I am a new poker player

[HnTrader]

Hi group.

I learned how to play poker around 5 years back. However I never
really gave the game a serious effort. However I notice many of
colleagues play this game, to various degrees.

The more I play poker, the more I seem to really getting the hang of
it. However there are still some questions I have.

On *average* I dedicate 20 hours per week playing and hence learning
about the game. If I continue at 20h per week, how much time will I
need before I can consider myself GOOD. GOOD meaning good enough to
enter poker tournaments (the ones betting money) and stand a good
*consistent* chance of winning.

This second point deals with my poker face. I seem to have trouble
controlling my emotions, namely my heartrate. As soon as I have a
fantastic hand with lots of money in the pot, my heart starts
pounding. I may be giving myself away visually; a slightly
overconfident posture, looking at my hand for too long...

How do you long time players control facial expression, body language
and heartbeat? Do you try to think of happy thoughts, and the sort?

Merci and Thanks.

[Asha34]

You raise a familiar question. The answer isn't simple however.

> If I continue at 20h per week, how much time will I
>need before I can consider myself GOOD. GOOD meaning good enough to
>enter poker tournaments (the ones betting money) and stand a good
>*consistent* chance of winning.

OK. Understand something very basic. The number of hours you spend at the
poker table does not necessarily have a direct relationship on how much better
you get. For example, you might get much, much better after 10 hours, then
plateau out and not get better at all. Or, after 200 hours or so you might
actually get worse -- even much worse. And then you might get better again.
I'm sorry for being a bit unstraightforward. But it's like practicing an
instrument. It matters how you practice. Playing a lot may make you become
sloppy. You might be getting into bad habits -- not improving. Same with
poker.
The key, for me at least -- and for my students -- has always been to think
carefully about what you are doing -- to analyze what you are doing -- and to
continue to examine your play and behavior at the table. That's really the
only way for most of us to get better. Just hours won't cut it -- unless you
are unusually intuitive and correct in your intuition.

>This second point deals with my poker face. I seem to have trouble
>controlling my emotions, namely my heartrate. As soon as I have a
>fantastic hand with lots of money in the pot, my heart starts
>pounding. I may be giving myself away visually; a slightly
>overconfident posture, looking at my hand for too long...
>
>How do you long time players control facial expression, body language
>and heartbeat? Do you try to think of happy thoughts, and the sort?

Hmm. I wouldn't worry too much about this at this stage. At limit poker,
these kinds of tells -- the subtle type -- are very tough to read, let alone
respond to by most players you'll face. That being said, the fact that you are
thinking about it is good. As I wrote in a prior post, being deliberate all
the time helps. It will calm you down, give you time and space to think about
what you are doing, and the pace to do things in a consistent manner.
Alternately, you could just behave erratically -- acting excited, agitated,
happy, weird at all sorts of times -- with good and bad hands. Stare at the
cards for no reason -- long and hard -- when you are sure you will fold. Ask
the dealer how much the bet is when you don't care because you don't have a
hand. Giggle nervously in the middle of folding -- sob dramatically whenever
you think about diamonds or hearts or sports. In other throw around so much
cayenne pepper that no dog will be able to track you!

Ashley Adams
author of Winning 7-Card Stud
>

[JacksonFive]

All I can offer you is my experience. I started playing last summer and
immediately got hooked. I played all summer, probably about 20 hours a
week, online. I got marginally better by the end of the summer. Needless
to say, I started to run out of funds and didn't play for a while again.
By this spring, I started playing consistently again, at the same time
reading and rereading A LOT of basic and intermediate strategy
books/articles/etc. and by the time this summer hit I was a break even
player online (averaging playing 3/6). This summer I have a job where I
sit at the computer and read RGP all day. I print out articles from
pokerpages and cardplayer and take them on my three hour lunches. I get
home and (unless I go out) play until I fall asleep. I have also read and
reread a few books designated as "advanced" texts. I look forward to
playing all day and I give a lot of serious thought to my game. Starting
with a fresh $50 deposit at Party Poker, I am up a couple grand this
summer. I play the higher limit one table tourneys, prefer 10/20 hold'em
and 5/10 7 Stud hi/lo and even finished second in a 600 person muti table
tourney. I don't know how typical my results have been but with serious
work, your game and (just as important) your confidence will soar. These
are just my results but I know many posters here aren't going to get
around to answering this type of question (I know, having many questions
myself). Hope this helps.

Motown

P.S. Reading wise, I recommend the first book you read be The Fundamental
Theorem of Poker by Sklansky. Then pick a game-specific book (Any by
Sklansky, Caro, Krieger, Carson, Ciaffone, McEvoy/Cloutier--- All
reputable authors). Definitely reread!!!! I find stuff really sinks in
the second go around.
On Jul 24 2003 1:01PM, HnTrader wrote:

> Hi group.
>
> I learned how to play poker around 5 years back. However I never
> really gave the game a serious effort. However I notice many of
> colleagues play this game, to various degrees.
>
> The more I play poker, the more I seem to really getting the hang of
> it. However there are still some questions I have.
>
> On *average* I dedicate 20 hours per week playing and hence learning
> about the game. If I continue at 20h per week, how much time will I
> need before I can consider myself GOOD. GOOD meaning good enough to
> enter poker tournaments (the ones betting money) and stand a good
> *consistent* chance of winning.
>
> This second point deals with my poker face. I seem to have trouble
> controlling my emotions, namely my heartrate. As soon as I have a
> fantastic hand with lots of money in the pot, my heart starts
> pounding. I may be giving myself away visually; a slightly
> overconfident posture, looking at my hand for too long...
>
> How do you long time players control facial expression, body language
> and heartbeat? Do you try to think of happy thoughts, and the sort?
>
> Merci and Thanks.

_________________________________________________________________
Posted using RecPoker.com - http://www.recpoker.com

[Rich]

On Jul 25 2003 4:38AM, JacksonFive wrote:

> P.S. Reading wise, I recommend the first book you read be The Fundamental
> Theorem of Poker by Sklansky.

I think he means "Theory of Poker" by Sklansky. And yes, it's a must read.


Rich

_________________________________________________________________
Posted using RecPoker.com - http://www.recpoker.com

[V]

hntrader@hotmail.com (HnTrader) wrote in message news:<df0679eb.0307241545.24e3aaad@posting.google.com>...
> Hi group.
>
> I learned how to play poker around 5 years back. However I never
> really gave the game a serious effort. However I notice many of
> colleagues play this game, to various degrees.
>
> The more I play poker, the more I seem to really getting the hang of
> it. However there are still some questions I have.
>
> On *average* I dedicate 20 hours per week playing and hence learning
> about the game. If I continue at 20h per week, how much time will I
> need before I can consider myself GOOD. GOOD meaning good enough to
> enter poker tournaments (the ones betting money) and stand a good
> *consistent* chance of winning.
>
> This second point deals with my poker face. I seem to have trouble
> controlling my emotions, namely my heartrate. As soon as I have a
> fantastic hand with lots of money in the pot, my heart starts
> pounding. I may be giving myself away visually; a slightly
> overconfident posture, looking at my hand for too long...
>
> How do you long time players control facial expression, body language
> and heartbeat? Do you try to think of happy thoughts, and the sort?
>
> Merci and Thanks.


I think the time to become a good player is different for
everybody as we all have our strengths and weaknesses. Although as
everything else in life hard work will pay off. The harder you work,
the better you will do. I can give you what has worked for me and my
experiences. When I began playing poker my main problem was lack of
discipline, going on tilt easily. Remember one of the most important
rules in poker, never let your emotions dictate how you play.
Once you are disciplined enough the best thing you can do is just
study and play often. Other posters have given good book
recommendations which I agree with. Read the books, play and analyze
how you're playing. Focus on reading the opponent and know the odds
for the game. No matter what game you're playing observation and being
aware are the most important factors in determining whether you win or
lose.

Good Luck.