Where did you learn to play?

I learned from watching it a lot on tv and some play money on Pokerstars

A friend of mine got really into poker and was playing just about every night in the various bar leagues in town. After giving her a hard time about it for a few months, she finally got me to go with her. I got hooked the first night. I got sat at a table with a bookie friend of hers who "took me under his wing" and showed me a few things. Basically, he took pity on me. But he's a heck of a card player. Then I started talking to someone who plays a lot of online poker, and got some helpful hints on that breed of the game. I must say, I still prefer to play live at the bars, and I seem to be better at it than online.

Still haven't "learned" the day there is nothing more to learn is after I have a mansion in San Diego and pad in the Caribbean with my own private beach! Patron Margaritas on demand and butt naked playmates fanning me on the beach!

I played for play money on pokerstars. I also played with my friends in a tourney for like 5 bucks. These were both great learning experiences. Nothing beats experience.

I watched WPT, that got me hooked. I then deposited on Party Poker. When I lost my inital deposit I kept playing play money games. Now I browse this forum, read books and play on Pokerstars to keep learning the game.

I learned Online at Ultimatebet. Just played with the free chip option for a while then started looking in to freerolls and such.

I learnt to play HoldEm with my family. We've always been big card games players - Canasta, Whist, Brag, Newmarket, Pontoon, Bridge, etc. Lots of card games... my parents still play bridge occasionally, but we don't play Brag any more - with the renaissance for Poker, we tried it out, and found it infinitely superior (although the big pots that could build up in Brag could be interesting).
Once we got a poker chip set, there was no turning back. A little later I decided to get into the poker chip set retail business, and also started playing poker online around the same time. Initially I started out just playing for play money, but quickly got annoyed by how incompetent most of the play money players were (any hand, raise! And again! I just never got how that was fun), so I started on the Real Money tables fairly soon after. I picked up Super System and Play Poker Like The Pros, and read them cover to cover, and still nearly bust out...
So... those first couple of times on tilt will hurt you, big time... but I learnt from the mistakes when it was time to switch tables, and somewhere along the way I ran into Steve Badgers pages on Omaha strategy, and decided to try Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo instead... now I play Omaha Hi/Lo most of the time, and I'm doing a lot better on the cash stakes...

My dad taught me five card draw when I was a kid. I started playing holdem a little more than a year ago. Played play chips for a short time on Party Poker, than moved to micro limit. As my experience increased, I have been moving up to higher limits. I like the 6 player s&g, and play limit ring games. I play now mostly at Ultimate Bet, and Royal Vegas. I have been playing about 20 hours a week. I think I'm hooked. LOL

I learned online at the free tables, and am still learning. I venture into the sit and go' room once in while when I feel confident. And I've been lucky enough to win couple freerolls to build a small bankroll at poker.com.

I started playing poker at local free tournaments as a way of spending time with my boyfriend who runs them (http://prizespoker.com/). I quickly got hooked on the people as ell as the fun and challenge, especially after my first tournament win. I started playing online to learn more and now that I found your site I am learning more still. I look forward to learning even more from you at the tables!

ENJOY!
Gizzi

I learned offline. With friends
We print poker-manual and try to learn this pretty fine game.
Two times i won some money
Online poker i don`t like couse i like to look at player`s faces.
I would like to play poker with audiovidechat, but in`t impossible, i think.

when i was a kid, i would fall asleep at my mothers feet while she played poker all night.
my whole family plays poker, but not online., they think im stupid for playing online., but there changing there minds as the cashouts keep comming.

I starte playing cards when I was about 6 or 7 years old. Had alot of brothers. 6 of them. I am the youngest. So on the weekends they came over to play poker. My parents give me money to play for I would not be left out. I started playing Texas Holdem about a year ago now I am hooked.

Dave here, TaeKwonDoMstr.

I started playing poker when I wuz 8 years old at my grandmothers bar on holidays. All my relatives played poker on holidays while the bar wuz closed. I also learned to shoot pool then too. I spent most of my time playing cards in poolhalls and shooting pool hustling. Started playin online poker about 8 years ago. I have cash accounts at about 27 sites LOL. Most know me as TaeKwonDoMstr or YouNVmeDontU. At 32 years of age now, I would rather play LIVE games at a casino then play online, because of the RANDOMNESS on the sites....NOT!!!! Ultimatebet is the worst for Random hands. I can deal 100 hands and maybe, maybe 25 hands will be straights, boats or flushes..... but NOT ON Ultimatebet.... almost 85% of their so called Random Deals are exactly that.

I learned how to play on Party Poker and Empire Poker playing with fake chips. It was good practice but I had to forget a lot of what I had learned because the difference between playing fake and playing real is quite different.

It did, however, give me the chance to learn about the button, late position play, etc.

I have over 1 billion chips on Party Poker just sitting there collecting dust. And that's just fine with me.

I had to learn, and still I learn, the difference between play in a freeroll, a forum tourney and ring games. They are and will always be very different.

I come from a family that played cards 24/7 I could not stand the get togethers. I would be anti-social and play video games instead. In college I learned Euchre and loved it!!. I swore that would be the only card game I would master. On a trip to Vegas I tried something different and went to the poker tables. I was hooked...I started out at Pacific poker and then went to pokerstars. I have now been trying different sites and enjoy this passion for hold-em. About once a month we play live games at different houses.

I started playing about 10 months ago, on the net. I got interested because of watching the world poker tour on t.v.

At first I totally sucked but within a few months I became pretty good. I'm still learning though.

Mandy

After the movie rounders came out, it was full steam ahead. I can not wait till they make Rounders 2. I also believe it is about time

I learned to play at my Sister's house when I was about 15, im the youngest of ten and they all play poker. I grew up watching my next to the oldest sister hold card games at her house, and loved it every since. I like to play three to four times a week if possible. I been playong faithfully for about 7 months now, and was lucky enough to win one big tourney once. I look forward to the challenges i get playing poker for it helps me to learn more about all aspects of the game.


SHERMSTICK

I learned to play 5 card stud as a teenager when my hormones were running wild and I was desperate to see Maria Whittaker get her kit off in Cover Girl Poker for the Amiga. Obviously, at such a tender age, tactics were beyond me but I learnt the basics nonetheless.

I then began learning a little about tactics when I started playing amongst friends but this was still 5 card stud. It wasnt until a few years later when a friend of mine who played online poker introduced me to Holdem. Recently I have started to play online myself and I am only now beginning to realise the depth of Holdem.

Could I just Nick (the creator of this topic) something please? You said you began learning with the tutorial at holdempoker.com but now you play at Full Tilt. Is holdempoker.com not a good site to use? I got some tips when I looked at their tutorial upon reading this thread and found it quite useful but I am still very much a novice and dont really know which site to use.

Holdempoker.com is fine, there's nothing wrong with it. It's run by the same company as Pokerroom. I'd advise you to start a new topic on this so you can get more information on where to play as a 'new guy', there are plenty of great members here who will have perfect advice for you!

Nick, did you ever play Cover Girl Poker for the Amiga?

I am a London boy too. Sadly Amigas never really took off in the US...

I statred to play poker with my friends, at home but I played very badly, so i decieded be better. I played freerolls on Pacificpoker, Fair poker and Poker.com.

i play poker at absolute poker

I started playing in live games -ususally five and seven stud. It is still taking time to adjust to online - without the tells and opportunity to read other players the online game is much more about cards and position.

I have read about online tells and think some are incorrect; for example, delays in betting. How can one tell if the delay is indecision, an internet delay, or becuase the other player is playing fourtables at the same time.

I learned at home as a child from the age of 4, by my father, who was quite a good gambler, lol! Started playin live games at 14 and am also quite a good gambler now... hehehe

ASHIAN

I first started playing poker 7 card stud when I was about 4 with my dad and uncles so I have been told. In jr high high school I graduated to strip poker with many more girls than guys at the table lol In my early 20's I had the priveledge of going to vegas where my uncle worked as set up electrical stages and shows for big name shows. He inroduced me to Johnny Moss. I learned a great deal from the poker room manager Hall of fame poker player. I dealt poker for nearly 8 yrs and ran the floor for about 6 months. Since dealing made me more $$ i went back to it. And I continue to learn everytime I sit down at a table or a monitor.........Rock

hi all,

been playing for a year now.

been learning from books;

doyles, slanski, tj, etc.

and setting goals from what i'v read

and trying to develope my own style/plan.

best,

donvic

I learne to play with my dad and his poker group. He let me throw in some chips for him but I always wanted to learn to actually play! All those nights I stayed up so I can learn this truly addicting game of poker

for me it was mostly playing with friends.
i also tried some poker sites that explain u the rules of poker...

i play texas holdem most of the time..it's the best!

I learned to play with pennies.One night when my husbands regular game didn't have enough players I sat in.....and I took their money toooo

I tought myself how to playonline at Ultimatebet also tought myself how to play crib too. I admit I thought this game was so foolish when i started out but then got the hang of it now i understand it a little better. Looking to master this game and head to the WSOP.

check back with me in a couple years or when Im 90

Learn?...It's a neverending adventure..A daily quest..hahaha.But the basics I learned as a teenager.

A few years ago, I joined pokerroom, and started playing their play money sngs.. I didn't know what sng stood for, but I knew the object of the fast fillup.. LOL.. I did not know that a flush beat a straight then, or a straight beat 3 of a kind.. I was pretty clueless like that for about 6 months. Then I found out some of my friends from Yahoo played poker, thats when I got interested in getting better. I started reading articles whenever I could, and joined more poker sites. I've only been playing real money since Spring 2005, and I currently play 6+ hours a day, mostly buyin mtts, or PLOHL ring tables.. once or twice a week a freeroll (when I'm feeling like fishing.)