I recently started taking serious steps to improving at (Texas holdem) I watched a couple of the main events all the way through, but i don't know what to do next. should i try studying odds? I have no clue where to go from here and this site is kind of overwhelming. (sorry if this question gets asked a lot)

welcome, I really recommend having a good read of the stickies and faq in this very forum. Lots of awesome info in there for you to absorb.

doing so should help you avoid doing what so many have done before you - asking questions that have been asked so many times we have all grown sick of them and so have standard answers.

You will almost certainly have many more questions even after reading and absorbing the faq and this forum can help with them

Enjoy

Since we're talking about tournaments here, start by getting a book called Harrington on Hold 'em by Dan Harrington. You might have seen him on TV. It will cover all of the basics of playing a tournament. To give you an idea of what's covered, here are the titles of some of the sections of the book:

Part One: The Game of No-Limit Hold 'em
Part Two: Playing Styles and Starting Requirements
Part Three: Reading the Table
Part Four: Pot Odds and Hand Analysis
Part Five: Betting Before the Flop
Part Six: Betting After the Flop
Part Seven: Betting on Fourth and Fifth Street

It is a 2+2 book and you can get it that way or order it some other way. It will probably be available at Barnes and Noble as well.

As you start going through the book, you can come back and post if you have any questions. Also, whenever you are on this Forum, look at the different beginner threads. You might find one that talks about something that you want to know.

That should give you a pretty good start.

As to your odds question, yes, pot odds are very important. The better your cards, the more likely it is that you should play your hand. Pot odds are the same way--the better the pot odds, the more likely it is that you should play your hand. Here's an example:

If you have a flush draw after the turn, the odds against you hitting your flush on the river are 1.86 to 1. To make a long-term profit drawing to make flush, the pot should be giving you almost 2 to 1 odds, that is, if you have to call a bet of 100, there should be at least 186 in the pot.

Even if you didn't understand all of that, the basic concept is that pot odds are something that you have to know to be a decent better poker player, and Harrington's book covers the basics very well. But always feel free to ask about anything you want to know, or don't understand.

get a book.
This forum is not a good place to start imo. It is much more useful when you already have an idea about discussions. For complete starters, books are the best.

Whoops, I had a brain fart. 2 paragraphs above, I put the odds for hitting the flush on the turn OR river. The paragraph should read as follows:

If you have a flush draw after the turn, the odds against you hitting your flush on the river are 4.11 to 1. To make a long-term profit drawing to make flush, the pot should be giving you better than 4 to 1 odds, that is, if you have to call a bet of 100, there should be at least 411 in the pot.

2+2 has a wealth of information, but it can be difficult to find what you're looking for at the start, although reading the FAQ/Stickies will certainly help.
You might be better off following a simple structure like in Pokerstars' own Online school.
Have a look at the basic articles on this course, and come back if you have problems with them: http://www.pokerschoolonline.com/courses

http://www.reddit.com/r/poker/commen...ginners_guide/

Imo, don't buy a book, theres so much more (and better) information on the internet. Learn how to play really tight, just search around for it here on 2+2, and then play a ton.

Study like 1 hour a day, play more though. I agree that 2+2 is really overwhelming so I'd just stick to playing and like searching for "beginner guide 9max" or something.

Eventually, in a month or two, register and use a 7day free trial on deucescracked.com and you're to become a winning player!