7 Responses

1. Chad C

   February 11th, 2010 at 3:14 pm

   1

   1) I’m not as good as I think I am when I’m winning.
   2) I’m not as bad as I think I am when I’m losing.
   3) Your first read is usually the best, and second guessing yourself can drive you nuts.
   4) If you thought that folding was the right call, it was, regardless of what the board hit. 3-2 off-suit is a bad hard, even if the flop is 3-3-2.
   5) If someone shows weakness, go in for the kill even if you’re on a stone bluff.
   6) A donkey can’t change his/her bray, no matter how much you yell when they suck out on you repeatedly. Minimize your losses to them and take them down when you have the nuts.
   7) A royal flush beats all hands, but a Smith & Wesson beats all cheaters.
   Never underestimate the stupidity of others.
   9) Don’t expect to see quality dealers outside of a casino, and even in a casino, watch what’s going on. Some dealers let cheaters get away with it, and it’s up to you to protect yourself.
   10) NEVER slowplay unless you have the absolute nuts. Slowplaying a mid sized set or straight will lose a lot of money.

2. nas88car 300 #48 = 4

   February 11th, 2010 at 4:50 pm

   2

   learn how to take a bad beat gracefully
   the last couple tiimes i went all in and lost on the river..of the last 6 times 5 times was the bubble

3. JudasHer

   February 11th, 2010 at 9:16 pm

   3

   I am at level 6.2.
   Seriously though, I’m basically between a fish and a barracuda now. It really depends on which table I’m playing. At a micro-limit I’m definitely a shark. At the low, I’m a decent player, but there’s usually at least one other player as good as me and often at least one other player better than me. If I sat down at a medium or high stakes table though I’d definitely be the fish, without question. I’ve got the poker fundamentals (pot odds, card odds, amount to bet, picking up betting patterns, using position to my advantage, adjusting to the table, mixing up my game, etc.) down pat, but there are more advanced conceptions (creating a table image, implied odds, fold equity, etc.) that I haven’t quite grasped yet. This also makes me better at games such as Razz or 2-7 Triple Draw where people often have no concept of the basics, much less any strategy.
   Most recent thing I’ve learned… stud hi/lo sucks. Kidding again, but I guess I’ve re-experienced the importance of being aggressive when you feel you’ve got the best hand. I play a lot of calling stations, so I’ve tended to get more passive, only betting when I had the nuts, but lately I’ve been trying to play one table at a time rather than multi-tabling so I could really focus on the players at the table (another thing I’ve re-learned; pay more attention) and I’ve been able to get a lot more value out of my winning hands through selective aggression as a result.

4. ♥New Mommy♥

   February 11th, 2010 at 10:42 pm

   4

   I recently learned that however unlikely it seems that a player could be in a hand with the only rag hand that can beat you, it is possible. No matter how much you raised pre flop, someone could still be holding 3d-6d and have a straight flush to beat your A high flush. You can never under estimate the bad call and bad hands other players will stay in with.
   I have been playing for 5 years. I play at the casino a few times a week and at home games a few times a week. I have no intention of quitting my day job (paralegal) and playing professional poker. I would say I am mid-level. They say there are really only 3 stages of poker. 1) Knowing what you have, 2) Figuring out what your opp has, 3) Making your opp think you have ___. I have become pretty good at reading my opps I still have work to do there but I have already started building my table image, playing reverse psychology and trickiny my opps.

5. William H

   February 11th, 2010 at 10:59 pm

   5

   People like to gamble.
   Understanding your hand value versus the range of opponents cards will make you alot of money.
   I do not have to connect on the flop to make money.
   Play within your bankroll and comfort level.
   Deep stack poker is much different than short stack poker.
   Limit poker is much difference than spread limit poker is much different than no limit.

6. Bigsky_5

   February 12th, 2010 at 12:07 am

   6

   I am a mid-level amateur. I play regularly in casinos and home games, ring games and tournaments. I make a steady income off the internet, but not enough to qualify as a pro. So I guess I’m a hobby player.
   The most recent thing I have learned is that if you’re hosting a game, especially if you’re playing in it, you have a responsibility to keep play moving smoothly. I threw a tournament a week ago for my birthday, and we ended up with 18 people playing. Two tables, $10 buy in, NLHE tournament. I found out AFTER the game that the first table, where I wasn’t sitting, was moving EXTREMELY slow. People that weren’t even in the game were chatting, asking to look at cards, etc. And half the people were more interested in being social than playing cards. Players were getting up when the button hit them and going to the bathroom, going outside to smoke, etc. And a couple of the guys involved in the game are still complaining about it. I wasn’t sitting at that table, but it was my responsibility to make sure people play by the rules and show good etiquette. I learned that when it’s your game you need to keep an eye on the entire room, not just your table.
   If you mean strategy wise there are three things I always remind myself going into a game because I’ve learned the hard way: 1) Ace rag from early position is the kiss of death. Kickers matter. Fold it. 2) Don’t fall in love with top pair. 3) If a player is throwing a lot of money at a rag board, and suited connectors can make a straight, he probably has it. I don’t like playing suited connectors except on the button, but a lot of people think they’re worth calling from almost any position.
   And of course, something that I didn’t have to learn but just plays into my style (although a lot of people DO need to learn this): you are NEVER pot committed. EVER. If you’re beat then the correct play is to fold. Even if it leaves you short stacked.

7. crocha19

   February 12th, 2010 at 7:03 am

   7

   I always seem to loose, once in awhile I win, but most of the time I loose, I learned that a lot of people bluff trying to get you out of the hand, when in fact they have nothing, specially young people, they bluff a lot.