good time to start playing poker

drunkguy · Aug 21, 2003

This World series of poker has really attracted a lot of beginners (aka squares) to the poker tables. People that would normally never even think of gambling are running to the poker tables all of a sudden. I can't go a day without someone trying to talk poker to me now. IMO this is going to mean easier tables (at least at low limits), particularly on the online sites.

Another thing - watching the WSOP is the worst possible thing for beginning/developing players. The moves these guys make are not necessarily correct all the time, especially when applied to low level tables. Trying to learn from watching these guys is going to screw you up. Considerations like position, pot odds, player strength and playing style have a tremendous effect on the "correct" play. Anyone watching just the hole cards and trying to learn strictly from that is going to get killed.

PatrickMcIrish · Aug 22, 2003

All good points. The popularity of the game is soaring, exposure is always good. Also as you say they are learning ass backwards how to play by watching the pro's play. Limit and no-limit are two completely different animals not that you could learn much by watching anyway.

BigGamesOnly · Aug 27, 2003

I think this is a great opportunity for the seasoned poker player for the reasons you mention. More squares = more money. Even if a person isn't much of a poker player now, he/she can read some books and get some practice online for play money to season their skills before taking that advantage to the casinos.

Good luck and stay drunk.

AceRothstein · Sep 11, 2003

WSOP and WPT are great for that. More money for us as far as I'm concerned. Nothing better than some fish trying to bluff on rags at a 3/6 table, just cause they saw Texas Dolly bluffing on a 5-6 offsuited on the travel channel or ESPN and stealing a pot.

Don't forget about Rounders. The popularity soared after that movie came out.

GreenDrake · Sep 11, 2003

Great points on why those viewing the travel channel and ESPN poker broadcasts will be misled on what constitutes "poker skill". Some of what they are "learning":

-As mentioned above the are learning to play same low limit games the same way the pros play NL HE. These guys will be making that long walk to the ATM as they try to ram jam 5 9 os with 4 callers in a small low limit game.

- the hands on TV are never shown in the full context of the game where players have observed each other for hours. The so called odd move may make sense if you saw the previous 50-100 hands, but not be something that makes sense otherwise.

- The fact that a fold, raise or call may be a bad move on that particular hand never takes in the fact that in the long run its a good percentage play. The novice is often left with thinking that is the "wrong" way to play that hand when in fact just the opposite is the case.

- ring vs tourney an entirely different animal and the broadcasts never touch on this fact.

I can remember when Foxwoods first opened and if you were just and average player you could make a killing and I suspect these shows could produce the same kind of windfall.

Woody0 · Sep 11, 2003

All good points except I think the "play money for practice" needs some clarification.

Play money is great to get the look and feel of the interface. Also if you are a rank beginner it is helpful to get some exposure to the game, learn which hands win or stand up under what playing conditions and learn to read the board. I remember the days when I would miss flushes when 3 suited cards were on the board. You can read it in chat from those players who are beginners. In contrast an experienced player can glance at a board, determine the nuts and also what is likely to be held as the winner in milliseconds.

Also I think the importance, for rank beginners, of reading at least one and preferably two good books before committing money cannot be overemphasized.

However the play money games are unlike real money games since there is nothing of value to be lost or gained.

drunkguy · Sep 11, 2003

definitely big differences between "play" money and cash games online. People holding longer, staying on worse hands, raising uncontrolably, etc. Good for absolute beginners and getting used to the interface, like Woody said.

But playing online as "practice" for the real thing is another of the worst things you can do and a bad way to learn under unrealistic conditions

BigGamesOnly · Sep 11, 2003

Good points about "play" vs. "real" games. I didn't want to lead anyone astray as to think that the play games were just like real games. What I was referring to was the chance to see what kinds of cards play out in a game, not the actual way people bet in the play games.

CJH034 · Oct 22, 2003

That is exactly what it means drunk. I've been playing for over a year now and the last month or two been cleaning up. You can wipe up on the low limit real tables.