Any Tips?

[journey075]

I've been playing poker for the past 6-8 months. A lot. I've played online, in cash games and in tourneys and ivedone the same offline. I've played so many $5 NLHE games that I cant recount, most just to increase my skill in the game. I've played about 3k hands online and 20k hands offline. I've played my fair share in the past months.

Now I play with very good players offline. We always sit and discuss interesting hands after they were played and try to get a good read on what are the best ways to play it. We have become very astute in playing the cards and it has become very profitable.

I am probably up $6-800 with $5 buy-ins alone. And thats hard considering the amount of buy-ins I had to take to achieve that. But theres no money in that.

A few months ago, I went to Turning Stone for the first time and I came up about $50 (no big deal). The big deal, however, was how much my game improved after going to a real casino. I've never walked away from a game afterwards in the hole. This being said, I dont play with professionals, but I do play higher buy-ins. $20 buy-in with frequent re-buys has become my customary game and I will play a $100 buy-in game whenever I can.

I started playing at some local weekly game at $100 buy-in and I have made at least 2x my buy in, if not 3x, every single time. I am seriously beginning to consider poker as a part time job over the summer.

So what do you guys advise I do next. I know my game is not perfect, in fact, it is far from it. At the beginning of tonight's session (up 180), I tried to play the players, not the cards. This backfired in my face hardcore as I got morons calling to the river with mid pair crap kicker. I can play cards much better than I can play people apparently. So does this make me a "good but not great" poker player?

I am just wondering what you guys think. I believe I can make the proper calls, folds or raises at the proper times. Sure it might be luck, but I think I am beyond any possible wave of luck. I think I am a fairly profitable ring player. In the past few weeks I have been averaging $40/hr.

Anyways, let me know how you think I should improve my game of playing the player not the cards. Also let me know if I should possibly move up in limits (1k buy-in NLHE) or if I have maybe found my niche. Any constructive criticism is also welcome. I just wish to put my thoughts of where I stand with the position you guys would put me in.

[thestrokes]

When you try to play the players are you starting with people you play regularly with, or people in casinos?

Practice on regulars. i play with the same group of about 6 people and we play short handed. it is easy to get a read on most of the players. Once you can do this try to take better reads on players you have never played with before in such as in casinos, etc.

But i wouldn't worry about it too much if you are making 40/hr you are playing well.

[Bmxicle]

You should play online more, 3 or 4 tabling will allow you to play tonnes of hands, if you play a fair bit you can probably double your number of hands within a month or so. PLaying online allows you to keep statistics which will give you more information to improve your game.

[poskid_1982]

Learn to play the cards first...Best four months of my poker development was playing the micros. Soon enough you'll be able to group players types. My biggest suggestion is to play as much as many hands as possible within your BR. Ask yourself every hand what you think each player is holding. But play the cards till you are confident in your reading ability.