[chris]

I struggle to break even at $3/6 and $5/10 hold'em. This bugs me because i have a lot of knowledge about the game and pretty good instinct, however i don't always play my best game, and sometimes i don't analyze a situation long enough and make the wrong play.

How long did it take you guys to start winning? What can i do to improve my game? I've read Phil Hellmuth's book and parts of Super System. Is there better money in NL also?

Thanks for the help guys, i have a lot of desire to be a good player.

[johnf]

Reading wont get you everywhere in this game. You need to study on strategy, Learn Position play, learn to read opponents online, as well as get game time in.

You're very young and have a long way to go to get the experience most players have. For someone who has only been play 6 months you are playing Limits that are far too high for you. You have a lot to learn and should start at the lower limits. 1/2 at least. Read, play, and learn. Make sure you have the proper bankroll for the limits you play as well. This is a key factor in playing poker. At 5/10 you should have 3000 dollars in your account. At 3/6 you should have at least 1800 in your bankroll. This is for Limit Hold 'em Not NL.

Also I would suggust you find someone (a mentor) to help teach you the game. Someone who has experience and knows the ropes. There are some thing you can't learn in a book. You have to learn by losing. Having someone help you understand your losses will improve your game tramendously.

[chris]

Thanks for the help, i think i will drop to 2/4, i have enough money to cover it. The skill at 5/10 did not to seem to be any higher than 3/6, you see a lot of people showing down weak hands and calling the whole way. As for strategy i have been playing tight (Phil Hellmuth's top 10 hands + qk).

[razor]

Yeah, $3-6 and $5-10 is pretty deep water to be jumping in at, as online poker goes. Those are small-medium games in a casino, but online you'll run into some pretty good players at those levels.

As for losing -- we all lose from time to time, no matter how much better we may be than the opposition. Goes with the territory. In fact, swings can be so severe that 300 times the big blind is a standard bankroll -- if you're a WINNING player.

So don't be discouraged about a losing session or two or three, but you might want to consider dropping down a stake level or two if losing at $3-6 and above bothers you.

[chris]

Thanks again guys, i actually emailed a poker pro as well and he said that all my discipline issues will go away with more experience, i guess we all loose for a peroid of time when we start.

[louis]

When you start, you play far too many hands and overestimate the worth of your hand. Now it's a hard habit to break, you think the cards could come down on the flop for you whatever you've got in hand, but you've got to learn to control yourself and throw down those pocket Jacks if the big bets come in and such-like.

The limits are quite large as razor said, and at those limits you will run into more people who know what they are doing, making it harder for you. Although play is more unpredictable around the $1 mark, you are less likely to lose too much and breaking even should be a piece of cake if you play things solid.

My advice, go down a notch and work your way up. I know it sucks playing for $1, $2 pots, but you'll appreciate it in the long run when you've "earned" your right to play at the $10, $20 tables.

[lilmanofpoker]

LOOK
TO ME YOU SOUND LIKE A N/L TOURNAMENT STYLE OF POKER PLAYER THATS HOW HOLDEM WAS SUPPOSE TO BE PLAYED!!!
CHAN WROTE A BOOK ON SMALL STAKES POKER GO BUY IT
THERE ARE A FEW TRICKS TO THE TRADE
NOW READING AND STUDYING BOOKS
MAKES YOU BETTER PERIOD YEA IT WONT GET YOU ANYWHERE BUT IT MAKES U BETTER BOTTOM LINE BOOKS CAN GO ALONG WAY FOR YOU
SO I SUGGEST STUDYING THE GAME
BEFORE YOU START SPENDING MORE MONEY

[Sekwah]

Any of the lower limit games are hard to make serious money at. You simply can not protect your hand. If you have a 'calling station' in the game you are probably dead meat not matter how well you play or how much you know. I would recommend you look for pot limit games (home games) or go to Vegas if you want to make real money.