and they didn't have it in stock, didn't even have it in there warehouse...Is it really THAT good?

Your advice is pretty good too, I appreciate it.

Harrington's book is really good, ESPECIALLY for NL tournament play.

Super System is pretty good too, but doesn't really focus on tournament play, but if you want to learn how to play other games well too each section is well written by an expert on the game.

Triptanes,

I picked up Harrington's book today. I'm only about fifty pages but so far its been a damn good read. I'm glad I picked it up.

As far as Doyle Brunson's SuperSystem...I took a look at that the other day at the bookstore. It just didn't look like something I want, at least not right now. Everyone says that is a must have, but I'm really not interested in playing all of the different games. I play NL Hold'em, and that's it.

Starting out, Daugherty and McEvoy's "No-Limit Texas Hold'em" book was pretty good. It's definitely more of a beginners book, and that's more of what I needed. I'm making great strides in my game, though, and Harrington's book seems like a good next step, at least so far.

Dont forget Sklansky as you continue reading poker literature, there is a reason why he is considered THE poker author.

Glad u find it informative.

Aceofone,

I have none of Sklansky's books , which would you reccomend for a NL Ring and NL tourney player? I'm sure there is a thread on this but I am too damn lazy.

Theory of Poker has been recommended throughout the forum as one of the best poker books available. I haven't read it yet though, so I can't speak of my own opinions.

Depending on the stakes (and level of the competition) that you play at, Small Stakes Hold'em and/or Hold'em for Advanced Players are both excellent as well. I've read those two and both added to my game.

- Jeffrey

TOP is worth getting ... he gets at all the questions you should be asking yourself.

I agree with Theory of Poker Statement.

your next book after those should be that.

hey george,
feel free to IM me anytime you have questions

Too late - this guy probably busted out by now.

LOL. Talk about bringing a post back from the dead!

And no, UG didn't bust. Last I heard he was profitably multitabling the NL200 and NL400 game.

Originally Posted by JeffreyGB

LOL. Talk about bringing a post back from the dead!

And no, UG didn't bust. Last I heard he was profitably multitabling the NL200 and NL400 game.

I was joking of course.

Someone go find 'rillas first post.

Its hillarious, he's all like"omg I know I play good but these fish always get lucky and take my money, what do I do??!!"

good bump