Learning poker online

Hi,

I am a beginner and have just learnt the basics of poker. I thought I'll first learn Texas hold'em thouroughly, since it seems to be the most popular game online. I have read some and now I know how to play and understand the basic statistics etc.

Yesterday I registered at Noble poker. The games go so fast that you hardly get the chance to look at your cards, let alone evaluate them before it is your turn again. I need to practice in a slower enviorentment, so that the basics sit really well. I thought I would check out some poker schools.

Do you guys know of a site where beginners can play either with each other or with a computer and practice?

I don't have the need to learn advanced strategies yet. I just need to be able to practice.

Appreciate your answers.

leony,

I don't know how much you have read or what books but I do suggest you continue to read and learn. Forums like Cardschat are also a very big resource for strategies. I'm also not sure what kind of tables you played at Noble(this info would be a bit helpful to help you)

You have to remember in the beginning you need to be very selective on the hands that you play and what position to play them in. If you have been reading you will already know this.

Play tables are helpful ONLY if you you don't play like most people at play tables. If you know the strategies about the game you have to play it that way or you won't be learning anything except bad habits from your table mates IE:chasing hands or going allin every hand.

Many of us out there started playing and learning with freerolls. A possiblity of free money while learning the game. But here again you have to watch the players. Many are new like yourself to the game and/or learned by watching the TV shows out there where only a few select hands are shown instead of the boring ones. Infact poker in general can be quite boring at times, because alot of the times you are continually folding junk hands. That's why you see many pros/amatures on the tv with headsets on.(they're passing the time away between hands.)

I started here locally in Tulsa with a free live league a few years ago after already playing online for a bit. I also had a bit of home game experience with draw and stud poker. You could possibly check in your area for a league similiar.

But you know on Weds Here at Cardschat we have 2 freerolls, that may help you. Here are the links: the first link is the site we play on Titan(similiar in Noble's graphics) the second link is where the password will show up a few hours before the tournament starts.

https://www.cardschat.com/sites/22.php

[old link~tb]

You also don't say where you're from, but I know there are a few computer software programs that are at my local discount store like Walmart or Target(if you're in the states) That you can practice and learn in your own comfort zone. I am not sure how much they are probably aroun $20-30 or so. I think wsop has one and WPT may have one also. There are a few available on Xbox and PS also I do believe(probably a bit higher than the computer software)

I'm sorry I wrote you a book here. I hope some of this was helpful to you.

Welcome to Cardschats!!! Very Glad you found us It's a Great place to be!!!

The games don't tend to go by quite so fast when there's actual money on the line... but you do need to be able to think through a hand fairly quickly, and that's part of the requirements for playing online poker.
I'd recommend keeping at it, because the last thing you want when you're trying to make a consistent profit is waiting so long between hands that you're falling asleep by the point that you get a playable hand - generally, the faster the hands go by the better.

That said, try playing at a full table (which tends to go somewhat slower as a result of there being more players to act), and try playing freerolls or micro stakes ring games rather than play money, because other people will be wanting to think about their actions.

Thanks Tina and Starfall for valuable info.

Although I have read quite a bit on poker, there are a million things you can't learn about poker by reading. Unfortunately the town I am living is a small place and there is a lot of negative talk about poker. So getting a group together would not be an easy thing.

I don't live in the usa so I will have to buy software online. I found one (wilson - turboTexas Holdem) which is not that expensive. It is evident that I am not set yet to play any real game online. It takes me ages to just digest the cards i have been dealt. I thought I will buy a one month membership at pokerschoolonline.com and maybe the wilson software, a little later on.

leony,

You're quite welcome. The idea about pokerschool isn't a bad one at all, you definetly know what you want. Again keep reading

leony, if you need the practice without the risk, then yep, the best bet would be the freerolls. I've also registered with Noble just this week, and have played a few of their freerolls, that's how I started out in online poker. You need patience for them, with 1000 entries they can go on for hours, but they are good for learning. Just remember that a lot of people play differently in freerolls to how they play in money tourneys, as they are not risking anything, and most tend to like an early lead, so go all-in with at best, medium hands. Also, Absolute have freerolls every half an hour, so you can play a couple of them at the same time to stop the boredom factor.