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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?
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