Hello Everyone, quick question.

[Chutups]

Hi everyone, new to the forum, l've been looking for a place to discuss poker and I ran across this site, looks like a great place for poker discussion. I'm fairly new to poker, and only started playing a couple months ago. I won't lie, I seen it on TV and No Limit is very popular with college kids so my friends were always playing, so that was pretty much how I got into it. I'm pretty fascinated about the tournament poker, so I bought a few books but they were mostly for limit hold em. My question is what are they best ways to learn to play better, obviously experience, I just signed up for partypoker and been mainly practicing in low limit Sit and go's, until I get a bigger bankroll. Are there any books you guys can recommend that have really helped you, or is there anything better than party poker for tournaments. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[bigjohnstud2o]

anything for a beginner is better than party poker. Thats just being honest. The site is full of horrible players by the masses. I know all sites have the bad players but what you are talking about, the low limit SNG's, Are the worst ones on there. I would recommend Pokerstars or Ultimate Bet for beginners. There ismore consistency, if there is such, in the lower limit play. Not as much there as far as bonuses. If you really dont know much about NL holdem then i would suggest Phil Hellmuths Play Poker Like the Pro's. Its a quick and easy read for beginners. Lots of info, along with phil tooting his own horn, but good information nonetheless. Check on site reviews. Sign up under these links to help our admin get some $$$ back from him paying us. He even has a few sites that give you a FREE 10$ roll. Just my input. GL

[Chutups]

Thanks for the info bigjohn, I'll check out both Ultimatebet and Pokerstars.

[Aequitas58]

I'm going to have to disagree.

For a beginner, I think PartyPoker is the best site to start off with for many reasons. First, Party / Empire has the most people at any one time. This means that (as compared to other sites) there will be more tables going. More tables mean more game selection.

Second, the action is easier. I dunno about you, but I imagine that you want to play against the easiest competition? Hell, I do, and I started a long time ago! Party's affiliate program has made it such that there are a TON of fish swimming in ALL the games ... especially those juicy SnGs. Who ever said you SHOULD be playing against better people??

From time to time, you will also be able to take advantage of reload bonuses offered on Party. The last bonus was at the beginning of October. Free money when you clear a specific amount of raked hands. Last week, I had a problem with the software, emailed support, they got back to me and offered a bonus. I took advantage of it, and made free money.

The other site I like to tell beginners about is Pokerstars. This is a really great site for micro limits. The site, to me, just seems more player-friendly: support is better, software is better, wider offering of tournaments, and like I said, micro limits. [My micro I mean as low as $.01/$.02 blinds!] Last night I played a $3 tournament on 'Stars... over 1600 players and going into a final field of 170ish I hit chipleader. Then, I self-destructed and busted out at 52nd. Whatever - it was a cheap tournment, but it was really fun.

I think you've made a good choice w/ Party, but if by chance you go somewhere else, good luck there as well.

[GeoffM]

I also think Party Poker is the best site for a beginner to get going at. If you are a beginner and risking cash, at least at Party you'd have a better chance at making some.

The only true way to learn how to play better poker is thru experience, thus don't get down on yourself if you don't have success for the first month or two. None of us are perfect hold em players, or else we'd all be WSOP winners. Just try to get a good feel for the game and take your time, make sure you're very comfortable before you move up in limits.

[Chutups]

Thanks everyone for your advice and imput, I think I'll continue to play at party, but I'll also try out pokerstars I hear a lot of people saying they have better tournamaents.

[GeoffM]

They may have better tourneys, but from what I hear, they also have better players that may very well take a beginner to the cleaners. I would stick to one site until you know you're good enough to explore strange new worlds.

[BlibbityBlabbity]

Same for UB IMO, the S&Gs are much tighter there than any I have seen elsewhere.

[GeoffM]

UB tourneys are actually fairly easy, I find, and you can usually place top 3 no problem, as long as you're patient. Usually takes about 1-1.5 hours to play. They only really get tough, I find, when you are down to 4 guys and everyone is trying to win 3rd place minimum money. I have had great success at UB though, moreso than at Party, where I am constantly sucked out on.

[PShabi]

Don't underestimate the power of the written word:

Ken Warren Teaches Texas Hold em
Play Poker like the pros - hellmuth
winning low limit hold'em - lee jones

Was in your shoes at the beginning of the summer and it opened my eyes and made me into a player who would feel comfortable playing anyone in the world. Especially in limit hold 'em.

[Talking Poker]

In 6 months time? Sorry, but I can't help but find that funny. I mean, I'm sure you've come a long way, but the top pros would spank you like you can't even believe.

[Aequitas58]

Wow. And this was from the Ken Warren, Phil Hellmuth, and Lee Jones books?

I probably missed a few chapters in all three.

[Chutups]

I've read Ken Warricks book, and Sklanskys Hold em for advanced players, can anybody suggest any other books that are more related to tournament play.

[TajaUk]

Pretty much any site you play on has bad players. Stars has its fair share for sure, you play any low level sng, or ring table and you will often wonder on how people can play the cards they do.

To learn tourny play I just played as many as possbile and discovered how to survive and make them profitable to me. I avoid any tourny with 500+ players and try to enter only those that are $20+ entry free. This generally means that you can expect a good standard of play and it doesnt require 8hrs to complete.

I am tempted to read a book to improve my tourny play, but have yet to hear of one worth it.

[Defendant]

As far as books go, I just want to add TJ Cloutier, Tom McEvoy "Championship No-limit/Pot-limit Holdem" to the list.

Defendant

[Talking Poker]

I hate to state the obvious, but how about Sklansky's Tournament book?

I also enjoyed T.J. PL/NL book very much.

[Chutups]

I didn't know sklansky had a tournament book, but I'm gonna go to Barnes and Nobles to see if they have it along with T.J.'s book.

[eddo31]

sklanskys new low limit hold em book also seems pretty reasonable, from what i have read so far. i like the 2+2 theory book smuch better than the other books in their collection. theory of poker and the poker essays books are, in my mind, significantly better for getting a general understanding of poker that you can then apply to a variety of games and situations.

[johnbaker]

HAHA funny stuff

[bigjohnstud2o]

reason for me saying not at party is bc .50/1 is lowest limit on there and if you had read his post it says he plays the small limit SNG's. I believe even yourself once said why waste your money on those whth the poor play?. Just a thought

[Aequitas58]

Depends on his definition of "small limit."

And:

"...those with the poor play." Huh?

[bigjohnstud2o]

those as in the 5$ buy in SNG's.It might not have been you, but i thought it was . If not i apologoze. Not trying to slander anyone

[Chutups]

Sorry I didn't specify, I play mostly 10$ sit and go's which I consider low limit. On occasion if I win a good chunk of change, I'll try a a litter higher one like a 20$ one.

[SirFWALGMan]

I highly reccomend Small Stake Hold 'em by Ed Miller and Slanski, etc.. It is an excellent book and teaches you how to play Limit. If you want to play NL do not ask me. I have yet to figure out how to beat that game. heh. Good luck. Keep within' your bankroll and have fun. Experience will teach you alot, but reading a book like SSHE is necessary.

[GeoffM]

If you are playing low limit sitngos on Party, the $10 + $1 are the best to do. Why pay a tourney fee of 20% at the $5 + $1 level when you can pay only 10% instead. Plus, if you are good enough to play the $5 ones, surely you are good enough to play the $10 ones anyways.