I started playing online poker in 2011 on Pokerstars, of course
In the beginning, I played Play Money Games, Poker School Open League and Daily
freerolls awarding tickets for Weekly Round 2 - where you could earn some cash. Earning tickets for Weekly Round 2 was not an easy task as qualifying freerols were all type of
poker games one after another: Omaha, HE, Razz, Stud, 2-7, 5 Cards Draw, HORSE, Courchevel, etc. But it had a positive side too, as I learned to play all these varieties of poker, and I may say some of them I am doing very good and are my favorites up to date!
In these early times of my poker journey, there were also other interesting events like SEE League (South East European League games with LB structure) and from time to time also special events only for Bulgarian players ... So I must omit that these early times were much more interesting than nowadays, but eeeh ...
After a while I discovered other poker forums offering freerolls and LB awards, so I took chance of these, too. Opened an account at Full Tilt where I actually had better results than on PS. I still cannot achieve my largest cash out at FT, where using my last 2 cents I entered a 0,02+R satty for Double Deuces mtt - won an entry without a single rebuy and cashed 102 USD in that DD event. That happened in 2013, when Pokerstars already owned FT, so all my winnings from FT I had transferring to PS, what was wrong afterwards as I still could not improve my results on PS
Shortly after that I found CardsChat forum and joined, but I was not much active first couple of years. As soon as I started to be more active, I discovered how much opportunities CC is giving to its members to practice and learn the
poker game from all aspects you could imagine. Playing with other CC members is priceless in terms of improving your skill level. And here I must add that CC League level of play has no analogue or I still did not found such :top: The people here at CC are awesome, that is why our community is so prosperous and attractive alongside with all the great promotions and events ran on daily basis!
What else I am doing to become better (recreational) player is to watch poker vlogs from favorite players like Ryan Laplante, Matt Voughan, Doug Polk, etc. Also reading strategy articles released from Poker Upswing and other available poker resources...
I never deposited my own money in any poker room so far, and I do not intend in future too (except if some attractive Live Game is in question). I am playing only with money earned from freerols, leaderboards, special events and so on. But in the same time I could not say I am profitable at this stage. Still looking for my best type of game, still looking for a big shot, I am exercising in order to improve my skills and try constantly new formats and limits. Something I have limited a year ago are cash games, because of awful experience there. But I am actively put my shots on mtt's, sit&goes, spin&goes with different success. Also when I have enough time to play long sessions - I try my luck in main events like SCOOP, Micromillions, Common Cents, WCOOP and similar ...
The best advice was already given: patience! I would add also to consider every opportunity in every hand you are involved, to think on all aspects: whole cards, your stack size, opponents stack size, opponents stats, opponents notes, reading opponents sizing, flop cards, size bet, how to exploit the flop, turn and river, how to exploit the opponent, how to win that event - and all of this before your next action on the table
GL and see you on the felts :top: