Tuesday, August 03, 2004

Poker Skool rools ok?

There is an old saying which goes something like this: "those who can do, those who can't teach".

Pokerpages for one and Mark Strahan for two both run poker schools. My advice would be, keep your money in your pocket.

You cannot learn how to play poker from a book or from a computer program or by listening to someone armed with felt tip pens and an overhead projector.

There is only one way to learn and that is to play.

The problem is everyone has a different style and by trying to learn from a teacher you will undoubtadly learn his/her style. And that is completly pointless. Let's say your teacher is a granite rock who tells you only to enter pots with premium hands and you are a creative soul, this would be totally alien to you. You should be playing lots of pots and darting in and out and nicking plenty.

The complete ludicrousness of going to poker school is best illustrated by Mark Strahan's advice to his pupils when they hold AA in a tournament. I am reliably informed he tells his students to go allin whenever they have aces because "you know you've got the best hand"!!!! D'oh. With people like that helping you, you don't need hinderance!

Playing for play money is also a waste of time too I reckon. You have 1000 in play money when someone goes allin for 1000. You haven't got much, but you are REALLY interested in what the other player has got. So you call. You lose. But what do you lose? Nothing! Poker is pointless if bluffing is taken out of the game. And in play money games/practice games at poker schools bluffing is pointless.

The only reliable way to learn how to play poker in the way which suits you is to play poker. Watch, listen and learn while you are playing. You don't have to play big stakes. Just play.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree. I am a new poker player, who's only experiance is from online play.

I learn't from reading forums and playing alot. Playing tourney's means I learn all the time. I have to agree with going all in on AA's, I cant remember how many times people catch you up with rags esp the low level entry cost tourneys I enter.

2:43 PM  

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