In the begining there was...

a cell phone that had a little game called 5 card draw on it. This is how I learned to play poker. And it also made me love the idea of playing it for competition. So I watched poker on tv, noticed that there was alot fo competition for poker.

So some good friends of mine, that were bartenders asked me if I wanted to join them at their game after the bar closed. I had never played with others before, and was really excited to do so.

Of course their intent was to have a sucker in the game who would be easy money. And I was.

The game was Texas Holdem. And the buy in was $25.00. 10 guys, winner take all.

Well I didnt do so well in this game. I was drunk as hell, and I think I was the second guy out. My friend so happened to be the one to bust me out, and when I busted out he stood up and shaked my hand, and said "good game sir". It wasnt malicious, or sarcastic either.

From that point on I seen that this game was honorable. And I really needed to get good.

So the next couple of months I played every chance I could. I started to see that people were bluffing and getting away with it. I could SEE that they were bluffing. I could also tell when they werent. They would be betting different with different kinds of hands, and after awhile I got good at knowing what a guy, or girl was holding.

I picked up reading people fast. Knowing what people were playing, and knowing when they were bluffing became the first weapon in my arsenol (sp?).

So I started doing pretty well. Going out in second alot, winning here and there. Getting respect for becoming decent. I started learning a little bit about odds. But math and odds are something Im not very good at. I also needed to learn to bluff. And heres the way I see it now with bluffing: its a timing thing. You cant bluff all the time. Theres a time and a place to bluff. Bluff the wrong guy, get broke fast.

A room mate of mine a couple of years ago didnt like poker, and thought everyone was full of bs when we talked about knowing if someone was bluffing. So he eventually wanted to proove he could start playing poker and beating us.

So the first game he played with me he tried to make a huge bluff on me, so I watched him closely, seeing if he was going to give away what he had, and he started laughing. Having seen us play, and seen it on tv, he didnt really think it would affect him when he was getting the staredown.

So I raised, he folded. From then on he likes poker.

There is something absolutly divine about this game we play. Magical. I cant put my finger on it, but I know its there.

Anyway, sorry for the long thread. I just was thinking about how I got started in this game, and thought I would share.

Feel free to share your story of how you got started, I enjoy thinking about the good ol days of poker, when we didnt know how to play all that well and had to learn.

Piece, and gl at the tables!