Getting back into Poker... strategy?

[mikee_j]

Hi guys, used to post a little bit 10 years ago during the poker boom when I and a lot of people got into poker through university. It was a great time, I setup and run the university poker society for 3 years, had a few minor successes and had great fun with a great bunch of guys playing poker.

After uni the career and work life came and took over. I decided at the time to focus on a career but keep playing on the side. Eventually it became impossible to play seriously as I had hardly any free time at all and I haven't played seriously since.

Roll on 10 years or so and I'm now working from home, have a family and a lot more free time. I loaded up PokerStars to see I still had $200 on there and won a few STT straight away. The poker bug is back!

Wanting to study the game a bit more and having a disposable income where I can play higher stakes than before at uni, my thinking is to take the game seriously and learn more about the game whilst trying to play more online. Mainly MTT and STT.

If you were in my position, how would you tackle this new found passion for the game and what advice would you give me?

I also intend to start playing more live games than sitting online.

All advice most appreciated...

[bergeroo]

It depends what you want. Are you doing it for fun? Do you want to turn it into a second income? Are you looking for some consistent returns/less swings, or do you want to take a shot at a big score? Do you enjoy playing more live or online? Do you live near a casino?

[baldock92]

Just play some hands man, go to your local casino a couple of times a month and sit down at the tables. After playing a few times you'll be able to judge which formats you enjoy playing most, how seriously you want to take it etc.

[shipitgood]

If it's for a bit of fun, try a local pub game, it'll be a good night out.

If you want to spend a bit more for a mtt, try your local casino again good fun but will be a bit more serious, buy ins from 30-50.

Online, the best site for mtts is skypoker, all 6 max, with games being finished after 2/3 hours due to the relatively small fields. They also run a lot of bounty hunters, which would reduce variance, get £ for knocking players out. Buy ins from 5£ - £33.

If you want to do a bit of work on your game lots of good free material out there, you tube or twitch. Run it once is also excellent, they offer a basic package at 11£ per month, which would give access to reasonable content.

[arbboy]

Like has already been said it depends on whether you want to earn from the game or treat it as a hobby that will cost you money.  If you want to earn from the game then you probably want to be playing some low level cash live at a local casino.  If you want to treat it as a hobby then you can play whatever you want as long as you can comfortably afford it.

[moustache]

Hi Mate, It depends how big you want to play, and online or live, cash or tournament. Live tournaments <£90 and cash <£100nl in casinos (£200nl if you find a good game) you can probably slip straight back in as long as you are competent and can figure out who are the players to avoid and how. Online similar applies just 10x smaller. Bigger than that and you will need to put in lots of effort, around 2 hours 4-5 times per week for a couple of months studying the game and hand histories and sticking to one type of game or you will get crushed and quickly develop a very very expensive hobby/habit. I'm in a similar boat to you, had 3 years out after playing very seriously for 7, I'm way out of my league at the levels I used to play so I'm staying small as I learn and pushing up slowly. Happy to help all I can, just ask.

[moustache]

Also, were you a consistent winner at any level before, and over what sample size, and do you aim to be one now?
p.s. Hint, the answer to this question will tell a lot about your previous level and chances of success currently, depending on your goals, so give as much detail as you can please.

[SuuPRlim]

If you were in my position, how would you tackle this new found passion for the game and what advice would you give me?

Here's what I'd do;

Firstly give up any idea's about "studying" seriously, if you look at what studying is nowadays it's so hard and if you're not a super enthusiastic pro then it's really boring (imo) and the principal objective to playing poker is for fun, right?

You need to play not too big that you ever put yourself in financial pressure/discomfort, and not too small that winning/losing doesn't give you a little kick, sounds from your circumstances that these 2-400 amounts aren't that important to your life so my advice would be strongly to just fire small amounts of spare cash at it whenever you fancy a go, and try run it up - play bigger and bigger when you get on a little rush and then as soon as you spin it up to any can kind of amount that means anything to you at all then get it out and spend it on something!

cliffs; play the right stakes don't let it take your life over and just have fun. Ride the rush when you're running good and don't chase yourself into the floor when it's not going to plan and you'll have a sick hobby you'll always enjoy and if you get a little luck might make a few quid.

Defo play live comps too it sounds like the thing you'll enjoy most, satellites to live events could be the one. Things like the sunday million, big gte comps online etc

[RED-DOG]

If you were in my position, how would you tackle this new found passion for the game and what advice would you give me?

Here's what I'd do;

Firstly give up any idea's about "studying" seriously, if you look at what studying is nowadays it's so hard and if you're not a super enthusiastic pro then it's really boring (imo) and the principal objective to playing poker is for fun, right?

You need to play not too big that you ever put yourself in financial pressure/discomfort, and not too small that winning/losing doesn't give you a little kick, sounds from your circumstances that these 2-400 amounts aren't that important to your life so my advice would be strongly to just fire small amounts of spare cash at it whenever you fancy a go, and try run it up - play bigger and bigger when you get on a little rush and then as soon as you spin it up to any can kind of amount that means anything to you at all then get it out and spend it on something!

cliffs; play the right stakes don't let it take your life over and just have fun. Ride the rush when you're running good and don't chase yourself into the floor when it's not going to plan and you'll have a sick hobby you'll always enjoy and if you get a little luck might make a few quid.

Defo play live comps too it sounds like the thing you'll enjoy most, satellites to live events could be the one. Things like the sunday million, big gte comps online etc

Best poker advice I've seen in ages.

[mikee_j]

Thanks guys, some really solid and thoughtful advice.

To answer some of the questions: I want to play for fun, make a few quid if i can and play some of the bigger tournaments online and live (probably and realistically getting in through satellites). What i don't want to do is sit and grind cash for 8 hours a day chasing the small profits. I can support poker through other income and its all about having fun, but the lure of making extra cash is nice and playing bigger tournaments. I live in London so a few casinos to choose from!

When playing at university I deposited £100 into Stars and £100 into Ladbrokes. On both sites i took out my initial stake once i made enough and was effectively playing for free and made small (£100-£200) withdrawals every so often to pay for nights out and beer. That suited me perfectly at uni.

I want to play tournaments only. I'm not comfortable grinding cash and the MTT style suits my way of thinking. Plus i know what the entry cost is and how much i can loose each game.

Satelittes into larger or live tournaments, plus mid level tournaments will be my starting point i think.

Any advice on which other sites to consider. I play on stars and someone mentioned sky poker. Any other worth looking at considering tournament play?


Thanks again all...

[TightEnd]

Any advice on which other sites to consider. I play on stars and someone mentioned sky poker. Any other worth looking at considering tournament play?


Thanks again all...

partypoker please (disclosure, DTD who sponsor the forum partner with partypoker)

big guarantee MTT schedule and fantastic value statellites every night into big DTD/WPT events

take a look at some of the events and their satellites on http://www.dusktilldawncasinonottingham.com/ to get a flavour of it or just ask

 

[Lonohray2]

Most definitely Party Poker, you have probably seen the banners on the forum by now of Party Millions £6million guaranteed and £1million guaranteed for the winner in April. They are building up to this by giving away tens of thousands in free seats and bonuses and probable overlay. It is a £550 entry with loads of day 1s from now until then, almost like a satellite into a £5000 tournament.

It sounds like the perfect place for what you're after - the satellite programme is very good and they run multiple every day, from $1 into $5 into $22 into $109 into £550. It sounds like you can skip the 1s and and jump into the $22 satellites. Once you win some $109 tickets there are 20/30/50 seat guarantees into £550 that are 'flexible' and can be used for any DTD big MTTs not just the Party Million - there is a £550 1m guaranteed running at the moment with day 2 on Sunday. But there will be a £550 to enter every month if you manage to get a ticket or seat. It is a train journey or drive from London of course but the quality of the venue and value in the tournaments can't be beaten.

Then the MTT schedule is pretty good with the same entry level tiers, $1s $5s $22s and $109s staggered throughout the day, peak times will be large fields with big prizepools so a long losing streak will come from these but earlier on the morning or later at night the fields will be smaller and you'd be more likely to make some final tables.

Pokerstars is still the biggest site running with the most options but it's no longer the players favourite with it being bought out by a new company cutting out the reward programmes and squeezing rake. But for recreational purposes still great and satellites run for the Big 55, 109 and all the big sunday tournaments if you haven't found them already.


Echo the above, "studying" for poker in 2016 is no fun, keep playing low stakes have a think about what you're doing and what's working best but you don't want to get out the chalk and whiteboard and Pythagoras theorem to see if you can play on the button!

[bergeroo]

I'd say Party, Sky and Unibet (if you can handle the software) are the three best sites at the moment for someone in your position. And perhaps put some money into Stars but just use it to play the red 'Big' tournaments if you want some larger fields.

Party is focusing very strongly on the UK market right now with lots of offers, live tournies etc in the UK. They seems committed to growing the player base and expanding their market share which is good for players.

For live stuff  888 seems to have a tie up with Aspers in London and seems to run satties and live tournaments there. Pokerstars will have a live tourney series in London in January. And of course Party does a lot with DTD and WPTs if you fancy a trip further afield.

[mikee_j]

thanks everyone, will take a look at those suggestions...