Tips for a first-time poker player?

[Maple Leafs]

So a guy at work has been getting into Texas Hold 'em with his friends, and I've been invited to play with them this weekend. I think it's the sort of thing I might enjoy. I know the basics and I've watched it on TV and read a few articles, but up until now I've never actually played. This game will be a small one, five or six of us, and fairly informal.

Quick questions:
- Any strategy tips for a complete first timer? I have zero expectations of winning any money, but any very basic tips that could help me not embarass myself?
- Any basic etiquette I should know about?
- Is this even a good idea? I love Vegas and I've done some sports betting but I've stayed away from getting too involved in regular gambling because I get the feeling I might like it a little too much. Should I just back away from this now?

[hhiipp]

If you get an ace and a face card, don't stand up and yell "BLACKJACK!!!"

[jbmagic]

i recommend these books for Low Limit Holdem.

Winning Low Limit Holdem by Lee Jones and Small Stakes Hold'em by E. Miller, D. Sklansky and M. Malmuth

and a great web site for Texas Holdem. they have a great forum there.

hxxp://www.twoplustwo.com/

[Desnudo]

Know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em.

[cartman]

1. Some basic strategy tips:

If you are a first timer, try to stick to good starting cards. A pair as your hole cards are always good, as are AK, AQ. Also, take into account how many people are still ahead of you when you are betting. If you are the first person to bet, a pair of 4s isn't as good a hand as it is if you are the next to last to bet, and everyone else has folded.

Depending on how the bets have already come, suited connectors can be a good hand to play. These would be hands like 7 and 6 of hearts.

The biggest decision after you've decided to get in a hand comes at the flop. You now have 5 cards to work with. You'll have to take stock of the situation. Either the cards didn't help you at all, or they gave you something to work with. If they gave you something to work with, look and see what cards you would need to improve your hand, and which cards, if they appear on the turn or river, would hurt you. It's based on these decisions that poker is won or lost. If you have a straight, but there are two or three cards of the same suit out there, your straight won't be any good if someone has a flush.


As for the basic ettiquette, there are a few things. Never discuss what cards you have, or what you just folded. Don't look at cards that were folded, and don't look ahead in the deck to see "what might have come up". State clearly what your intentions are when it is your turn to bet. If you are going to raise, say
raise", not "I call and raise".

If it is a friendly game, then it is a good idea to play. As long as the amount wagered doesn't get out of hand, enjoy the night out with the guys.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Quick questions:
- Any strategy tips for a complete first timer? I have zero expectations of winning any money, but any very basic tips that could help me not embarass myself?

Do you know if they play limit or no limit? They only show the glamour hands on TV. They don't show all the boring ones where you get crap cards and fold a lot for awhile. They also show when a pro "makes a move" with a bad hand and it works out for them, not the majority of the time when you play poor hands and they go nowhere.

In general, when you play against inexperienced players, bluffing just isn't something you worry about. Just play your hand, if it's good, bet it, if it's not, don't. Don't try to be fancy and tricky. Inexperienced players and home game players rarely notice.

Aside from that it depends on if you're playing just for fun or for what is a signifigant amount of money, if the people you're playing iwth take the game seriously or not, and limit vs no limit will really affect a lot of the advice you'll get here.

- Any basic etiquette I should know about?

Don't talk about your hand while you're still playing the hand, even if you've folded. If you fold 82, and the flop is 882, don't groan or anything and give away to everyone that there's an 8 off the board.

Try not to act out of turn.

In general, just go with the flow of the game. some people get real pissy and picky when money is involved, so if they already play just pick up their habits and go with the flow.

- Is this even a good idea? I love Vegas and I've done some sports betting but I've stayed away from getting too involved in regular gambling because I get the feeling I might like it a little too much. Should I just back away from this now?

That's a personal question I guess. If you think ou have an addictive personality and might get crazy playing poker, then maybe you should stay away, but it's fun and lots of people are setting up poker nights to hang out these days... all depends on how you treat it and gambling I guess.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

This game will be a small one, five or six of us, and fairly informal.

My advice, based on this:

Go, play, relax, and see if you like it. Playing cards is fun, especially if the people are fairly fun. Don't sweat a lot of hard work of reading and discipline and stuff, just have a good time.

If you find that you like the car-playing atmosphere (it's not for everyone) and think this is the sort of thing that you might get interested in doing with any regularity... then go back and start taking some of the advice of the people who are offering it.

But start at the bottom, go play, and focus on having a good time. Let the rest flow later, if you are eventually so inclined.

[Maple Leafs]

Thanks guys. Good advice.

The game is no-limit (if I understand the term right) but with a relatively cheap buy-in at the beginning. Apparently they sometimes allow a second buy-in, not sure if that will be the case this time.

At this point, I'm less concerned with losing a few bucks than I am with the idea of ruining the game for the more experienced players (either through etiquette slip-ups, or by playing so poorly that I throw off the game).

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Thanks guys. Good advice.

The game is no-limit (if I understand the term right) but with a relatively cheap buy-in at the beginning. Apparently they sometimes allow a second buy-in, not sure if that will be the case this time.

At this point, I'm less concerned with losing a few bucks than I am with the idea of ruining the game for the more experienced players (either through etiquette slip-ups, or by playing so poorly that I throw off the game).

In that case, Quiksand's advice is right on target. Just watch what everyone else does and try to follow suit. the obvious ones have been discussed above, discussing your hand, looking at what other people had, and acting out of turn.

In an informal game, all of these things may happen, but if you just enjoy yourself and not worry about the game so much and just watch how everyone else behaves you'll fit right in.

[Subby]

Maple Leafs -

My one piece of advice would be to play tight. Limit your starting hands to the following top ten starting hands: AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AKs, TT, 99, AQs, AK, KQs

If there are 2-3 people in the pot already, then add: 88-22, AJs, QJs, JTs, and occasionally ATs and KQ

Everything else is borderline at best. Stick with these guys and you'll be happy.

[Draft Dodger]

and, to follow up on Subby...you probably WILL think you are playing tight, but you'll be wrong. go even tighter.

[dixieflatline]

Subby has a great starting hand list. I Just to add one thing. When you pick up a hand like this raise preflop. A decent ammount to raise is about 3x the big blind. Whatever you decide to raise preflop keep it consistant so you don't give away that you have a really big hand because you raised more with pocket aces.

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by Subby

My one piece of advice would be to play tight. Limit your starting hands to the following top ten starting hands: AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AKs, TT, 99, AQs, AK, KQs

If there are 2-3 people in the pot already, then add: 88-22, AJs, QJs, JTs, and occasionally ATs and KQ

Thanks. Is that list in order?

Also, why would I add hands if more people are in the pot? Wouldn't more people in mean I'd expect to need a better hand to beat all of them?

[QuikSand]

Oh, pish posh. Go have fun.

Don't carry with you a bunch of baggage like complicated lists of what to play and how, exactly. Just use your brain -- if you hand is or has the potential to be really strong -- bet or raise. If not, fold. Then take a swig of your beer, and make a comment on Nikki Cox. See how much fun we're having already?

[Subby]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Thanks. Is that list in order?
Also, why would I add hands if more people are in the pot? Wouldn't more people in mean I'd expect to need a better hand to beat all of them?

The list is pretty much in order, yes. Make sure to stay away from pretty looking hands like KJo, AJo, QJo and ATo - they'll lose money for you in the long run.

As far as the advantage of playing suited connectors like 76s and 89s in a large pot...

More people in the pot = more money in the pot. Your goal is to win big pots, not just a bunch of small ones. Suited connectors make flushes and straights which will usually be good enough to win on the few occasions that you hit. The pot has to be large to make up for the times where you didn't hit best hand, so you only want to enter pots where there are a bunch of folks already in.

[Subby]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

Oh, pish posh. Go have fun.

Don't carry with you a bunch of baggage like complicated lists of what to play and how, exactly. Just use your brain -- if you hand is or has the potential to be really strong -- bet or raise. If not, fold. Then take a swig of your beer, and make a comment on Nikki Cox. See how much fun we're having already?

Yeah...take the robot's advice on having fun...

[Draft Dodger]

why doesn't QuikSand have a title?

[cartman]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

why doesn't QuikSand have a title?

Oh, it's there alright, just in a form that our mortal minds can't comprehend. So instead of our brains exploding from trying to figure it out, a blank spot appears as a coping mechanism.

[stevew]

I think he needs to watch the Scott Stapp episode of Celebrity Poker. That mofo could straight out play!

[Maple Leafs]

At what point during the proceedings do I break out the phrase "pish posh"?

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

At what point during the proceedings do I break out the phrase "pish posh"?

Either every time you raise, or every time you fold. I can't decide which is better really.

[Draft Dodger]

also, it's very important to ask before every hand "what is wild?". everyone digs that.

[Maple Leafs]

Now am I right that it's considered polite that, while bluffing, you always make the little quote marks in the air with your hands whenever you say anything?

[Maple Leafs]

Well, just as a follow up: I did end up going, and played two games which I believe were tournament style (i.e. once you were out you were out). We had eight guys playing including me.

Some notes:
- As expected, I tried to play tight and failed utterly. From what I could tell, the group I was playing with was very loose and I just didn't have the discipline to sit on the sideline while everyone else was having so much fun.

- I finished third in the first game and fourth in the second. Respectable showings, but misleading because even though I stuck around I never really felt like I was any threat to win. I basically waited for the other players to knock each other out since I didn't know how to do it myself.

- I don't think I bluffed once all night, and I know I didn't raise all-in. I had a few big hands which I suspect could have been huge hands if I'd known how to bet them right.

- In the first game I was called all-in on a good hand and just lost to a better one. I think it would be what you'd call a bad beat, and although I know very little about poker I do know better than to start complaining about it. In the second game I went out after calling all-in when I knew I didn't have a great hand, but I was tired and wanted to go home.

- All in all, I had fun and I think I enjoy the game, but I didn't leave with any great itch to play again. I'm sure I will, and I've played some free games online just to try to get a better feel for it. I think it's the sort of thing I'd enjoy. But I tend to get hooked on new things pretty quickly, and for whatever reason that didn't seem to happen here.

Anyway, thanks again for your tips and advice. Are there any good web sites for beginners (preferably ones that use plain language and don't try to launch a dozen pop-up ads on every page?)

[Craptacular]

I just started playing no-limit hold-em with a group of guys about 5 or 6 weeks ago. We play once a week, for a $5 buy-in, with re-buys allowed until a certain time. It's just enough money to keep it interesting, but certainly nothing to get worked up over. We talk about our hands, show folded cards, and talk about what might have been all the time. If it's a fun game, and everybody is agreeable to it, I think it's more informative to see what other players had. You can talk about decisions people in the group made, and see what kinds of risks everyone was willing to take. Everyone in our group is fine with it, and I think it adds to the enjoyment of the game, as well as allowing us all to learn a little more about the game. If your group (or at least one or more members) are more serious about it, then by all means, follow "proper etiquette". Personally, I've had much more fun playing with the guys that don't give a rat's a$$ about it.

[kcchief19]

Way to go, guys. You scared him. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a novice at best, but I think Quik is right -- getting too hung up on what is a good hand for a beginner is a bad way to learn a "feel" for the game.

I think there is a certain advantage for beginners to play the game with a certain "reckless" abandon. First, I think that the only real way to learn poker lessons is by losing, which is why I think playing online free games and small-stakes friendly games are a great way to learn without losing a lot of money. Second, unpredictability is a tremendous advantage for a novice against more experienced players.

Granted, this is a broad assessment and your mileage may vary, but much of the advice above is way too complicated for a novice. I say go for it and learn from your mistakes and learn when you get lucky. It's a good way to have fun while you're learning the game.