Where did you learn to play?

I first learnt the game of poker by watching the World Series of Poker on television. I had watched the shows for about a year because of the excitement and intrigue, but never played a hand of poker. Until a family gathering arrived one day and a big poker game took place. Everyone underestimated me because it was my first real poker game, but I already understood all the rules and concepts and the rythym seemed to flow naturally. I even imitated some of the playing styles that the pros used on tv. I won big that day and have enjoyed poker ever since!

A bar that I bounce at started having free tournys twice a week...bar staff was offered 50 to deal to the tables(about 4 hours) the tournys took off and they started having them nightly...it is ran real well, we had tux shirts and everything, the bar owner, who also owns an entertainment shop taught us what we needed to know, so I learned poker watching others play

Can you tell me were the bar is? If I ever have the chance to come to the U.S. I will check it out! lol

I learned on tv like most other ppl here. I then would have 5 frnds over and have 5$ by in tournaments. we played for fun but it got kinda boring because we figured if you have money involved your going to strategize youself and not go all in with pair of 4's....

I am self taught through my many poker books and real life experiences. I own 7 poker books that I have studied and used to be victorious.

On doyles room I won 5 5.50 sit and go's in a row. In other words I don't suck.

I believe that everyone is constantly learning about the game and that makes for increased competition for the carp sharps like me self.

Does prison count? I learned watching my dad and his friends play over 30 years ago.The game then was 5 card draw or 7 card stud.I also learned that you dont get drunk and call someone a cheater or you get your a$$ kicked lol.

tv and small tournys with friends

I learned to play poker by reading a lot of books and then applying this in playing play money, then I moved on to real money.

I began playing poker after I saw Mel Gibson in Maverick. I instantly was hooked on the game of poker and began playing poker as early as age 9. I've been playing ever since :P and trying to avoid the Maverick Complex

Ive been playing poker since i was about 10 years old and i dont really remember where i learned to play .ive always been fairly good at it but just started playing holdem aboutabout a year ago .I can honestly say i learn something new everyday.Dont even bother with stud or draw anymore

I learned to play poker at a very young age by my mother and father. They taught my brother and I how to play and we would play at least once a week for pennies. I guess gambling was just in my blood. I have been playing poker at home games most of my life but only learned Texas Holdem last year on line when Club Dice started their trial mode. I enjoy it thoroughly and have met a lot of nice people on the site.

i learned to play with my family....we played a lot. Its paid off since poker became big. I usually don't go a week without making more money in poker than my "REAL" job.

I started out in my Teens playing at a few locals games and with friends. Than started playing Mostly 7 Stud at the Casinos as soon as I was able to get in. I played some Holdem but not a lot. Than Rounders came out and Poker on ESPN. Holdem became a craze and that is where the Fish were and still are. So that is my game of choice. I Prefer 30/60 Limit Holdem. I feel that Limit gives the advantage to the better players. In NL a Bad player can catch a lucky card on the river and take 5k from me. In Limit it will only cost maybe $300 for that bad beat and that I will get back . However I do play some NL cash games and Tourneys sometimes.

I learned by watching TV and then researching on the net and finding message forums just like this one...

I used to work at a casino, that how i got started, saw badbeat jackpots get won like 20k, 50k. Then someone told me about jetsetpoker. that was my first online site.Oh, and the first hand I ever played I had a strt flush on jetset on holdem. My very 1st poker at casino was 7card stud, my very 1st hand was royal. Thats how I pick my user id.

my dad was playing poker back when i was younger and he taught me. I started out a Ultimatebet with play money and i have slowly got better and better. I now play at absolute and think that the service and quality are both brillliant.

My grandma taught me and my family to play when we were very young. I have been hustling money from suckers ever since

i started playing at my local greyhound racetrack. They used to have $10 pot limits so it was a good way to learn and not lose to much money, then my first experience online was party poker and i got hammered badly, because i wasn't used to the tournament style.

College is what got me hooked. I play everyday either online or offline. Crazy, but it paid for almost half my tuition....Holler! Learned the hard way at frist though about chasing.

Typical.. watched it on TV, gave my semi-pro brother a call: "Hey bro, can you teach me how to win at this?".. He came over and went through it.. Took me to the Commerce Casino and staked me with a 100 bucks at a 1-2 limit table.. I was hooked.

I am the same way. Started playing 7 card hi/lo in Japan 30 years ago. Been playing online for about 2 months now and I'm still learning...

I started on partypoker

Where did I learn to play? Well at first I started getting into watching WSOP '03 and then a relative brought on Pokerstars.Com and I've played there and seen over a billion hands on here so I overall learned on Pokerstars.

Well about in the summer of 03' I saw the wsop and wanted to play, I went on plarty poker and my first tourniment ever I busted out 2nd hand, 2 years later I'm still playing

i learned from playing with friends and watching the world series of poker on tv. Back in high school, everday after school on friday we would have a huge poker night with about 18 guys with a 25$ buy in ... the good ol' days

in prison

i learnd to play by watching friends and tv. the first time i played , i came in 2nd and i was like this is fun. ever since i've been playing poker daily.... wit friends or online.

I had a friend who was playing low limit hold'em (.25/.50 and .50/1) online and pulling in 2-3x what I was making at my real job and decided it might be a business worth looking into. I bought a few books and have played off and on over the past year. Just now started on the .02/.04 tables on pokerstars. I'll get there. :P

I learned to play when my son was at a baseball tournament in Nashville Tennessee. He and his buddies were playing hold em in the lobby of the hotel and I wanted to learn so they taught me.

My dad has placed very well in WSOP tourniments but never won a blaclet, So i learned from him.

My family has always played cards so it is in my blood but I got serious about a year ago. The WSOP on TV got me intersted watching Moneymaker get rich. Me and the boys get together evry 2nd weekend or every weekend if the wives will allow, we play a sitngo style, $20 gets you $20 in chips and last man standing wins, we start the blinds at .25/.50 and raise them every 20mins. Each game lasts about 1-1/2 to 2hrs so we can usually get 2 or 3 games in and get home before the wives get too mad. I really learned by playing sitngos on Pokerstars, first with play money and then $50 real money which lasted about 3 months. I played live in a casino for the first time last week, played 4hrs and lost $5 (I was way up) due to back to back bad beats on runner/runner so I left on full tilt kicking myself for not leaving 15mins sooner up around $100

i started in house games, then moved to the internet about 2 years ago

Mrs Stalker bought me some chips at xmas, started hosting house games and played on line, read a few books, got addicted!!

i had a friend who was really into poker. and i would always talk to him about it. that is how i learned. and of course watching tv and playing in the internet.

i learned from my brother. Him and his buddies would come play a $5 dollar tournament, and if i wasnt attending in the tournament or got knocked out early i'd sit there and watch til the end. so i could get a better angle on knowing how that person would play.