Last week I took a real beating in this game (let's just say Beren won't be eating out for a long, long time). My only consolation is that I lost my money to my friends.
Any texas hold'em or other poker players here? Wanna give me some tips (besides don't gamble money I do not have that is) Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
You said it, Beren.
Do you need a few "under 10 minute" recipies to tide you over? Posted by HenryW (Member # 6053) on :
It is a bit like golf Beren - practice, practice, practice. There are a couple of online sites that give you the ability to use play money and carry all the real competition you need to hone your game.
Remember several things - regardless of your skill level, luck of the draw (or flop in this case) can be a deciding factor. If you have a difficult time reading people you will never be consistently successful - although technical players have been known to have great sit downs. Learn to bet and when to bet - many variations here, but the lesson should be centered on if you know you have a top hand, how do you get the biggest pot (or the contra - you have a reasonable hand on the flop with some interesting outcomes based on the next two cards - how do you get some competition to give up early).
Lastly - patience is a virtue. When I am on with logic sizzling, insight at it's best and cards falling reasonably well - I will walk away a big winner and only won about 10% of the hands played.
Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :
And here I thought you were talking about Tulsa...
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
I've watched the shows, and I'd be interested in playing some time... With pretend money, of course.
Maybe we could start a Jatraqueros Hold'em group?
-Bok
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
Shan ~ not just under 10 minutes, but more like under 10 dollars (for three meals)
Henry ~ I'm terrible at reading people. I've read somewhere that you should only go in strong when you have good cards at a strong position. But since we were playing with friends, we were all raising like crazy, logic and strategy be damned! I lost it all on pocket KKs beat down by someone drawing a 4 on an inside straight. For the love of god, who the heck keeps a 4 down the river! Who I ask you, who! Sorry.... those 10 minute meals are really high in sugar.
Bok ~ I play online poker once in a while on pokerpages.com. It is completely free, but the top ranked player gets a little prize (one free week of poker school, whatever the heck that is) so people take the game more seriously than a regular free game (i.e. people aren't going "all in" on a pair of deuces.) Look for me there, I'm called vwiggin (my long lost below 2000 member name )
Posted by Suneun (Member # 3247) on :
Hey Beren, one of the cheapest and not-crappy meals I can suggest is this:
Get one of those family packs of chicken thighs (like a dozen thighs for 3 bucks). Bake them in the oven with some garlic, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil (we usually chop up the garlic, mix with all the rest, and stuff under the skins). Bakes about an hour in 400 degrees.
Eat with pasta. That's several meals for about a dollar a meal.
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
Thanks Suneun! That does sound yummy. Since girlfriend is out of town, I'm definitely going to pile on the garlic!
Posted by Sopwith (Member # 4640) on :
The important lessons about Poker:
1. Sit down and look around the table. If you can figure out who the victim is for the night, it's you.
2. Don't play to win the one big hand. Play to win for the night. Anytime you can walk away with $1 more than you came in with, you've won. You'll do better with 5 small pots than one big one.
3. To bluff effectively, your opponents must notice that you only play strong hands early on in the game.
4. You don't have to, and shouldn't, show your hand if everyone else folds. Let them keep guessing as to whether you had the goods or were bluffing.
5. If you're unsure of your chances with a hand, fold. It's better to lose your ante than an entire pot. There's no shame in folding. Folding early and often can also make you look like a small fish at the table, which can work to your advantage.
6. Learn your percentages. In Texas Hold 'em, your best starting hand is often a pair, no matter how low they rank. The second strongest is holding one or more face cards in your initial draw (A, K, Q, J). The five community cards often mean that a kicker card will decide the winner -- having the highest card possible certainly helps.
7. In Hold 'em a Flush is stronger and statistically easier to get than a straight. But don't shoot for a flush if you didn't start with two cards of the same suit. Chances are that if one of your cards and four from the table make a flush, someone else is also holding a flush.
8. A good player with a good hand never bets big on their first chance in a hand. Your goal isn't to intimidate the competition but to lure them in. Bet firmly, but not timidly. However, if you're money (have a great hand) and two other folks get into a horserace (raising and re-raising each other) ride along and call when your turn comes. Ego battles can often happen between players in a game when money is at stake... hold calm and make use of those.
9. Always adopt an aw shucks attitude when winning a pot. Good sportsmanship gets you invited back and can also help to deflect some of the scrutiny on you. Pretending to be the novice or bumpkin in a game can be a big advantage if the other players buy into it. In pool, it's called being hustled.
10. Lastly, rotate the dealer and always bring an unopened, sealed deck of cards to the game. Potato chips and drinks help, too.
[ January 23, 2004, 12:29 PM: Message edited by: Sopwith ]
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
Oooh, a poker thread. I have to run to class at the moment, but suffice to say I make enough money online to take occasional trips to Vegas (to make money playing tournaments).
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
If you really want to devote some time to becomming a better player I'd suggest reading "The Theory of Poker" by David Slansky. It's probably one of the best books on poker out there. And really does a great job of covering every aspect of the game. From the technical to the theoretical. Here's a link. I've read this book multiple times, and it's always insightful.
But mostly it just takes practice. Feel out the game. If you're playing against people that are always going to stay in for the flop no matter what, then it's probably a waste of your money to try to bet them out early when you have a strong pocket hand. Let the flops come down for cheaper, you'll give up some hands, but at the same time, when that perfect flop does come down for you, you should be able to take them for everything they have.
Don't try to win every hand. The difference between a good poker player and a bad one isn't the hands they win, it's the hands they *don't* lose. Meaning, when you're hand comes down, you'll most likely take it, and maybe if you're a better player you'll squeeze more money out of it. but the weakness of most players is they'll throw it all away staying in on too many hands, or staying too long on the hands they can't win. It's all about cutting your losses and winning when you got it.
On a table like yours when everyone's playing for fun, and staying in no matter what, and raising for the hell of it, etc...reading players not only becomes harder, but also less important. But it's still a good skill to learn. Learn your opponents. watch what they do and when they do it. It can't hurt.
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
quote:Pretending to be the novice or bumpkin in a game can be a big advantage if the other players buy into it
No problem. THAT I can do. .
quote: Hold 'em a Flush is stronger and statistically easier to get than a straight
Wow, I did not know that. Thanks!
quote:Don't try to win every hand. The difference between a good poker player and a bad one isn't the hands they win, it's the hands they *don't* lose.
That wisdom definitely applies to me. I get so curious regarding what the other player is holding that I almost always have to pay to see their cards.
Where do you guys all play? Are you kitchen table players or are you all card sharks like Richard? Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
Complete newbie. I'd like to play in a group of "friendlies" though
-Bok
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
Bok, these folks are going to take us for a ride. Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
Heh, yeah... So does anyone want to set up a time to play with a group of Jatraqueros? On pokerpages.com?
-Bok
Posted by thrak (Member # 5499) on :
Hey all, I am a long time lucker, but I would be interested in some Texas Holdem. I have only played against the computer or against friends for fun. I would like to play for fun online and maybe someday for money.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
I'm by no means a poker expert, though I almost won at Texas hold 'em last week. I took a close second, I think. If you guys are playing online sometime, count me in.
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
I'm Vwiggin on pokerpages.com. We should all pick one site we like to play on, exchange our login names, and tell each other when we will be on .
Pokerpages.com seems pretty good. But Richard may have more experience and probably knows tons of good sites he can tell us about.
For pokerpages.com You have to download a software in order to play. I've only been on it for two days, but it seems pretty legit.
I am entering the "Bugsy Bonus Point no limit" tournament at 4:30 (pacific time, that's like in 30 minutes) on the pokerpages.com .*
*If you signed up for pokerpages.com, you might as well sign up for its sister site, "Bugsys Club." It is a real money site, but you can use the same username and password as pokerpages.com without actually putting in any money. Three or four times a day you can play in Bugsys Club's promotional tournaments where you can play for fake money that can be turned into real money (well, $1000 fake dollars for $1 real dollar or something... it is lame, but you get to buy in for free and it is better than playing for nothing right?)
::edited to add:: Drat, didn't sign up for the tournament in time. Now I have to sign up for the 7 Card stud game instead. I've never played that game before. Wish me luck...
[ January 23, 2004, 06:46 PM: Message edited by: Beren One Hand ]
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
That's great Jon! Did you split the pot or did you play Highlander style (there can only be one)?
Posted by thrak (Member # 5499) on :
Beren, I just created an account on PokerPages with the same handle, thrak.
I do not have any time to play right now, but I hope to join some friendly folks for a game soon.
Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
Don't forget to watch "Maverick" with Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster alot! Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
Thrak ~ Great, just post here whenever you're on!
Shan ~ Actually, I do talk to the deck, asking for that ace all the time.
Brettly ~ You must have the coolest dad in the world! If you don't mind me asking, how much money does an average professional poker player make? How was it like growing up with a bunch of poker players around? I've hung out with pros once in a while and they are even funnier and zanier than musicians.
My biggest problem is that I have a hard time guessing what the other players are thinking.
This is a typical problem of mine:
I get two pairs after the flop, I start betting aggressively. One of the other players go all in. I ALWAYS guess this one wrong. Either I will fold when I would've won or I go in when the other guy has three of a kind.
I always think that if someone bets aggressively before the flop, then they have either a pocket pair or Ax, Kx, or Qx. But I have friends who will bet aggressively pre-flop when all they had was a pair of twos or two same-suit cards. That drives me crazy!
[ January 23, 2004, 08:18 PM: Message edited by: Beren One Hand ]
Posted by Toretha (Member # 2233) on :
I like that game. It's fun. I won almost everyone's candy playing it in speech, just because i kept being too stubborn to fold until the very last minute. I would not advise this as a playing technique-but it was sure fun for me!
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
Richard Berg is a serious poker player... Semi-serious anyway. Look up "poker" in The Lounge subforum of arstechnica.com's forums, and search for his posts. He plays for money, and wins double, triple, digits fairly consistently.
We may be too small fry for him I think pokerpages is a good place to start.
-Bok
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
*on pokerpages.com*
I'm playing at the Bugsy Bonus Point N/L 10:30 pm tourney (That's Friday night, pacific time). Just click on the Freeplay tab and click on tourneys. You have to register as a Bugsy member, but otherwise it is free. I was #14 out of 300 people yesterady (winning a cool 15 cent or something). Wish me luck, hope to see you guys there!
[ January 24, 2004, 12:22 AM: Message edited by: Beren One Hand ]
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
I've been playing poker for about 5 years now. I started out playing very occasionally in home games and then progressed to the occasional home game and trips to Atlantic City. After graduated from college i began hosting my own home games monthly. and soon after that began playing in a weekly home game, with the occasional trips down to the casino.
I don't really play holdem much at the casino. I usually stick to 1-5 stud. I do love holdem but i find that the 2-4 casino game is really annoying and filled with too many people that don't know what they're doing. which would normally be good but i feel that the $2 first two betting rounds aren't enough to force people out of hands they shouldn't be in. I'd rather be playing on a 4-8 or 5-10 table, but I don't exactly have the money to buy in respectably at that sort of table. well, not buy in so much as afford to lose if i don't do well.
So i stick to 1-5 stud, which i like, there's more room to manuvuer with the betting and my play type just seems to be more conduscive to winning well at those stakes.
Recently i started playing online poker at partypoker.com. I do pretty well, and while i consider online poker very sub par to the real thing, i do good, so i can't complain. I buy in on the $10 holdem tournaments mostly. which i like, because the monetary risk is low, and with a $50 first place prize, the reward isn't shabby at all. and it's fun. At first i thought it was just really easy play to win on those tables, but then a friend of mine, who's a good player, and consistantly wins more money than me playing poker tried playing these tournaments and just blew all his money. So I guess I'm just able to adjust well to online play and the tournament structure.
anyway, sorry to ramble. that's my story. Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
*looks around the table and cannot spot the sucker*
GULP
Strider, I would love to see a face off of you and the other pros on Hatrack. That will be so much fun. There are two things that prevents me from playing for money online. First, I feel the cards we get are pretty unrealisitc. I get much, much better cards online than I do in a RLG (real life game). Do you get the feeling that the gambling sites are juicing up the cards to generate interest in the game? Second, I'm always afraid of people cheating while playing online. How can you tell if the other people in the table aren't IMing each other about their cards? Yes, I'm one paranoid cookie.
[ January 24, 2004, 12:52 AM: Message edited by: Beren One Hand ]
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
quote:If you really want to devote some time to becomming a better player I'd suggest reading "The Theory of Poker" by David Slansky.
No need to bore everyone out of their minds...with the first book anyway Pick up the Lee Jones intro to Hold'm and you'll have everything you need to beat the average low-limit game.
Oh, and I'm not a pro, just a recent enthusiast with a head for numbers. The guys in that thread who got me going (Miah, wb) are the ones who can afford to quit their jobs any time they want.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
quote:No need to bore everyone out of their minds...
are you kidding? how can you consider that book boring? i loved it!
Beren, i'm pretty sure the poker sites keep track IP addresses and who plays on the same tables mutliple times. and if anything get's suspicious they do something about it. it's just to obvious of a thing to do, they must have their bases covered.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
quote:That's great Jon! Did you split the pot or did you play Highlander style (there can only be one)?
It was late, so we just called it quits. My friend had more chips than me. No pot splitting or anything.
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
Beren, the in-game chat facilities are deliberately crippled (you have to "invite" someone each time you want to send a private message), but they know there's no way to avoid it completely. Thankfully, IMing cards to another person gives a very small advantage at best.
As for fair cards, computer-based pseudorandomness is as good as it gets this side of a Geiger counter. All the major sites have their generators certified by a dozen standards organizations. Or if you don't believe them, play a couple thousand hands at a suitably low limit and analyze them with PokerTracker. (Price jumps to $55 soon...)
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
Thank you for answering my questions Richard. Maybe I just imagined the extra amount of good hands I've been getting because I'm a "half full" kind of guy. Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
I just signed up as olhado on pokerpages.com. Hope to see some of you online soon!
-Bok
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
Thank goodness this isn't an onanism thread. Posted by Papa Moose (Member # 1992) on :
Considering the thread title, the author's name, and quotes like "when that perfect flop does come down for you, you should be able to take them for everything they have," "they have either a pocket pair or Ax," and "First you don't have to be in the hand to learn from it," I think I was doing pretty well to refrain from comment.
--Pop
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
For anyone who cares, I'm playing right now, username: olhado. I am playing pot limit holdem only.
-Bok
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
Hey Beren, what is your AIM name?
-Bok
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
Oh I see ya! Got to go to a golden globe party soon, so I think I'll just stay for one game. GL! Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
Bok, my aim name is padawon2000.
*notes Bok just took down a huge pot with pocket 10s*
edited to add: Well, I washed out of that table. Good luck Bok.
[ January 25, 2004, 10:29 PM: Message edited by: Beren One Hand ]
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
And then I was out, stupidly. I get to interested trying to successfully check-raise, I end up too deep.
Ah, the life of a poker newbie.
I am getting garbage cards for the most part... Playing it pretty tight right now.
-Bok
Posted by thrak (Member # 5499) on :
I am on pokerpages now. Hopefully I can meet some of you guys in a game soon.
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
thrak, I see we are in the same game
-Bok
Posted by thrak (Member # 5499) on :
I was in the same hand. Unlike you, I got impatient with the cards.
I may stick around and join the next table you move on to... and watch a pro at work.
Posted by thrak (Member # 5499) on :
I going to play the 7pm EST Mixed Tourney on PokerPages. I hope to see some hatrackers there.
[ January 26, 2004, 06:38 PM: Message edited by: thrak ]
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
I'm too lazy to swap my money over to PokerPages just yet, but if you want to catch me on Party I'll probably be playing 3/6 there later tonight as TrickyDickBe[rg].
[ January 26, 2004, 08:27 PM: Message edited by: Richard Berg ]
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
Well, none of us are playing with really money yet, Richard, so there's no need to switch money. If you just want to decompress some time, drop in.
-Bok
Posted by Wonko The Sane (Member # 2945) on :
wonkothesane1 on pokerpages on right now
Posted by thrak (Member # 5499) on :
Pokerpages, Pokerpages, Time to get your PokerPages Time to get your cards and your chips Pokerpages, Pokerpages, Open up your PokerPages Time to watch thrak do a Pokerpage with you.
I am iced in again today, so I will be on. I hope to play a tourney this afternoon. See you there.
[ January 27, 2004, 10:33 AM: Message edited by: thrak ]
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
BTW, congrats on your respectable finish in last night's tourney!
-Bok
Posted by thrak (Member # 5499) on :
Thanks Bok. Playing a tourney that started at 1:30 EST. Not a off to a good start today. Posted by kidyanna (Member # 6148) on :
Posted by kidyanna (Member # 6148) on :
I used to play poker a lot, but it was mostly me and all of my guy friends...then some other chicks joined...I soon stopped because it became the wonderful game of strip poker and I often lost...I later found out that the guys cheated ... go figure ... lol Posted by thrak (Member # 5499) on :
I guess PokerPages could devolve to a game of strip poker... but how much fun would that be online? Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
Webcams everyone! Although I'm still wearing pajamas on this ice day, so it wouldn't be very interesting.
PokerTracker apparently doesn't support PokerPages (not that I've found a way to export hand histories in the first place). Shame, as I like logging everything. As far as I can tell ALL of their tables are free -- hence the myriad ads for real casinos -- but hey it least that means less hassle to start playing, NetTeller or not. Free tourneys sound interesting, considering I've never played NL.
PartyPoker (and its many affiliates) do have free tables, as well as an option for private tables, but not both unfortunately.
[ January 27, 2004, 03:55 PM: Message edited by: Richard Berg ]
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
Ok, so they're affiliated with Bugsy for money games, found the appropriate hand history option, etc. I see. Hardly any active limit games and only a few tourneys there, so I think I'll stick with the foolish masses at Party. The free stuff looks fun, though.
Oh, and the PokerSchool subscription looks like the worst deal in the history of casinos. Paying for the chance to win nothing? Thanks but no thanks. If all you want is the expert advice, pick up some of the classic books (anything by Sklansky) head to http://twoplustwo.com/
[ January 27, 2004, 04:16 PM: Message edited by: Richard Berg ]
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
Yeah, the lack of limit hold em is annoying, and for some reason last night they didn't have any pot limit games.
I'm playing for fun now, can you play Poker Party for for free?
-Bok
EDIT: Duh, try reading ALL of the posts, stupidhead.
[ January 27, 2004, 04:19 PM: Message edited by: Bokonon ]
Posted by thrak (Member # 5499) on :
Richard, the free tables (and tourneys) at PokerPages are fun, but I would never pay at BugsysClub or PokerSchool.
Perhaps someday when I am ready to make the plunge, you can lead me to a real site.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
Richard, the NL tables at party poker are actually pretty easy to make money on. atleast the lower buy in tables, $25, $50. the play isn't very good, and as long as you don't make any stupid plays you should come out alright. and given what you've said about your play i don't think you'd have a problem with that.
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
It seems to me that NL games require more strategy. With limit poker I've had a lot of success but my internal rules are quite simple: memorize the probability of the most common hands, compare with the pot odds, bet. I engage in semi-bluffs and the like if I've gotten really familiar with a table, but the vast majority of my bankroll was won being patient for big hands and slow- or fast-playing depending on who's still in.
My impression of tourneys is that the blinds go up too fast for a very tight player. Moreover, a deceptive play is correct far more often than in low-limit (where calling stations usually make it pointless). These factors actually sound intriguing, but I want to read more before I jump in. Good to know that the Party/Empire/etc. NL players are just as stupid as on the ring side, though Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
I've found a couple issues with pokerpages that Iwonder if they occur on other freeplay sights (these probably won't happen with real money involved).
Punishing the chips leader: I saw this as an observer once, and then had it happen to me. Basically, when there are only two people left, and one has a large chip advantage on the other, the losing player will concede, but do so by bleeding their blinds if you try to raise as the winning player. This does 2 things, messes with my accumulated hands stats, and it takes a while to win the table.
All-In Earlies: At almost every table, within the first 2-3 hands, 3-6 of the players go all in, regardless of their hands. Now, I've been playing pretty tight (I tend to play only hands where I have pairs, or 2 cards J or higher, i'm not picky on suit, though I know I should be), and this bothers me because it means that I will inevitably be down big early to whoever actually happens to win that monster pot.
I mean, I know it's play money, and I know fast action is alluring, but [EDIT: why bother playing the game for the lucky hand, isn't that what slot machines are for? ]
I've actually been proud of myself on a couple of occassions where I knew the players were legit, I've bluffed a table by looking for a 3rd card of a similar suit is turned over, where I will try to check-raise, or, more often, just put in a substantial percentage of my pot. I try to make sure I have a little backup (a pair), but sometimes I don't even bother with that.
-Bok
[ January 27, 2004, 05:34 PM: Message edited by: Bokonon ]
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
I don't know of any other sites that offer free play in tourney format.
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
Well, I don't play the tourney format, just straight up NL or PL.
-Bok
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
Silly me, Party does have (single-table) play money tourneys, squirrelled away under a tab I never saw.
Anyway, I've never played free NL games so I'll shut up. There are literally like 700 free NL tables at Party so feel free to experiment.
Posted by thrak (Member # 5499) on :
Bok, you should try the tourneys on PokerPages. They may take much more time than a single table, but you will not find too many of these all-in in the first 3 hands types. I think some players take their stats seriously or something.
Richard, I hope to try out some free tables at Party soon.
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
Oh, forgot to mention -- if anyone wants to play for real at Party, there are always great referral deals going on (read: at least $100 + % of rakes as bonuses), so email me.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
and me. Posted by thrak (Member # 5499) on :
Richard, I saw that about the referral when I tried to sign. I had some kind of problem signing up, so maybe I can still use you when I attempt it again. I will email you when I try it again.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
quote:My impression of tourneys is that the blinds go up too fast for a very tight player. Moreover, a deceptive play is correct far more often than in low-limit (where calling stations usually make it pointless). These factors actually sound intriguing, but I want to read more before I jump in. Good to know that the Party/Empire/etc. NL players are just as stupid as on the ring side, though
well, the NL tables i was talking about are regular no limit tables not No Limit tourney's, i've never played those.
i usually mainly play the single table structured tourneys. and i really like the way the stakes work on them. the blinds start out low enough and build at what i consider to be a nice rate. those tourneys are all about adjusting your game to the stakes. if you can do that well, then you're shoe in. the probabilities are important. but you need to adjust those probailites given not only the pot odds and hand odds, but of percentage of your stack.
you should try playing some of the lower stakes ones to see how you like it. play a cheap $10 one. and only move up to the $30 or $50 if you like it. they also of course have No Limit and Pot Limit tourneys if you wanted. or you may just not be a tourney person.
i think me and Richard should split the referals.
[ January 28, 2004, 12:34 AM: Message edited by: Strider ]
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
They advertise a deal where you get $50 (signee) + $25 (referrer), but I thought I'd let everyone know there's a way to get 20% of your first deposit up to $500 (signee) + 12.5% of the signee's rakes (referrer) forever. The way I do it with the person who referred me is to track my rakes in PokerTracker and split them 6%/6%. (Party doesn't break down how much bonus comes from which person.)
So yeah, there's plenty of newcomers to go around, Strider Everyone else: that $100 buys a lot of $.50/$1 games, and I promise not to whine about their tiny rakes being less than the other deal's $25...it's all about sharing the love of the game
[ January 28, 2004, 10:54 AM: Message edited by: Richard Berg ]
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
Hey Richard, what is your name on partypoker again? I'll use you as a referral.
-Bok
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
I'll also add that Poker Tracker is upping its price from $40 to $55 on Sunday.
-Bok
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
TrickyDickBe. (Ran into the max character limit I suppose).
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
The Bellagio, mostly.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
AC, The Taj.
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
Haven't been in California for more than a short visit in several years (quite awhile before I started taking cards seriously). I'm aware of their serious club scene, though -- lots of famous authors make mention of it.
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
Yay! I see Xavier and Wonkothesane at my table. Let's rock!
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
I think I've won one game and lost something like 12, so I'm currently down. The great thing about NLTH is that if I win the next game I'm up big. I wish they kept track. I've come in second twice, but the bad part is that second is the same as last place.
It was fun, and I think its awesome that 3 out of the 15 or so players tonight were hatrackers. Hope to see more people on next time.
There is the problem of half the table going all in on the first hand. Whoever wins the first hadn all-in orgy usually wins the game. Its hard to take down someone with five times as many chips as you.
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
I know what you mean. The early all ins are extremely annoying (although I've been guilty of it myself). Try playing in the Tourneys. People play with a lot more strategy there because your performance is being tracked by the ranking system.
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
The problem when I try to join the tourneys is that it tells me I need to register at Bugsy. I am registered at Bugsy though. I even sing in using the Bugsy software and it still wont let me join. Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
Okay, works now. Had to re-register. Not sure why. I'm signed up for the 4:30AM one . The funny thing is that I am super tired already, and have been since midnight as I had 4 hours of sleep last night.
Oh well. Either I go out early and go to bed, or I win and have fun...
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
I use the Pokerpages software and then signed up for Bugsy. Are you going to the "Freeplay" -- "Tourneys" -- "Bugsy Bonus Point N/L"?
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
Yep .
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
Hey, I'm in the 4:30 one too. Good luck!
*just witnessed Xavier take down $2,000 on a first hand all in*
I thought you didn't like that move? Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
Im the chip leader with 40000!
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
plus I won the game you were watching Beren!
I'm feeling lucky Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
Okay, I eventually lost. I'm proud that I was the chip leader at one point though . Tourney's definitely are better.
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
Oh and I mostly went all in there because I was mostly killing time before the tournament. But also it wasn't a horrible move, since I picked up my ace. I got lucky with the 6 there on the river though .
It turned out that I was still playing that game during the first few hands of the tourney, and was winning big in both games!
I won 30,000 on the first hand of the touney. I had pocket fours, and another four came on the flop. Two people went all in against me . Then on the next hand I got 10,000 from someone with pocket aces.
The guy I eventually lost to is now the chip leader with 115,000. 50,000 of that he got from me with a flush (against my two aces). I hope he wins.
[ February 01, 2004, 08:04 AM: Message edited by: Xavier ]
Posted by jack (Member # 2083) on :
quote:I don't know of any other sites that offer free play in tourney format.
Poker paridise has a $300 free roll. Next Hold'em tournament is in 6 hours (registration starts in 4 hours.) If you download the software, click on tournaments and find the Island+$300. They also have regular games that you can play with fake money. It's a good place to learn different games. (Omaha, 7 Stud, 7 Stud Hi Lo, 5 Card Draw, 5 Card Stud and Pinapple.)
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
The tournaments at pokerpages are really the combined listing at Bugsy/pokerpages. The free ones have "freeroll" (I think) by in one of the columns (entry?).
I finished 225ish out of 400 in my first tournament. A tip at these free situations. DON'T feel compelled to play a hand. Be patient... You will outlast most folks.
-Bok
Posted by thrak (Member # 5499) on :
I have been playing with Play Money at PartyPoker and it seems pretty fun. I haven't found any multi-table tourneys like at PokerPages, but they do have buy-in's and payouts for the single table tournaments. They also have tables with NL and fixed limits. I feel like there is a little more on the line, so people are slightly more serious.
Richard, the account that I am using is the one I had problems with, but it worked the next day. I haven't made a deposit yet, so perhaps I could still sign you up for a referral. Email me sometime and if you know how I should go about that.
If anyone wants to play some on PartyPoker for free today, let me know. I think we can create a private table.
Posted by Yebor1 (Member # 1380) on :
Only gamble with 10% of what you are willing to lose. Then when you win only gamble with 10% of that money pretty soon you will have a nest egg.
2ND TIP
ONLY PLAY REALLY GOOD HaNDS IN THE BEGGINING ROUNDS. Then when you have shinoalla you can bluff out the other players especially if they are checking and betting like their hands arnt strong.
Sometimes i WILL JUST check AND CALL TO WATCH HOW THE HANDS Are going. If i realize the others are not betting like they have a winner by the time the river card comes out I bet real big and bluff them into folding. How ever you have to keep track of what hands can beat yours and be prepared because some fool is out there playing like you and betting and bluffing or not bluffing the same way. I have been playing on party poker.com and actually win or at least place 2nd or third in all the games I play. When they realize i only play on a winnign hands at first and I have knocked out three or four players. Then I can bluff and make extra cash when I have a weak hand or nothing at all. The key is watching players the first few rounds establishing what kind of player you want them to think you are and then using all of this to your advantage. Dont go for it all if you are pretty sure you have a loser. Bluffing then rarely works. Especially if the other player has a really good hand.
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
Thrak, I don't think there's any place to enter a bonus code once you've registered. If you find one let me know.
Posted by thrak (Member # 5499) on :
Richard, I haven't made my initial deposit yet. I think that would be place that I enter the code. I could try... maybe tomorrow night.
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
I emailed you the standard $25 deal. Like I said I'm pretty sure the code has to be entered at registration...but if you didn't use that email address with the 1st account, no harm done Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
One of the interesting things about pokerpages is that it keeps a lifetime stat of your playing style. Do my stats convey a certain style of play?
I would love to hear some expert analysis of this.
--------Preflop Flop Turn River
Fold.....43% 25% 13% 13%
Check.....8% 47% 47% 34%
Check.....0% 1% 1% 2% raise
Call......35% 17% 16% 10%
Bet.......n/a 19% 13% 16%
Raise......18% 5% 4% 6%
Reraise....4% 1% 1% 1%
All-In......5% 15% 24% 35%
Won........26% 36% 43% 47%
[ February 03, 2004, 12:46 AM: Message edited by: Beren One Hand ]
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
In low-limit games your pre-flop call + raise should be about 10% *total*...maybe 15% if you consistently find yourself at loose-passive tables. The rest of the stats aren't that enlightening the way they're broken down. /me huggles PokerTracker
Also, how many hands is this over? Anything less than 1000 isn't very significant.
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
Thanks Richard.
The stats are based on 1809 hands of NL Texas Hold'em. I thought I was a patient player. But apparently not. Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
NL is different, of course. But not that different -- however more aggressively you need to play in NL, it's probably countered by the fact that everyone is playing with fake money, so basically ignore this post.
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
Yeah, that fake money really hampers any serious analysis. Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
I still need to be reminded that when I lose with pocket jacks because the other player trips, That doesn't mean to play looser.
It means I need to learn to play better.
Can someone remind me of this from time to time?
-Bok
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
Yes. When the board pairs up you have to be ready to run away from any sort of action, unless you're holding the nut boat (or quads, heh). In the meantime, feel free to send me your JJ's.
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
I have a preflop question: What pocket pairs are equal to AK offsuit? What pocket pairs are equal to AK same suit?
I bet pretty heavily when I have the top three pairs (AKQ), but don't really know much about the strength of pairs below Js.
[ February 06, 2004, 02:49 AM: Message edited by: Beren One Hand ]
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
JJ is significantly stronger than AKo. If you believe statistics, even very low pocket pairs are better than unsuited big cards, if you can tolerate higher bankroll swings. (And depending on what you consider big cards, your play may be simply wrong -- stuff like KTo is trash in my opinion.)
Edit: I could give some more guidelines, but since we're all geeks here, just play with a number-cruncher and/or visit the twoplustwo.com forums. (Can't go wrong when it says "moderated by Mat Sklansky" at the bottom).
Edit again: that program is not very good for accurately measuring pre-flop hands against a broad field, greatly deemphasizing the value of draws because it doesn't consider the extra money that will be in the pot. I'll have to dig up the link to the one I'm really thinking of.
[ February 06, 2004, 04:15 AM: Message edited by: Richard Berg ]
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