My Introduction to Poker ( Texax Holdem ) by: Charlie Jones

About two months ago (October 2008) I decided to really try to learn the Poker game Texas Hold'em. I had played a couple of times in Las Vegas at the Rivera Casino when attending the Annual BCA 8-Ball Championship's held each May, but my knowledge of the game was 'weak' at best.

I played a Texas Hold'em tournament at the American Legion Post 340 in Pensacola around the middle of October and really stunk it up. From there I went on a crash learning course and started doing a lot better.

I joined Fult Tilt Poker and played cheap online. I read articles on the internet and set a set of ground rules based on my own playing experience.

I have decided that patience is the most important trait to have to play this game well. If you try to force winning hands to happen, you will go broke quick. That is not to say that you cannot buy a hand or two if you are in the proper betting position.

The basics based on my experience (1-2 No Limit):

Understand the rules of game, terminology, and winning hand rankings.

Button: puck marking where the dealer is currently sitting.

Small Blind: eligible player immediately to the left of the dealer. I say eligible because someone may join the table in the middle of the game and have to wait a hand or two.

Big Blind: eligible player immediately two positions to the left of the dealer. I say eligible again because someone may join the table in the middle of the game and have to wait a hand or two.

Flop: First three community cards turned up for play.

Turn: Fourth community card turned up for play.

River: Fifth and final community card turned up for play.

In addition to people joining the table, people leaving can also affect how the blinds are played or skipped.

Pot Odds: Make sure the pot is worth winning before putting in your own money. Betting 10 to win 100 is better than betting 100 to win 10

Betting strategy: Know you financial limits. Not just the amount of money you can afford to risk in an entire session, but also how far out on the limb you are willing to go in a single hand. Many people will bully, bluff, and bet agressively so be prepared for a tough fight even with a good hand. Understand the significance of your position at the table in relation to the current dealer. Just to the right of the dealer is the place where you can most successfully bluff, buy hands and read the table in general.

If you have a decent hand after the flop, scare people off with the betting so that they do not beat you on the turn or the river.

Playable Hands: I like a pair of 10's or better, I will also play suited-connected like a 5 and 6 of clubs or 1 card gap like 6 and 8 of clubs or connected but not suited if the values are higher, like jack, queen. If you have a good chip lead and in the large or small blind take a cheap peak at the flop, you never know what may happen.  
 
15 April 2010 (Thursday) Well it's been a while since I have wrote. We had a poker room open recently in Pensacola at the Greyhound Dog Track. They run an excellent operation. It's very convenient and after a rough start I started playing better. I had my first Royal Flush (diamonds) last Sunday. On top of winning $200.00 and a jacket from the house, another player thought they had the winning hand. He asked me how many chips I had so he could put me ALL-IN. Sweet!!!

Patience is the rule. If you don't like accepting the fact that the main play in winning poker is folding (alot), then this game is not for you. When you do have a playable hand, don't be disappointed if the betting gets too strong to handle. PATIENCE. I can't say it enough. Better to leave $20 winner than $200 loser chasing every hand that is dealt.  
 
7-17 May 2009 (Thursday-Saturday) Do not play poker and drink heavily unless you have no use for your money. I played a ton, learned many things, won some good pots but ultimately the alcohol did me in and my happy trip turned sad. Learn a lot of tricks to do with poker chips because you need something to kill the time while waiting for playable cards besides drinking.  
 
30 April 2009(Thursday) I have not written in a while. I have continued to play poker at all the usual places and won my first tournament on a Tuesday at Ticket Sports Bar II. I continue to refine my game and look forward to playing at the Riviera Casino in Las Vegas on May 7th thru May 17th, 2009.  
 
28 February 2009(Sunday) The Poker Tournament at the AL340 was grueling. I played smart but was down to near zero at half time. I bought in for an additional $200. I got some breaks, played well and split on the final table with three other players. My take was $474 on a $305.00 investment.  
 
26 February 2009(Tuesday) The Free Poker Tournament at the Ticket 2 Sports Bar is always relaxing fun. I played allright but did not make the final table.  
 
22 February 2009(Sunday) The Free Poker Tournament at the Ticket 2 Sports Bar had their championship tournament today. I played to aggressively and impatiently for some bizarre reason. I only lasted about 15-20 hands and was done :( - Being willing to bet like I did, I should have chosen more of the check-arounds to bet heavy and buy a pot.  
 
17 February 2009(Tuesday) The Free Poker Tournament at the Ticket 2 Sports Bar is always relaxing fun. I got several full houses and made a couple of gutsy bets early on to get an impressive chip stack. My downfall came on a nut flush of diamonds. It never occurred to me my opponent could draw to a full house on the river and so I matched his ALL IN bet of 1950 which I lost. Everything went severely down hill from there.  
 
14 February 2009 (Saturday) I played the poker tournament at the 340. I didn't drink as much and actually caught a few good cards. I played too agressively and pissed of $200.00 - I learned an important lesson. Attack the shorter stacks first unless you just really have the nut cards.  
 
10 February 2009(Tuesday) The Free Poker Tournament at the Ticket 2 Sports Bar is always relaxing fun. I played careless and agressive because I was sick and didn't want to stay too long. Just enough time to take a swing at it and get some SilverStriker Bowling scores in for league.  
 
8 February 2009 (Sunday) I played the poker tournament at the Moose Lodge. Did very well despite the fact I was recovering from some kind of flu bug. I actually started sipping more and more beer (5 by the final table), but I managed to tie for 3rd. That yielded a $259 prize. I hate to say it, but I had nerves of steel despite low alcohol intake at the beginning of the tournament.  
 
3 February 2009 (Tuesday) Tickets Sports Bar in Pensacola runs their poker tournaments at all three locations now. I am sticking with the T2 location on Tuesdays due to my commitment to pool. I play semi-well and almost made it to the final table. Did alcohol play a role? Possibly :)  
 
31 January 2009 (Saturday) I played the poker tournament at the 340. I didn't drink as much and actually caught a few good cards. I maintained a competitive chip count made some aggressive bets (5000 chips with 5000 chip raises. I finished 7th for $237. Folding a pair of 8's later in the day on a small blind ended up costing me hundreds more.  
 
27 January 2009 (Tuesday) I played at the Ticket 2 Sports Bar. I won a few hands and played well at first. I played bolder at the end to avoid a short stack and had back-to-back bad beats. I kept my drinking to a moderate pace.  
 
25 January 2009 (Sunday) I played the poker tournament at the Moose Lodge. I didn't drink as much and actually caught a few good cards. I maintained a competitive chip count and then went off the air when my stack started getting lean. I need to learn to play a hair more aggressively early on and keep the pressure on.  
 
20 January 2009 (Tuesday) I played at the Ticket 2 Sports Bar. I won a few hands and played well at first. I played bolder at the end to avoid a short stack and had back-to-back bad beats. Solo Coutrney is going to show me how to play better.  
 
17 January 2009 (Saturday) I played the poker tournament at the AL 340. Went all in on a straigh A-2-3-4-5 and lost to a 2-3-4-5-6. I was orignially chasing a flush. Flushed just haven't been coming for me lately. I didn't rebuy or chip up since mom was in town.  
 
13 January 2009 (Tuesday) I played at the Ticket 2 Sports Bar. Ugly Dejavu. I never won a single hand again. This is two weeks in a row now. I have to learn how to manufacture a hand or two somewhere  
 
11 January 2009 (Sunday) I played the poker tournament at the Moose Lodge. Did well until I got drunk and got too aggressive and / or impatient. I maintained a competitive chip count and then went off the air.  
 
6 January 2009 (Tuesday) I played at the Ticket 2 Sports Bar. I never won a single hand but through self discipline I made my stack last as long as possible.  
 
3 January 2009 (Saturday) I played at the American Legion Post 340. Got drunk and lost $300.00 without even making it to the final table. Shots of crown with two beers per order that early in the day doesn't do much for poker judgement :)  
 
1 January 2009 (Thursday) I played at the Ticket III Sports Bar on Gregory and went out early. Not paying attention to my opponents when they have a good hand also. I also showed aggressiveness at the wrong times. Folded winners, stayed with losers :(  
 
30 December 2008 (Tuesday) I played at the Ticket II Sports Bar and went out early. I had 4 clubs after the flop so I aggressively chased the Flush. It never came so I went :(  
 
28 December 2008 (Sunday) I played at the Moose Lodge and won $100 (6th place). The high hand was 4 Kings with a Jack Kicker. I got a 7/8 Clubs with 5/6 Clubs on the flop. This was my chance to overtake the high hand but this ladie kept betting her pocket aces really agressivlely. I stayed with her, forced her to an all in situation and then got a fifth club on the turn, not the club I wanted which was a 4 or 9 but enough to beat her hand and give me the chips I needed to coast into a money win at the end of the tournament. Twice in the tournament I folded at 3/8 off suit. Once I would have had trips and once a full house. Should I see the flop even on week hands? Let me know.  
 
23 December 2008 (Tuesday) I played at the Ticket Sports Bar II and did okay. I played conservative and was usually the short stack. I had enough to survive while the rest chopped each other to pieces with ALL-IN plays. I finished second, good enough for a $15 bar tab and 700 points added to my score.  
 
20 December 2008 (Saturday) I played at the American Legion Post 340 and made a huge mistake. I had trip 4's and was so excited I forgot to look at the board and see the open ended straight. I hope I do not make that mistake again. Always look for the opponents potential straight or flush.