Your thoughts on the best way for me to get experience

[Jes_Gru]

I just started playing real money about a week ago (have done 4 sessions), and with play money a week before that.

My goals are:
1. Get experience, without having to pay too much for it
2. Build a bankroll
3. Have fun (of course)

I have a very modest bankroll of $75 (50 of mine, 13 from deposit bonus, 12 from winnings).

My options are:
Limit ring games .05/.10, .10/.20, .25/.50, or higher
SNG No-limit tournaments: 5 player(2.50 + .25) or 20 player (2+.2) or higher
SNG Limit tournaments: no data availiable

I am looking for suggestions on the best way for me to gain experience to become a better player.
I started with the ring games, but with 70-80% call rate, felt the only skills I was getting was how to play drawing hands.
So then I tried a 5 player NL SNG. Which I ended up winning, but not sure if short-handed play is what I should be working on.
Currently I have been doing the 20 player NL SNG.
I have not tried a Limit SNG yet.

So what is your expert advice, to meet my goals? Please include levels you feel I should be playing too, since I have been playing the lowest limits.

[fishstick]

i played my first multi table tourney the other night on pokerstars for $1 entry.

it gave me 3+ hours of play, and 202 hands.

i think that this would be a great, cheap way to get some NL experience.

[robe43]

I am no expert, I am a fairly new HE player but this is what I am going to be doing. I am going to play the 5/.5 SNGs and try to make money over 10 tounys so that is about a 1st, 2nd, and three 3rd finishes. That is about 50 to 60 percent in the money.

Then occaisionally I will play one of the 2/.2 tournys with 120+ players more for fun and hoping to hit a good jackpot. I don't think you can get in the money consistenly on these.

I stay away from the ring games at this point because I get whacked at this stage. I can hold a positive gain over time at the low SNGs as long as I play smart but most of the money I have lost so far learning has been on ring games and trying to drink beer and play poker at the same time. That won't work either.

What I would like to do is build my bankrool up to where I have the bankrool for 20 tournys at the next level and then move up.

Also. I do not think you can do this on Party becasue thay are 5/1 tournys that extra 50 cent is one extra 3rd place finish per 10 and realistically that is probably my profit per 10 games.

I have noticed that going from 1500 to 10000 chips in the bigger tournys took me a couple times to get used to and then going back one time like a knuckhead I put a 800 chip bet in toward the start of 1500 chip touny. Oops, but I am sure I might be the only jackass to do that.

In my opinion also play the SNGs that have 1500 starting chips as opposed to 800 becasue that gives you a little better chance to make one mistake. At Party if you screwed up once you were scrambbling and forced to go all in on a marginal hand just to get back in.

[allLiving]

1. Get experience, without having to pay too much for it

In my personal opinion, for real experience you're going to have to lose money to learn. If you do the .02/.04 tables, sure it's safe but it isn't real poker in my opinion. There is alot more chasing, bad plays, etc. Start with the .25/.50 tables atleast and stomach the losses. Eventually you can make it all back.

[maxxscam]

i dont think you have to lose money to learn, i havent ever lost money since i started, sure i had ups and downs, i started with party 10$ sng's and 25$ ring tables no limit, went on a good run to start then lost a bunch back, but have always been in the positive, play tight and agressive when you have the goods, you will be fine, good luck

[lineof7s]

what about learning with the free poker compared to the real money?

all I've been doing is free and dont think I want to put much of a $ interest into it on the internet but maybe its worth it eventually?

[Les_Worm]

I would invest in some poker software. That way you can play without wagering real money and don't have to worry about the idiots at the play money tables.

[FyrFytr998]

I would invest in some poker software. That way you can play without wagering real money and don't have to worry about the idiots at the play money tables.

Sometimes even idiots can teach you a lesson. What? There are no idiots a real money tables? There are extremes of course. I view playing idiots as a lesson in self discipline.

[LockLow34]

i played my first multi table tourney the other night on pokerstars for $1 entry.

it gave me 3+ hours of play, and 202 hands.

i think that this would be a great, cheap way to get some NL experience.

There are a lot of freeroll tourneys at different sites online as well. I've been playing these and really learning a lot about tournament play from them.