Posts Tagged ‘winning poker’
It is always easier to learn something new if you have someone you can ask for advice or someone to share ideas with. I sought out my friend and co-worker Jack when I made the decision to learn how to play casino poker. Jack is an excellent Seven-Card Stud player, who has over six years experience playing winning poker. I asked him some questions about playing in the casino and poker in general. I told him I had decided to learn how to play Texas Hold'em. He said that he had just started learning the game himself. He wanted to expand his horizons and have another game to play when the waiting list for stud got too long. The timing was perfect, as now we both would have someone to discuss the game and strategies with.
I attribute part of my early success with the game to the discussions that we had. I learned that some of the situations I encountered at the table were not unique, as Jack had similar experiences as he was learning the game. This is one of the advantages to having someone you can talk with honestly about the game.
In the poker room you will meet many different people. If possible you should try to strike up a friendship with other players. Since you already have something in common, it will probably not be too difficult. Some will only be looking out for themselves and will be trying to get an angle on any player they may eventually be playing against. However, many of them are nice people who you will become friendly with if you become a regular at your local cardroom. If you can cultivate a friendship with someone you trust and can share ideas with you, you will both benefit. Some friendships will develop under strange circumstances.
During my first tournament win at Foxwoods, the match was down to me and three other players. The gentleman I knocked out in fourth position before winning the match was a player named John. He was a true gentleman and was the first to congratulate me after the match was over. We began talking and I explained that I had been learning to play the game and writing about my experiences for my About.com Web site over the last few months. I gave him my card and he e-mailed me the next day to compliment me on my poker articles.
We met at the tournament the next week and, after it was over, John and his son, Dan, and I held an extensive conversation about Texas Hold'em. It was easy to tell that we were both serious about improving our games. We started sharing strategies and had discussions about the game via e-mail. A few months later at the WPO held at Foxwoods, John introduced me to a few of his friends, one of whom is a professional poker player.
Over the next year I met several more players as John had started a little e-mail group. We participate almost daily in discussions about the game through e-mails and ICQ chat. We all became close friends even though some of us did not meet face to face until months after our group had formed. None of us were hesitant about sharing our strategies with each other and we all benefited from our combined knowledge.
Networking is a word that is sometimes used for developing professional contacts that can be beneficial to all parties involved. When you try to establish friendships in the cardroom, you are in essence "networking." In the poker world, the biggest network of players is the Rec. Gambling Poker Newsgroup on the Internet. Thousands of players share ideas daily via e-mail and network amongst themselves. In a way, our little group could be considered a smaller private network of dedicated poker players. That's the way it started but it soon became a group of trusted friends who have all helped each other to improve.
It just goes to show you how friendships can develop under strange circumstances. John was a gracious loser and our conversation when he congratulated me after the tournament turned into a winning situation for both of us. Don't hesitate to talk with other
players or congratulate a winner. You may just make a friend or two who can help you improve your game.
Casino Bonus €/£/$800 Kasino Boni
Tags: casino poker, learning the game, poker, poker room, stud player, winning poker