the essentials, what every true poker player must ..

[Private 0]

This may seem complicated and confusing but tell me what you think. I've been playing poker for about 2.5 years now, and can say that im a good player. Solid, and all. I'm 16 and have a strong counting mind, and played several mind/strategy games ever since i was small. I even know a guy that used to be a dealer at a casino.I really respect him, great all around person, with an awesome personality. He said to me, "I've knwon you for like what? 5 years.... every week you bring the cards... its like a sickness" he said to me after i told him about my thoughts on seriously making a living off poker.he said "So far, i can tell you're confident, but when you start to win a little bit more money, you're going to get yourself into trouble, you're going to lose your friends, your family, and everything you have. You think you're just gonna play with a small amount of your money? you're wrong. You think you are going to become a good gambler and go back home after you make some money you're wrong. be prepared to start cheating, get robbed, and get beat up."What he said to me really made sense. He said "i guarantee you most of the top players right now used to cheat (or know how to) and they've all probably been robbed/robbed other people" I think back to the times when i was playing computer games- gosh was i good. Then i turned to cheating... for along time, then i turned back to a straight player... There is a pattern to this.Does anyone here agree about the advice given here?He says to me "What you have is a sickness. You're from a really good family, so there's no chance you'll make it. I give it a few years for you to get over this sickness... some people never get over it""in order to become a great poker player, you have to have grown up from a poker background, and your mom and dad have to be there to show you all the tricks/trades of the job." Whenever i ask him questions relating to poker, he tells me to shut up and think about something else that requires skills. He says poker is a game where luck is a HUGE factor. No matter how good you are, you can always be taken down by someone who is worse than you. Unlike games like chess where it is like 99% skills, and both players start off pretty much equal. In poker, you can catch cold cards for a long time and still wont know who's the best player. So what do you all think about this, is he right that the road to poker stardom requires more than just "being good at poker"?In rounders, the guy cheated prior to going pro too.

[STACKED 0]

Thanks for that info, Private. I appreciate your honesty. I recommend reading Katy Lederer's book, Poker Face.

[NUTTYMATT 0]

i have heared that a lot of top pros pool their money together so they can all sit at the same table and take money off others with out much risk of losing. if they do lose 4 or 5 players share the loss so it doesnt hurt them that much. It may not be cheating but it is some kind of collusion if its true.

[bigkg 0]

it sounds to me like this dealer friend of yours had a lot of previous troubles with something along these lines. I would listen to him but don't take it to seriously.

[Matt Miner 0]

"i guarantee you most of the top players right now used to cheat (or know how to) and they've all probably been robbed/robbed other people"

sounds to me like the guy's been watching too much tilt.

[MilesZS 0]

Sounds to me like he's using scare tactics to keep you away from something that is very unsure. There's no guarantees when it comes to leading that lifestyle -- which is basically being a professional gambler. I'm guessing this guy cares for you and your future, and he just doesn't want to see you or your family get hurt in some way. Listen to what he has to say and use it as kinda a safety protocol. Maybe you can keep yourself grounded if you keep his words in the back of your head at all times.

[iveyfan30 0]

Sounds to me like he's using scare tactics to keep you away from something that is very unsure. There's no guarantees when it comes to leading that lifestyle -- which is basically being a professional gambler. I'm guessing this guy cares for you and your future, and he just doesn't want to see you or your family get hurt in some way. Listen to what he has to say and use it as kinda a safety protocol. Maybe you can keep yourself grounded if you keep his words in the back of your head at all times.

very good advice....

[kouta43 0]

So true what your dealer friend said about luck being a huge part of the game and it doent matter how good you are. Some make it and some dont, at 16 id recomend you find soemthing else to do for serious money, it sounds like you have the mind to do it. If you cant miss the thrill of poker, then playing some relatively low stakes here and there would be your best bet, if your good enough it should provide a small suplement to your income

[bsabres81 0]

Many poker players have been robbed at some point in their life, though from what I have heard, this was really only a serious problem many years ago. At this times the games were not legal (in Texas) and the players would just concede their money at gunpoint. I believe someone attempted to rob Raymer recently also.There have been rumors of cheating at all levels of poker. Not too long ago, there was a (seemingly unreliable) source that accused many of the regulars in the Big Game to be cheats. Cheating is not a big part of poker, and there is no reason to think you will need to cheat to make a living at poker. That is foolish.You will not lose your family and friends if you decide to play poker. My family was disappointed by my decision to do so, but they have told me they are always there for me. That said I would not recommend this lifestyle, especially because you seem to be a bright kid with an open future. At 16, you need to concentrate on the important things in your life and enjoy this time in your life. There is no reason to discourage you from playing at your age, but be careful.

[faketree 0]

I've been playing for a while now as well and I have always felt that there is something else, some other piece of knowledge or information, that certain pros have that is the secret to winning poker. I mean it always seemed there has to be a way to make more than 1 or 2 BB / hr. I guess it was right in front of my face the whole time....CHEATING!!!

[corndog 0]

Terrible advice. Poker is 100% skill. If you manage your bankroll, luck should be insignificant.If you're an idiot before you get into poker I'm sure you'll be an idiot when and if you go pro, but if you're a good person, then I don't see the problem.I say drop out of school and go for it. I guarantee you'll make it huge!

[kouta43 0]

So you think poker is 100% skill. I never realised you could control whether or not you hit your flush draws. anyone with any poker experience knows that poker is a combo of skill and luck

[allinbluff35 0]

"Terrible advice. Poker is 100% skill. If you manage your bankroll, luck should be insignificant."100% skill, hmm, then Hellmuth would never lose I guess. I really do wonder where your assessment of 100% came from because that would be the most beneficial advice I have ever received.

[NickTheKid 0]

You probably already know me Private, but you know what? I feel poker is a skill game, everything works out in the long run if you play the numbers. Nothing is gambling when you go into games you know you can destroy. I played a home-game about two weeks ago and told myself, I will triple my bankroll and I did. There was no mystery, there was no gamble. It was just something that was obviously going to happen. When someone is outmatched in something it no longer becomes gambling, and at that age you should be trying to find fish in your high school. EDIT: I got Caro's Book of Tells Private

[corndog 0]

Here is why poker is 100% skill.Over millions of hands, everyone is going to be dealt the same cards and the same situations. It's how you play those hands that determine your success rate. If you make the better percentage play, you'll end up a winner over the long run. Simple.

[Munky 0]

Here is why poker is 100% skill.Over millions of hands, everyone is going to be dealt the same cards and the same situations. It's how you play those hands that determine your success rate. If you make the better percentage play, you'll end up a winner over the long run. Simple.

So when I pushed as a shortstack with 55 and KK called me, the fact that I hit a 5 had nothing to do with luck??

[NickTheKid 0]

to be technical... there is no such thing as luck, all you did was BEAT THE ODDS, most of the time you would have lost because you are drawing on 2 outs and you luckily hit one.

[corndog 0]

Do that another 10 times with your shortstack and lets see how lucky you are.

[looshle 6]

Here is why poker is 100% skill.Over millions of hands, everyone is going to be dealt the same cards and the same situations. It's how you play those hands that determine your success rate. If you make the better percentage play, you'll end up a winner over the long run. Simple.

So when I pushed as a shortstack with 55 and KK called me, the fact that I hit a 5 had nothing to do with luck??

I think he's talking about in the long run. Correct decisions lead to being a winning player over the long term. Luck is a short term thing, but yes luck does come into play, in any type of gambling. If you are playing a NL holdem MTT, luck is a huge factor, but if you are playing limit poker correctly for years, your results will be due to skill and not luck.

[AceOfSpaiDs 0]

...it sounds more like he is trying to warn you of making a career choice where the money is definitely not guaranteed to come. Take the WSOP for an example and look at all of the high grade & professional players that walk in there every year. How come so many of the top players have never won that event yet 2 uknowns (prior to winning) like Raymer & Moneymaker can walk in there and walk out with it all. Poker is definitely a game of luck, but what dude was saying sounded like he was kinda hinting at a personal experience, be wise and listen upPeace

[corndog 0]

Well then let me be the first to congratulate Daniel on being the 2004 Luckiest Player of the Year.

[bsabres81 0]

In the short run, poker is gambling (luck is involved), but in the long run, results are based on skill.

[kouta43 0]

enough bad luck in the short run and there wont be a long run

[faketree 0]

the problem with the long run is that nobody really knows how long the long run is. the fact is, most people will never get into the long run as is could be millions upon millions of hands. because of probability, people tend to be in some part of the curve, either high or low, at any given point in time. someone could theoretically never win a hand while others may get repeatedly smacked in the face by the deck. this is what appears to us as luck but it is actually just probability.

[justblaze 0]

So you think poker is 100% skill. I never realised you could control whether or not you hit your flush draws. anyone with any poker experience knows that poker is a combo of skill and luck

I never realized people could make sarcastic replies to topics about which they obviously know nothing about. Why do you think there are no pro blackjack players, or roulette players, or craps players, but there is a long list of pro poker players? are these people just the luckiest people alive? And if they were relying on luck, dont you think they would play a game where the payoff was bigger for being lucky? Think before you speak.PS geez theres a lot of T.O. players on here. PM me if you have regular weekday games! i need action! the people on the bus to rama smell.