Student Poker Blog

My Student Poker Blog, where I get to ramble...

Don't worry, I'm going to try not make it so boring.  I'll keep some regular chat going with any advice that pops into my head.  It's gotta still beat your assigned course reading!

14-10-08

My favourite opposition

Right then, in my last blog I was going to about the favourite type of player I love to play against, as opposed to random sports figures.  So here it is; and it's incredibly simple: a consistant one.

This mainly comes in two forms, one of which is much better to play against than the other.  The first type is the person who simply cannot stop betting.  No matter what the pre-flop raise is; no matter what they have it seems, they're going to hang around until the end.  This is a great type of player, as more often than not when you have a good hand you can start thinking not 'how do I win' but 'how much would I like them to lose to me?'  A dangerous assumption sometimes, but when they're as consistent as the person I was playing yesterday, they become like a bank you tap up for resources everytime you have a hand.  Write a note about this player, and try to find a room with them in.  They're golden.

The other type of consistant player is the one that will only bet when they have the Nuts or something close to a locked-down, guarenteed by a sovereign government loan best and winning hand.  You fold.  If you see this type of behaviour, then it's will probably be because they're a) happy to let one player (as described above) match them when they do have that type of hand, and so they win big occasionally; or b) they're not paying enough attention to how they play because they're playing multiple tables.  Either way, you can read them like a book and thus, not lose any money to them.  Of course, they could be trying to create a 'persona' that they'll use to bluff, but you'll notice subtle differences in this type of player such as them betting a little more frequently and laying down hands on the river etc.

If you end up in a room with either type though, at least you'll have narrowed down the opposition by one or two, and so the more subtle 'unknowns' can take more of your attention to figure out.

05-10-08

Who'd I like to play against most?

I was going to write about what type of player I'd like to play against most, but then it reminded me of an interview question I've been asked: who would you most like to invite round to dinner and why?

So, I was thinking which famous character(s) I'd most like to meet at the poker table, for an entertaining game that I'd ultimately win.  For me the first guest would have to be Alex Ferguson.  I'd love to see how his strategising and mind games would be transdferred onto the poker table.  He'd be a really tough opponent I imagine, although I think he might lack the ability to start strong (as Man U often do), and would then struggle as a small stack which is a position he's unused to.  So hopefully I could win out.

Another guest would probably be Ronnie O'Sullivan.  I mean, he's a genius with the fiery, uncertain psychology that would make any game interesting.  He'd be the dark horse...either winning it in a blaze of glory or crashing out in a flurry of bad calls.

Finally (I'm going to imagine it's a small coffee table we're playing on, so only 4 can play), would have to be Lewis Hamilton.  He's the natural talent, seemingly running away with it all.  But then, what's this?  He's getting the 2-horse race, end of the line jitters!  Facing down Lewis at the end would be an ideal result, as he tries too hard, calls my pocket aces and comes off the track at the last minute...

Ok, so no practical use for you there but I enjoyed the moment.  Maybe I should be more adventurous than sporting personalities but it's a blog, I've got time to have more fantasy games.  Who would your ideal poker guests be and why?  Let us know in the comments section...

28-09-08

How to get going

A question I've not answered yet is what to expect when you click on one of the banners found on this website.  What happens next?

Well, if you've been tempted enough that you want to start playing online poker, and you click on a banner, the next thing you'll be asked to do is download the software to allow you to start playing.

All the sites promoted on this site I have downloaded and played at myself, so I know they are stable and virus/malware free.  Some sites allow browser-based play, whcih is cool, but I still prefer having the software run off my computer for added speed and stability.

Once you have the software, you'll be pompted to open and run it, and then to sign up for your account.  I keep the same account name for all my sites, but it's up to you.

You can then elect to play for fun, with your allotted play-money.  Or you can jump straight in and make a real-money deposit.  Again, all these sites are fully covered with solid payment systems to protect your details, so don't fret.

You can then take advantage of any bonuses you are being offered, and bobs-your-uncle, you're off playing poker!

16-09-08

It's all about preparation

No sport can be won without first preparing for it.  Poker is no different.  Do your research to start with.  Get the basics.  These are the fundamentals of course.  But what about when you understand the basics of online poker tactics?

What should you be doing before the start of every poker game?  Well, to start with you should think long and hard about what you want to achieve.  Think: When will I quit if I start losing?  How much is enough for me to win in one sitting, that I'll be happy to walk away with?

How are you feeling that day?  Aggressive, tentative?  Don't try to play against how you are feeling otherwise you'll make unwise choices; and you'll lose.  Poker strategy is about going with the flow.  If you feel comfortable you'll do well.  Also, if you're in an 'extreme' mood i.e. if you're feeling really aggressive you'll probably make rash decisions, so just avoid playing that day or until you've calmed down! 

So, be prepared strategically i.e. know what to aim for.  Be prepared mentally i.e. know how you'd feel comfortable playing.  And know the basic.  If you've put these three things in place, you should have the right online poker strategy to do well that game.

08-09-08

Playing in the Past

So my student poker blog today will tackle a big no-no in online poker strategy. As a student poker player, or any other poker player really, you'll probably find yourself up against the ghost of the past at some point.

What do I mean by this? Well, it's when you lay down your hole cards only to watch them become the nuts, after you can do nothing to bring them back to life. You watch hopelessly as someone else takes down all the poker winnings of that hand, when you would have creamed them and the other guy!

And then, low and behold, you're dealt the same hand (or very nearly) something the very next deal. Is it a divine message from God? A miraculous second chance to cruise to poker riches?

No, it is usually the sign that you're going to play badly this hand, and lose a lot of money, because you're playing the ghost hand of a past round. I know I've done it, and to play better poker you have to learn to lay it down again – if it is the right thing to do in the context of that round. A winning strategy is to block out all memory of the last round of cards. Pretend, using your amazing student imagination, that this is the first hand of the game. What should you do based on that? Based on the situation as it is in front of you, not as it was a hand earlier.

Only this can help you win more poker hands and avoid large losses based on emotion, not judgement. Online poker strategies are varied, but to play better poker you have to minimise your reliance on luck, superstition and hail mary's and play the situation immediately in front of you.

01-09-08

Best Poker Movies

Another entry of the student poker blog. This time – my favourite poker movies.

I think my favourite has to be Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Ok ok, so it's not strictly a poker move. But the central premise revolves around a card game gone wrong. And it's a brilliant film. Even if you think Guy Ritchie's follow on stuff is rubbish, you can hopefully agree with Lock Stock.

What else is a good poker movie? Well, Rounders is entirely based on poker. Matt Damon, like him or not, is pretty good in it. I'd say it's an all round good film, especially when they're in the middle of hustling the large room of cops.

And then there's Casino Royale, bringing poker to the masses as James Bond lends it his cool authority. When a British Secret Service agent has to play No Limit Hold 'Em to save Queen and Country, you know poker is on the up. It also happens to be the best film in the franchise since, in my opinion, From Russia With Love.

Not happy with my opinions? Want to suggest your own. Discuss it in the Student Poker Community forum!

22-08-08

Is playing poker really good value for money?

Everything’s relative, but here at Student Poker Community we believe that online poker is extremely good value for money! Especially when joining the best online poker sites. And here’s an easy comparison by which to measure the value of online poker: How long can you nurse a pint for? Let’s say you can even manage to nurse a pint for 30 minutes, that’ll work out at least £6 an hour in Gordon Brown’s Britain.

So lets compare that watered down pint of Carling with what you can enjoy when playing poker online. Take a 4/8cent no-limits table. That’s a minimum of 4p everytime the action gets round to you, with the cost potentially rising whenever you choose to put money in the pot. And to start with, a student poker player doesn't want to be betting blinds much bigger than that.

How long will £6 last if you consistently lose? Probably 150 hands of losing nothing but the big blind would drive you insane before it made you broke, so we’ll say you bet decent wagers of 50p in the pot every 5 hands. And each hand takes maybe an average of one minute to play out. We’re still talking 60 minutes of online poker action, and that’s only if you consistently don’t win a hand. That’s not likely!

And with the help of Student Poker Community, chances are you should be coming away richer not poorer. So is online poker good value for money? Well, I can quite happily spend £5 a day on some excitement, skill and interaction, something that stimulates the brain and cures my competitive streak. And you can’t just look at it in terms of losing, because you win too.

As in a previous article, it’s often better to look on this as a ‘how much can I earn per hour’ as opposed to ‘how much does it cost per hour?’ if you go about it the right way. And the best online poker sites will continue to add valuable bonuses and offer to frequent players too.

The conclusion? Online poker is an extremely cost effective way to entertain yourself for hours on end, and being a UK student having to put up with miserable weather, I’d suggest not having to leave the room to enjoy it is another bonus!

The Student Poker Community verdict = online poker is good value for the UK student. We wouldn't promote it if it wasn't!

15-08-08

Managing your online poker time: because time is money!

Learn your course subject and get good at online poker?  How will that work with all your time pressure as a student? At Student Poker Community, we think we can help...

Time pressures – despite what people say – students do have genuine time pressures.  Often for the first time you’ll be expected to cook, clean, iron, shop etc. while going to lectures and seminars, read materials to support studies and of course, make the time to meet new people and make friends which will often be friends for life. 

Student Poker Community is committed to offering you a portal that will entertain you and help you meet new people, but it is not the be all and end all!  Playing student poker games is fun, but should be balanced against the other activities.

And if you want to make real money out of poker, lets say the equivalent of a part-time job, then you’ll have to dedicated several hours a week to it.  This means serious time management skills, and the ability to say enough is enough.

But lets imagine how you can make it happen for you. The dream – a job you can play in bed – of being classed as an online poker pro.

Lets say you want a £100 a week job, you probably should aim to make about £10 an

hour.  So that’s maybe one hour a weekday, and then a 5 hour splurge on Friday or Saturday night to make 10 hours of ‘work’ at £10 an hour, provided you’re winning of course!   

Now, once you’ve started accumulating more money, you can play higher stakes and accumulate your winnings (earnings) a lot faster.  But for a term (or two) I wouldn’t expect or stake too much in any one session.  It'll probably take at least one full term until you can pretty consistently make £10 an hour playing online poker.

But it is possible. I knew a guy in my second year who nobody saw after the first term, he even seemed to stopped going to lecture. The next time we saw him he was moving out of halls. When we asked why, he shrugged and said he was quitting because he'd made another £30k that term from online winnings. An exceptional case maybe, but one that illustrate the possibilities of online poker as a student.

So to recap, spending 10 hours a week playing online poker means that’s 5.95% of your time spent on enjoying yourself, making friends and making money.  Leaving you the other 95% to eat, sleep, do chores and make even more friends! 

Not a bad job if you can get it.  And at Student Poker Community, you stand the best chance of achieving it!  You can even start to play in our recommended rooms now.