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Looks Like I Should Find A Home Game....

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  1. #1

    Default Looks Like I Should Find A Home Game....

    Hi All:
    Well I had my third session playing live, at the Hustler Casino in Gardena; I was going to try the Bicycle Club, next but didn't feel like driving to Bell Gardens-ugh that 710 freeway--anyway, I have been anxious to play live more, so as to get better---I'm tired of playing against AI or people I cant see or hear for "play money," so since I live in Southern California within an easy drive of about 8 card rooms, including one of the most famous in the world, the past couple of weeks I've been trying some low stakes, no limit hold em. Needless to say, I have not done very well, but each time I sit down, I do feel more comfortable--the only thing is, even at small buy ins, say $100, it gets expensive, especially these days.

    Anyway one thing I like about Hustler is, after you get your chips, you don't have to post anything for your first hand, and you can "sit out" for awhile, and just watch the play at the table, which I did until the dealer changed; the new dealer dealt me a hand, 6-3 offsuit, which I folded. (This table was $100 buy in $2 and $5 blinds). Several more hands, didn't get any cards (this is the 3rd table in a row where "variance" seems to working it's magic on me), then in middle postion I get Q-J offsuit, so I raise, the button raises, I call, and.....miss the flop. I check he bets, you know the rest. A couple of more hands, I have about $45 left, I get pocket 5's I think what the hell, and go all in. Now, everyone at this table has been watching me fold every hand before the flop, and the one hand I was involved before the turn, so they're all, "what do you have?" "A pair, huh?" everyone left calls, a queen comes off, a 5 comes off (whew! trips) a queen comes off. Luckily I have the only set, and a bunch of the chips are pushed towards me. I won a pot! Well, side pot, well, most of it was my money that the across took on my Q-J incident. Well, I won a pot! At this point, I politely slid a chip toward the dealer, murmurred "deal me out" and was lucky to escape with most of my $100.

    Now here's my problems-I have a some "catch 22's" here.

    (1) I know I'm awful. All the hands I played on pokerstars, full tilt, doyles room etc, I play tight and win pretty good (play money though), BUT it is entirely different playing in real life. But, I will never get better playing live, if I don't play live.

    (2) I know $2 and $5 are too much for me. AND, with my $100 buy ins, I'm joining a table full of people that have racks full of chips--so I am starting out playing short stacked, and I do not have the experience or skill to do that, therefore, it's most likely I will play almost no hands (which of course is a tell in itself, as soon as I raise or even call, everyone will put me on a hand, have the chips to put me all in, and I just have to wait and hope my hand holds up, I draw /suck/ luck out, etc). Besides short stack+ all in often = side pot. The deep stacks can keep clashing over the rest of the hand if there are any streets left, and unless I have a monster hand they will win the main pot(s).

    (3) I'm not a "good gambler" As I see my money start to dwindle, If I get a bit of it back, I will cash out. How will I learn to gamble, if I'm afraid to gamble?

    My conclusion: Before hitting the casinos for more then entertainment (i.e. if I hope to make some money), I need more live practice. Ergo, and therefore I need to find a home game, or a small stakes game in a social club, etc. Does anyone know anything like this in the SoCalif area?
  2. #2
    Guest

    Default Re: Looks Like I Should Find A Home Game....

    Quote Originally Posted by SoCalBruce
    (3) I'm not a "good gambler" As I see my money start to dwindle, If I get a bit of it back, I will cash out. How will I learn to gamble, if I'm afraid to gamble?
    Easy answer: DON'T GAMBLE, MAKE +EV DECISIONS 100% OF THE TIME

    Plus, don't ever buy-in to a $2/5 game again with only $100. For one, it's only 20BB which makes you a "crippled" short-stack and it makes you play like it's scared money. Move down in stakes to the $1/2 game if you must play live or better yet, make a $50 deposit on Stars and play $2NL while you learn the fundamentals of the game. Just get your feet wet here, don't go jumping into the sea of sharks.
  3. #3
    Stacks's Avatar
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    Im opedipus bitch, the original balla.
    Your trying to dive into poker too deep without knowing the basics. I've been playing poker for a few years (only seriously for a few months) and there is no way in hell you would find me at a 2/5 game yet. And I know you don't like the feel of online. I've seen you post that once or twice. Mainly because you say you can't see them. Well, poker is more than picking up a physical tell and reading the player like a book. So just because you can't see a player, there is a wealth of information to be found out about a player's tendacies, actions, and what decision you should make regarding said player online.

    Next, you say you need to start off small. I 100% agree. You don't know much about basic poker concepts yet, as to be expected. So why throw out alot of money and possibly go broke? Instead, toss $50 on PokerStars and grind 2nl (.01/.02) for a while to get in some experience as well as grind out a bankroll. If you feel that isn't enough money, it is. At least for your current skill level. Your goal is to grind out money, not get lucky and hit a big score one night.

    And you aren't dwindling down to a shortstack. You are starting as a shortstack. A normal stack is 100bb (big blinds). That is to say at a 1/2 (200nl) game, a normal stack is $200. Therefore at a 2/5 game, a normal stack is $500. However, you are starting off with only $100, or 20bb. That's why you are getting so short you have to shove.

    Also you seem like you can't afford to lose your $100. You said as soon as you get some of it back you feel you have to cash out. Therefore it seems you are playing on scared money. You can't do that. When playing poker there are gonna be times when you play perfectly and still lose numerous buyins. Therefore, you need plenty of buyins for the level you are playing (namely 20+ buyins). Therefore, if you are playing 2/5 you need around $10,000 dedicated toward your bankroll, and even that is cutting it thin.

    Also as a side note, you aren't gambling if your making +ev decisions at all times. Because over the long run your profits with begin to equal the sum of your decisions. You just need to make sure you have enough money behind to keep your bankroll in tact when you go through a downswing.
  4. #4
    Thanks guys, well yikes-I guess I can't afford to play in the casinos, then. It almost sounds like my money is better spent buying into a tournament than a ring game. As far as Poker Stars, yes I would love to do that, but they won't take my credit, or even my debit cards. It looks like I will have to set up some sort of special seperate card to deposit, its very frustrating- these big pretty screens come up-"make your first deposit" but evidently MY money isn't good enough for them. I guess I will call them on the phone and ask what a player in the US needs to do. They are not getting access to my bank accounts though, f that.
  5. #5
    Stacks's Avatar
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    Im opedipus bitch, the original balla.
    Go out and buy a pre-paid credit card from a nearby store. Put money on that and then use that to deposit. I've never tried it, but alot of people have had success doing it that way.

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