Best way to learn/ make some money

[JJBreeze]

Hey guys,

Stumbled across this forum today while i was doing a little reading and i'm glad i did, i've found some pretty interesting threads.

I have recently decided to take up poker myself, partly for fun, but also to make some cash. I like to think i'm a fairly intelligent person, so i figured if i really go about learning properly i could do fairly well. I have ordered a couple of books off amazon. I went for Getting Started in Hold'em and Small Stakes Hold'em, both by Miller. I've just finished a law degree and i'm in the process of applying for jobs so i've got a fair bit (well a lot!) of free time to study. My plan at the moment is once i've got a good grip of the basics from these books to start playing ultra low limit tables like $0.05/$0.10, just for practice, and then move up a bit to maybe $0.5/$1 tables when i feel more confident.

Does this sound like about the right way to go about it? I have seen in threads on this forum and others that most of the guys who are making big money are playing STT or NL cash games. Should i be focusing on learning a NL game or do you think i should stick with my plan?

I have been advised i should perhaps be playing STTs. If i decide to do that should i order some different books as well? If so which ones?

Any advice for a newbie would be much appreciated!

JJB

[BeerWench13]

Welcome to the forum.

I suggest, when just starting out, that you stick with what you're more comfortable playing. When I started I played fixed low-limit hold'em. This will give you a chance to see a great deal of hands without risking a lot of cash in the beginning.

If you decide to play tournaments, Harrington on Hold 'Em is highly recommended. I have both of his books, but will be honest that I have not yet read them. I probably will eventually, but I have a stack of books that I'm working my way through right now.

If you have questions regarding certain hands or things that you read, please feel free to ask here. There are lots of tips in the beginners section also. Make sure you read up on those too.

Again, welcome to the forum. I hope it will help you improve your game.

[zinn0]

To add to what Wench said, you should always play within your bankroll.

20 full buyins for NL ring, 300BB's for FL ring, and 20-30 buyins for STT's.

Most players first starting out love to play above what their bankroll can handle, most of the time it's not on purpose, they just don't know any better. I was guilty of this numerous times when I first started playing online, and it cost me about $500 before I finally figured out what was going on. Once I started utilizing proper BR management, I've not had to redeposit, and I've not had to look back.

Also, spend some time perusing older threads on this site. It's helped me immensely.

[greathuskie]

go to a site with a great deposit bonus, and also with very aggressive tables, occassionally post your .25c blind or whatever and just rake in the bonus cash that these sites offer .

[JJBreeze]

Thanks for the replies guys, that's good advice about bankroll, it wasn't really something i had paid too much thought to yet.

I think that seeing as i've already ordered 2 fixed limit books i may as well stick at that, hopefully it'll work out and after some hard work i'll be able to turn a profit. I'm gonna play a few cheap STTs as well, i hear that it'll be good practice for me.

Any more tips are welcome!

[LeafsFan1122]

Welcome.

It's great that you're planning to read and learn before you start playing and fixed limit is a great game, but I think you should buy a NL book too. This is for a few reasons:

a) You may get bored of FL after playing x amount of hands of it.
b) You learn more in terms of general poker if you read about NL/PL too.
c) If you play both styles, you'll gain more experience
d) The microlimit MTTs are great for practice and also quite lucritive.

Anways, there are more reasons but it's just ultimately a suggestion. Good luck.

PS: For small stakes/limits/tournies etc, I reccomend PokerStars. Sorry if you already said that you're planning to play there, I forgot.

[mikenike]

that's insane, you have alot of time to study, so you play online texas holdem that's great i love you already, good luck with your lawyer crap. hollar at me if you need any laywer jokes.

[tyhpoker]

(insert your favorite spam here)

[zinn0]

You are an idiot.

[BeerWench13]

tyhpoker=idiot

Don't take his advice. He can't even read the forum rules.

[mikenike]

tyhpoker=idiot

Don't take his advice. He can't even read the forum rules.

seconded. don't click on urls that ppl posts, just call em an asshat and walk away.

[UrAteUp]

I can't tell you how to make money playing poker...but if you want to avoid loosing it then don't listen to Husky and Mikey...lol...we keep them around for token reasons... ...ones out token muscle head...and the other is like our little puppy...he is fun for awhile till he starts humping your leg...then you just look and say "Bad Mikey...Bad!!!!"

Seriously, welcome to the forum and do all the studying you can on the game before you sign up to play online. Knowledge is power and the more you have the better you will understand the gameand how to play it.

Once you think you have a firm graps then signup and play some small stakes stuff online. You'll find it fun and hopefully rewarding....

[mikenike]

yeah, im a dog. just ask urateup i cut his wiener off now he can't bang his wife anymore, thats why she called me for a real man.

[squirrel barefoot]

(insert your favorite spam here)

My favourite one was about a picture taken from space. Much to their surprise, the scientists noticed an alien playing Texas Holdem right on the pic. And the link went to a long article about the aliens who play poker and how good it is for the world economy.

People with imagination forever

It is such a pity the whole thread was spoilt by spam...

[crack]

Along with reading, I advise you to post up any situations you have trouble with in the relevant forums here. I would also love ou to blog your progress using the thp blogs. You are the type of person I have so much time for. You are ready to listen to advice, you don't mind doing research and finding a forum to post on, you are willing to purchase books on poker.

It's a great attitude to have and I will help you as much as I can if you need/want it.

Good luck!