imo the only book worth reading is "mathematics of poker", but that is far from a beginner's book.

if i were to learn NLHE from the start, i'd watch a tons of HU vids, then start playing HU at the lowest stake available, then switch to 6 max using same process.

fastest way to get into it IMO ; getting solid post-flop skills playing 12/9 FR would be just waaaaaay too slow

edit : also HU SNG for learning how to adapt to different stack sizes.

I always meant to read that book. Math is definitely the worst part of my game. How advanced is it? The most advanced math course I took in school was college algebra.

Yeah HU would be a good idea to start. Although who plays FR at 12/9? lol I was a nit and I played 14/11

i'm currently reading it so i don't have a full view.

i find it to be pretty "advanced" math-wise, but i'm as math noob as you are ;-) anyone who had some kind of math course at uni should find math basic tho.

it basically covers : basic stats stuff (including Bayesian theorem), exploitive play, unexploitable play and game theory ((solving from ultra simple "toy games" (one street limit poker with cards face up,....)) to more and more complex ones).

it doesn't learn how to play poker *at all*, but gives all the tools to think about it right. altho most of the concepts explained should be well-known - at least intuitively - by any solid mid-stakes player, knowing the "how's" and "why's" can help a lot.

you'd be surprised : i'm currently trying to help a friend with his game - he plays micros recreatively - and believe it or not, 9/8/3bet2 at 5c/10c FR on stars seems to be the norm, 12/9 for 6 max (!). playing optimal in these games (huh, like 24/22, probably more ?) would require obv solid post-flop skills but i don't see a noob being profitable with that style and if he was, he'd probably better off moving up and not wasting his time winning pennies so..... yeah, HU ftw for our noob , then kill the nits. it has to be the way to go :-)

this is a great method for taking a highly intelligent friend who is totally dedicated and turning them into a possible future online cash game crusher. However if you're talking about a casual playing friend who has some aspirations of turning their slightly losing game into a slightly winning game you're just inviting frustration and the creation of a million leaks. Plus even if the person was able to develop a solid winning HU style (which could take a very long time without serious coaching or help) you would be putting them in a bad spot transitioning to 6max and full ring. Noob players tend to make mistakes by being too loose and not knowing what to do in marginal spots. Teaching a person to play HU is going to create a perception of ranges and situation that simply won't be there at micros 6max and FR. I think you'll end up with someone who's spewing left and right and trying to figure out why everyone always has the nuts. I think starting with FR or 6max you can develop a pretty solid breakeven game that will keep someone from getting frustrated or losing a lot of money while they figure out if they're interested enough to continue the journey. If they aren't then they have a solid game that they will keep them above water when playing recreationally.

If the person is interested in a book or training method it would be important to know what the player's background is with poker and what they're trying to accomplish. My guess is that NLHE Theory and Practice would probably be a good place to start assuming the person wants to play NL. Theory of poker is always good if the person is serious enough that creating the right theoretical background is going to be worthwhile.

And the training sites are certainly good although most casual players would be better just taking the free week at a site where he can download the content and rewatch and just download all of the beginning micros videos.

A book (or two) is the best method. The reason is that for a person to make it all the way through a book, he has to be at least somewhat serious. It weeds out people who think they want to play online poker but who don't even have the discipline and drive to get through a book. I have had numerous people ask me how to play poker. I've always recommended a few books to get them started. So far, nobody has actually read one, much less two or three. This has saved everyone a lot of time.

Poker is not rocket science. All it really takes to win is some discipline. Anyone who is reasonably intelligent and who is prepared to log the hours it takes to learn the game will ultimately be able to win. Trying to devise a precise methodology for this is putting the cart before the horse. First make sure the guy has the basic ingredients and level of interest it takes to become a winner before trying to shape him into one. If he makes it through a book or two, then tell him to get a training site subscription (a poll I conducted suggested Bluefire was the best option) and get him started at LSNL. HU, 6-max, FR... they all have their advantages and disadvantages, and it will come down to your assessment of where his style will be most effective.

All that said, starting someone in online poker right now seems about as wise as trying to launch a line of SUVs with V-10 engines that get 8 miles per gallon. You might want to wait and see how things shake out in the next year or two.

@pizzle : well i did say "watch a ton of HU vids then" ; and obv switching to FR/6 max requires studying some sort of preflop chart + adjusting to tighter ranges, but that's probably the easiest part, right ?

and yeah, poker has to be the worst career ever to chose right now, so frankly if it's all about having fun while making a few bucks, i don't see why FR would >>> HU.... i mean and even if it was all about making a few bucks the easiest way, no matter the boreness of it, micro HU turbo SNG >>> everything for that matter.

@Nick : i hate to say it (jking ldo) , but you do make quite a big point


edit : and ofc, if it's to take it seriously and maybe try to move up/win a bunch, i'd learn PLO right from scratch

lol I was beating 100nl FR a few years ago playing 8/7

Isn't that what you played at mid-stakes in 2011?

nah I learned the looseness at lower stakes just didn't cut it with the big boys so had to revert to a solid 5/4 style.

there is a guy on i poker who plays 9/5 with a fold to 3bet of like 87%

he can't possibly win, can he? unless he bumhunts like a madman

dunno haven't looked him up on PTR, only have few hundred hands on him. Might be slightly exaggerating with the 87% but it's def over 75%

I mean it's probably smart to fold that much to 3bets when you're that tight. If I was 9/5 I wouldn't expect people to be ever 3b bluffing me (until they pick up on what sparky has) and wouldn't really expect them to 3b QQ/AK very often so I'd call flatting a 3b with KK against a reg when you're a 9/5 kinda marginal lol and AA is only 10% of a 5% opening range.

meh....maybe he's not opening the best 5% of hands for deception/balance purposes, or lost his preflop chart ?

I raise.

Have a guy on ongame at 9/6/1 (ongame is 9max vs ipoker's 10max)

Pretty sure his FT3B is high too.


Huge bumhunter, god seat or nothing, wins slightly.


Wouldnt be surprised if its the same person though.

just curious... how much poker (let's say at 5/10) do you have to play to get comped for a room at one of the nicer Vegas hotels (Bellagio, Wynn, Aria)? Or do they only comp meals and/or give a "player rate"?

as far as I know they aren't ever comping for low-mid stakes play poker play. they'll give you the poker room rate for a certain number of hours per day, but sometimes that isn't even better than other deals you can find.

who was "bxeepxbeepimaxjeep" on ftp?

6 hours a day at Aria or Venetian gets you their poker rate, cant remember what it is at either, but I remember it being a decent deal, esp at Aria. Standard comps are $1-$2 an hour at 5/10 and lower

You get a poker rate, and you sort of get meals comped. If you want to get actual free rooms and comped meals, you have to play stuff besides just poker, in which case it's not exactly free.

sick JMT track

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r0KpWMNxnM

bink

http://www.subjectpoker.com/2011/12/ftp-gbt-agree/

SKDJFKASJFIAISDFJIAJEFLKJFKLSDKFJA

yes!

Early Christmas gift. Talking about gifts, I get an email every time you add something to your wish list damnringer. I guess I'm still following you on Elfster. Cool jacket.

lol... it emails you!? wow.