Card Player magazine
- Thread starter Cloud Nine
- Start date
c9, are there any decent reads you know of to teach me basic stategy for texas holdem, like odds of winning, things like that, I know how to play, but Im afraid to sit down in a casino and try it out cause Im not that good a player, college only, and some nickel games with friends.
Is this magazine designed to help beginners?
Is this magazine designed to help beginners?
BMM, I am not c9, but if you don't mind my answering...
I have read a few of the books out. Obviously Doyle Brunsen's Super System is considered the bible of poker and the Hold-Em chapter is great.
For basic theory, I enjoyed Phil Gordon's The Real Deal. Thought it was entertaining as well as educational. Haven't read his new one yet.
For tournament strategy, Dan Harrington's books are terrific.
I have read a few of the books out. Obviously Doyle Brunsen's Super System is considered the bible of poker and the Hold-Em chapter is great.
For basic theory, I enjoyed Phil Gordon's The Real Deal. Thought it was entertaining as well as educational. Haven't read his new one yet.
For tournament strategy, Dan Harrington's books are terrific.
some of the husbands of my wives friends have a regular game, I think its like 50 cents, dollar game, they keep asking me to join in. Im thinking about reading up on it a bit, just a bit of strategy, ofcourse, luck of the cards would help, but maybe Ill try a few nights with them over the summer when they play,, warm me up a bit.
If you're thinking about trying a limit game (rather than no-limit), a basic and easy introduction to the concepts and general strategies to win consistently can be found in "Winning Low Limit Hold'em" by Lee Jones
Some people criticize the book for being too simple or 'dumbed down'..... but I think it's a solid start to understand the basic concepts, like starting hands, position, semi-bluffs, turn play, etc.
For no-limit... there's not much out there that I've found.... Super System II by Doyle Brunson has a chapter that is probably your best bet.
Some people criticize the book for being too simple or 'dumbed down'..... but I think it's a solid start to understand the basic concepts, like starting hands, position, semi-bluffs, turn play, etc.
For no-limit... there's not much out there that I've found.... Super System II by Doyle Brunson has a chapter that is probably your best bet.
Harrington on Holde'm by Dan Harrington is a must read if you plan on playing tournaments. I know you like to play at the Taj and they have tournaments there everyday ranging from $80 to $300 (as do other casinos for that matter).
Lee Jones book as Jack T mentioned is also an excellent book for low limit holde'm.
Also try this site. VERY informative. Got started few years ago by reading everything on this site.
http://www.learn-texas-holdem.com/
http://www.learn-texas-holdem.com/texas-holdem-strategy.htm
Lee Jones book as Jack T mentioned is also an excellent book for low limit holde'm.
Also try this site. VERY informative. Got started few years ago by reading everything on this site.
http://www.learn-texas-holdem.com/
http://www.learn-texas-holdem.com/texas-holdem-strategy.htm
im a firm believer in that it takes alot of practice to become good at something. even gambling.
Im headed off to the wilderness this week. I think Ill hit a very small reservation casino, and just sit at a dollar holdem table, take 150 n-200 bucks and just see how I do. It will sort of let me know how fucking bad I am if I cant at least last a while with these guys from nowhere usa.
who knows, maybe the place is full of shills, I guess Ill find out.
once I see how much I suck, Ill start doing some reading over the summer.
cant hurt, and a little hands on will get my fear over with.
Im headed off to the wilderness this week. I think Ill hit a very small reservation casino, and just sit at a dollar holdem table, take 150 n-200 bucks and just see how I do. It will sort of let me know how fucking bad I am if I cant at least last a while with these guys from nowhere usa.
who knows, maybe the place is full of shills, I guess Ill find out.
once I see how much I suck, Ill start doing some reading over the summer.
cant hurt, and a little hands on will get my fear over with.
BMM, sitting down at a table blind? I dunno... seems to me one of two things will happen, either (1) you get very lucky, catch some cards, and win a bunch, which could definitely happen (and then think, shit, I don't need to read no books), or (2) you get outplayed and burn through your bankroll and lose (and then think, shit, poker sucks, I'll stick to craps).
So ignore the following if you wish, but I think you'll have more fun, win or lose, if you at least feel you are not horribly outclassed at the table... (and if you read and digest the following, you'll be better than half of your opponents at the $1/$2 table already):
FOLD MOST OF YOUR HANDS PREFLOP. Hold'em is a game of patience. At a full table (9 or 10 players), the best players play less than 20% of their hands. The worst possible thing that can happen to you is that you have SECOND BEST HAND... "kickers" are important. Play tight before the flop, if you have a hand play aggressively after the flop. THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT MOST OF YOUR OPPONENTS WILL BE DOING.
When there are a lot of players to act AFTER you, play tighter. When someone raises ahead of you, play tighter.
The Strongest Starting Hands:
PAIR of HIGH CARDS - AA, KK, QQ, JJ, 1010
ACE KING - AK
ACE and HIGH CARD SUITED - AK(S), AQ(S), AJ(S), A10(S)
FACES SUITED - KQ(S), KJ(S), QJ(S)
Fast play (raise) the stronger of these hands before the flop. This puts more money in the early pot and encourages weak and garbage hands to fold that could get a lucky flop and beat you.
Medium Strength Starting Hands:
FACE TEN SUITED - K10(S), Q10(S), J10(S)
MEDIUM PAIRS - 99, 88, 77
TWO HIGH CARDS - AQ, AJ, A10, KQ down to J10
ACE and MEDIUM SUITED - A9(S), A8(S), A7(S)
MEDIUM SUITED CONNECTORS (No Gap/One Gap) - J9(S), 109(S), 108(S), 98(S), 97(S) down to 75(S)
These are mostly calling hands, you want to see the flop cheaply... unless you are in late position and everyone folds to you, you can raise with the better of these hands to pick up the blinds or play a high card hand heads up.
Other Starting Hands, play if a few of your opponents are in (not good against one or two opponents):
LOW PAIRS - 66, 55, 44, 33, 22
ACE and LOW SUITED - A6(S), A5(S), A4(S), A3(S), A2(S)
Ace-Low (unsuited) and King-Low (unsuited) are JUNK hands, but lots of your opponents will play "any ace". Unconnected medium or low cards are JUNK.
Be careful drawing to the low end ("ignorant end") of a straight. If a 9-8-rag flops, you would much prefer to be holding a J 10 than a 7 6.
Play starting low pairs cautiously. 66 down to 22. Usually not from an early seat and from the late positions, only when the price is right. If you don't flop three of a kind (or quads) you should usually fold.
At low limit, you are unlikely to bluff more than one player out of a pot.
Pay attention to the types of hands your opponents are playing. They are mostly not going to be paying attention to what you are playing.
Bet, raise and reraise when you've got a good hand. You make your money from weaker hands calling you down.
Be prepared to be drawn out on and rivered by lucky sonofabitch opponents playing hands that they never should have been playing, and calling your bets that they never should have been calling... But realize that it's these guys, that over the long haul, will make you a winning poker player.
When you win a pot with some bets in it (rather than just the blinds), toss the dealer a $1 chip as a tip.
Have fun.
So ignore the following if you wish, but I think you'll have more fun, win or lose, if you at least feel you are not horribly outclassed at the table... (and if you read and digest the following, you'll be better than half of your opponents at the $1/$2 table already):
FOLD MOST OF YOUR HANDS PREFLOP. Hold'em is a game of patience. At a full table (9 or 10 players), the best players play less than 20% of their hands. The worst possible thing that can happen to you is that you have SECOND BEST HAND... "kickers" are important. Play tight before the flop, if you have a hand play aggressively after the flop. THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT MOST OF YOUR OPPONENTS WILL BE DOING.
When there are a lot of players to act AFTER you, play tighter. When someone raises ahead of you, play tighter.
The Strongest Starting Hands:
PAIR of HIGH CARDS - AA, KK, QQ, JJ, 1010
ACE KING - AK
ACE and HIGH CARD SUITED - AK(S), AQ(S), AJ(S), A10(S)
FACES SUITED - KQ(S), KJ(S), QJ(S)
Fast play (raise) the stronger of these hands before the flop. This puts more money in the early pot and encourages weak and garbage hands to fold that could get a lucky flop and beat you.
Medium Strength Starting Hands:
FACE TEN SUITED - K10(S), Q10(S), J10(S)
MEDIUM PAIRS - 99, 88, 77
TWO HIGH CARDS - AQ, AJ, A10, KQ down to J10
ACE and MEDIUM SUITED - A9(S), A8(S), A7(S)
MEDIUM SUITED CONNECTORS (No Gap/One Gap) - J9(S), 109(S), 108(S), 98(S), 97(S) down to 75(S)
These are mostly calling hands, you want to see the flop cheaply... unless you are in late position and everyone folds to you, you can raise with the better of these hands to pick up the blinds or play a high card hand heads up.
Other Starting Hands, play if a few of your opponents are in (not good against one or two opponents):
LOW PAIRS - 66, 55, 44, 33, 22
ACE and LOW SUITED - A6(S), A5(S), A4(S), A3(S), A2(S)
Ace-Low (unsuited) and King-Low (unsuited) are JUNK hands, but lots of your opponents will play "any ace". Unconnected medium or low cards are JUNK.
Be careful drawing to the low end ("ignorant end") of a straight. If a 9-8-rag flops, you would much prefer to be holding a J 10 than a 7 6.
Play starting low pairs cautiously. 66 down to 22. Usually not from an early seat and from the late positions, only when the price is right. If you don't flop three of a kind (or quads) you should usually fold.
At low limit, you are unlikely to bluff more than one player out of a pot.
Pay attention to the types of hands your opponents are playing. They are mostly not going to be paying attention to what you are playing.
Bet, raise and reraise when you've got a good hand. You make your money from weaker hands calling you down.
Be prepared to be drawn out on and rivered by lucky sonofabitch opponents playing hands that they never should have been playing, and calling your bets that they never should have been calling... But realize that it's these guys, that over the long haul, will make you a winning poker player.
When you win a pot with some bets in it (rather than just the blinds), toss the dealer a $1 chip as a tip.
Have fun.
Last edited:
jack, back when vegas was a honkytonk town, before mega casinos, I used to go every 12 weeks. Early 80s.
sometimes with the wife sometimes without.
forgetting about the hobbying now.
Next to stardust, was the silver slipper casino.
They had maybe 10 poker tables. Never more than 3-4 active.
I used to play in a midnight game, dealer call the game, one dollar to three dollars, 3 raise maximum, and Id play each night from midnight till 5-6 am.
Catch 2 hours of sleep, go out with the wife for breakfast, or if I was alone, 4-5 hours of sleep and up for the day.
It was a long, slow game.
Wed order finger sandwiches and snacks all night long, all on the house of course, not like today, and Id fold on the first cards, only giving up the ante 80% of the time at least.
I always hated the assholes that bet 2 or 3 bucks without picking up their cards, they would just be blind, just to get the pot going.
Id never sit down and lose and say, damn, this game sucks.
Alot of 5 card stud(or draw)
7 card stud.
I met a guy from the midwest, who bascially lived in the Stardust, where I ususally stayed, in the cheap motel section in the back, good for whores to access it, and very cheap with Americawest vacations. 300 bucks, room and flight and transfers back then. for 4 days.
Like I said, I met a guy, he was actually watching me play craps, he was a semi pro poker player at stardust. Said he made 3 times his annual salary playing poker being patient, but his wife wouldnt let him give up his job, so he travelled to vegas a few times a month, and always, or just about always made money. Told me how all the Mr. Miami types think cause they played in a weekly game in the clubhouse, they knew the game. So, hed play and play and slowly, and patiently clean them out one by one. 50 here, 100 there. 3 days, hed make 2 grand, which was nice dough back then.
did he always win, no, but he said there was a large enough pool of assholes to keep him winning more than he lost.
the one thing he told me about poker, is that patience is the key.
I know for a fact, that poker is probably the only game in a casino where a great player can win. Better than blackjack, and craps.
I know if I sit and get wiped out quickly, I did something wrong.
I love your advice, Ill write it down and memorize it.
I think Ill be playing this sunday night on reservation land.
Ill post if I play. thanx to everyone.
Jack, I always toss the dealer a white chip if I win a hand, and even 2 or 3 if it was a nice win.
sometimes with the wife sometimes without.
forgetting about the hobbying now.
Next to stardust, was the silver slipper casino.
They had maybe 10 poker tables. Never more than 3-4 active.
I used to play in a midnight game, dealer call the game, one dollar to three dollars, 3 raise maximum, and Id play each night from midnight till 5-6 am.
Catch 2 hours of sleep, go out with the wife for breakfast, or if I was alone, 4-5 hours of sleep and up for the day.
It was a long, slow game.
Wed order finger sandwiches and snacks all night long, all on the house of course, not like today, and Id fold on the first cards, only giving up the ante 80% of the time at least.
I always hated the assholes that bet 2 or 3 bucks without picking up their cards, they would just be blind, just to get the pot going.
Id never sit down and lose and say, damn, this game sucks.
Alot of 5 card stud(or draw)
7 card stud.
I met a guy from the midwest, who bascially lived in the Stardust, where I ususally stayed, in the cheap motel section in the back, good for whores to access it, and very cheap with Americawest vacations. 300 bucks, room and flight and transfers back then. for 4 days.
Like I said, I met a guy, he was actually watching me play craps, he was a semi pro poker player at stardust. Said he made 3 times his annual salary playing poker being patient, but his wife wouldnt let him give up his job, so he travelled to vegas a few times a month, and always, or just about always made money. Told me how all the Mr. Miami types think cause they played in a weekly game in the clubhouse, they knew the game. So, hed play and play and slowly, and patiently clean them out one by one. 50 here, 100 there. 3 days, hed make 2 grand, which was nice dough back then.
did he always win, no, but he said there was a large enough pool of assholes to keep him winning more than he lost.
the one thing he told me about poker, is that patience is the key.
I know for a fact, that poker is probably the only game in a casino where a great player can win. Better than blackjack, and craps.
I know if I sit and get wiped out quickly, I did something wrong.
I love your advice, Ill write it down and memorize it.
I think Ill be playing this sunday night on reservation land.
Ill post if I play. thanx to everyone.
Jack, I always toss the dealer a white chip if I win a hand, and even 2 or 3 if it was a nice win.
I peeked in the poker room this weekend on Reservation land.
It was very slow, most tables had one or two seats open, I was suprised they didnt combine some of the tables, but I decided to skip it, even though, I wrote down Jacks Tidbits of starting hands and opening cards.
*I was standing at the urinal, taking a piss, and I took out the "cheat notes" and was reading them, I finished pissing, but I stood there trying to get in a little more into my memory, figured I looked kinda silly standing there reading a looseleaf paper, so I sat down in the bus section and was reading a bit.
Dont know why, I just chickened out the last second, and decided to hit the craps table, which turned out to be a bad decision, Got hit bad.
It was very slow, most tables had one or two seats open, I was suprised they didnt combine some of the tables, but I decided to skip it, even though, I wrote down Jacks Tidbits of starting hands and opening cards.
*I was standing at the urinal, taking a piss, and I took out the "cheat notes" and was reading them, I finished pissing, but I stood there trying to get in a little more into my memory, figured I looked kinda silly standing there reading a looseleaf paper, so I sat down in the bus section and was reading a bit.
Dont know why, I just chickened out the last second, and decided to hit the craps table, which turned out to be a bad decision, Got hit bad.
BMM,
Sorry to hear about the cold feet, and unprofitable retreat to familiar territory (craps). I don't have to tell you that craps can be a quick-losing game. Limit Holdem, on the other hand, at least playing the way I suggest (tight w/ the starting hands you choose to play), is a game where it is difficult to burn through your money as quickly. (wins are more moderate too, especially at the lower limits).
My 'guidelines' are fine for tables with one or two seats open.... Any more shorthanded than that and you should just become a little bit more aggressive preflop, especially when you have a hand and the action is folded around to you. At a full table with a bunch players in, flopping middle pair is usually a crappy hand... but at a shorthanded table against one other player, middle pair might be a betting/raising hand. Shorthanded, don't always assume that your opponent has you beat -- most likely he will not.
There's no reason to be intimidated by a casino poker room. It's not like the old days where you wonder whether you can make it out with your winnings alive..... I've sat down in casino games in foreign places -- a Holdem and Omaha, switching off every half hour, where I was the only nonsmoking non roughneck Native American Indian in the game.... These guys played together regularly, and probably saw me as some dumb tourist, or out of town business guy.... But these guys were seeing flops with 50% of their hands, trying to play pots against me, throwing so much dead money at each pot that a couple of hours of patience at 2/4 netted me a $325 (canadian) profit.
Bottom line... At low limits, you buy in for $100 and see how long you can make it last... get your feet wet. Now get on out there and play some poker!
Sorry to hear about the cold feet, and unprofitable retreat to familiar territory (craps). I don't have to tell you that craps can be a quick-losing game. Limit Holdem, on the other hand, at least playing the way I suggest (tight w/ the starting hands you choose to play), is a game where it is difficult to burn through your money as quickly. (wins are more moderate too, especially at the lower limits).
My 'guidelines' are fine for tables with one or two seats open.... Any more shorthanded than that and you should just become a little bit more aggressive preflop, especially when you have a hand and the action is folded around to you. At a full table with a bunch players in, flopping middle pair is usually a crappy hand... but at a shorthanded table against one other player, middle pair might be a betting/raising hand. Shorthanded, don't always assume that your opponent has you beat -- most likely he will not.
There's no reason to be intimidated by a casino poker room. It's not like the old days where you wonder whether you can make it out with your winnings alive..... I've sat down in casino games in foreign places -- a Holdem and Omaha, switching off every half hour, where I was the only nonsmoking non roughneck Native American Indian in the game.... These guys played together regularly, and probably saw me as some dumb tourist, or out of town business guy.... But these guys were seeing flops with 50% of their hands, trying to play pots against me, throwing so much dead money at each pot that a couple of hours of patience at 2/4 netted me a $325 (canadian) profit.
Bottom line... At low limits, you buy in for $100 and see how long you can make it last... get your feet wet. Now get on out there and play some poker!
I didnt know youre a native American Indian, I was on Seneca Nation land.
It wasnt so much the cold feet. I walked over to the front where the "boss" seats you and all, whatever they call the guy, and the booth was empty, a few bosses were on the side talking, I just wanted to ask for a 1-3 dollar limit or something similar game, figuring if they limit the bets, and only hold to 3 raises per card, Id be ok. But I stood there looking in, non of the jackasses walked over to ask me if I wanted to join in, so after I guess 1 minute or so, I just turned away a walked, never decided to go back, I guess maybe a little cold feet, maybe disinterest at this point.
I know for sure in Taj or trop they take you right in or get your name and get you in as quickly as possible. All the seaters are on walkie talkies holding up there hands so they quickly place you.
I sit at the keno lounge in Taj many times and watch the holdem games, since the table is only 5 feet from the keno chairs.
Perhaps next time.
It wasnt so much the cold feet. I walked over to the front where the "boss" seats you and all, whatever they call the guy, and the booth was empty, a few bosses were on the side talking, I just wanted to ask for a 1-3 dollar limit or something similar game, figuring if they limit the bets, and only hold to 3 raises per card, Id be ok. But I stood there looking in, non of the jackasses walked over to ask me if I wanted to join in, so after I guess 1 minute or so, I just turned away a walked, never decided to go back, I guess maybe a little cold feet, maybe disinterest at this point.
I know for sure in Taj or trop they take you right in or get your name and get you in as quickly as possible. All the seaters are on walkie talkies holding up there hands so they quickly place you.
I sit at the keno lounge in Taj many times and watch the holdem games, since the table is only 5 feet from the keno chairs.
Perhaps next time.