Page 10 - June 2005 • Southern California Gaming Guide

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE
All-In First-Time Poker Player by Maya Winkler
Was it the lure and fantasy of rubbing elbows with Ben A eck at a Southern California poker table that led me to my latest adventure? Or was it my TV remote? (Blame the inanimate object!) Seems that every time I channel surfed, I had at least three choices of di erent poker
programs to watch. I have to admit, I was pretty fascinated with Celebrity Poker Showdown for a while. Yes, I have joined the millions of people around the globe who are playing poker—mostly Texas
Hold’em—for fun and (we all would like to believe) pro t! What led me from blackjack and the ding- ding-ding of my favorite video poker and slot machines to the poker tables?
BOOKS FOR THE FIRST-TIME
POKER PLAYER:
Hold’em Poker by David Sklansky—By now a classic that provides an invaluable approach of seeing cards in “hand groups”. One of my “foundation” books.
The Body Language of Poker by Mike Caro—Also known as “Caro’s Book of Poker Tells”, makes players aware of gestures and postures that are big giveaways to experienced players. Some of these were revelations to me.
Play Poker Like the Pros by Phil Helmuth, Jr.—I am still reading this excellent book. The strategy chapters are worth the price. Covers all poker games.
Get the Edge on Low-Limit Texas Hold’em by Bill Burton—I learned betting, and the basics of the game from starting with this low-limit classic.
In my poker journey I discovered the following about this incredible gaming phenomenon: ere are few games where fate can change so much from hand to hand.
at may account for why casino Hold’em tables and tournaments are full, poker Internet sites are jammed, and poker events like the World Poker Tour and the
World Series of Poker are now major news events!
In a game of Texas Hold’em players (good ones, that
is) have to use consummate skills of poker knowledge, experience of play they can draw on, and the ability to
“read” other players. It takes
great focus and knowledge
to be a good Hold’em player.
You’ve got to know when to
hold and fold, to realize the
potential hands on the table,
and keenly observe how
opponents respond to their
cards. Each player is unique,
and has a special approach.
Some rely on their intuition. And while not everyone agrees on strategy, they do agree on what they like most about the game: It is about beating your opponent, and getting the most chips.
But the most enticing element of the game to me is the blu . (Is that why so many actors are good at this game?) And it’s one of the main facets of the poker. Blu ng is
the classic trick. Of course, the reason to blu is to make other players think you have a better hand than you actually do.
So what about my poker journey? First, I was a poker voyeur. Besides being glued to the TV to follow the World Poker Tour and all the new poker shows, I also watched numerous online and live games and tournaments.
en I became a poker scholar. I gured that since some of the top players are Ph.D’s, that poker demands not only
superior critical thinking, but knowledge, which the best players were smart enough to get. It’s interesting to note that the skills involved in computer science and engineering are the same that are involved in poker: a focused approach with a set of
constructs that determines outcomes. Add the element of high-risk taker, and you have a poker player pro le. So it’s no surprise that many of the world’s best poker players either have math or computer science backgrounds. e reigning poker stars are a unique group of people who are mixtures of the methodical and the radical—most of who knew enough to study the game to get an edge.
See my picks of poker books for rst-time poker players above. Some are written by celebrated poker players
en, armed with basic poker knowledge, I began to play the free games at online poker sites—and watched others play. It’s simple to do. You download the software, sign up (it doesn’t cost anything unless you eventually play for real money), then click one of the active tables and watch how the game moves and how poker hands are played. If you want to play, click an open seat on a free- play table and start playing. e educational process is greatly accelerated. Online there are always poker games to play or watch. Naturally the free games are wilder and somewhat unrealistic compared to money games, but in terms of o ering a way to learn the fundamentals, nothing else compares. See my favorite online poker sites below.
And then, I graduated to my rst live Texas Hold’em tournament! I got my rst pair of aces in a free tournament at a San Diego casino. If you ever hear of one of them, run to play! ey are perfect for rst-time players. is is where you will get to use your knowledge and skills in a live game, without risking a lot of cash. One of the rst things I quickly realized was how little I knew about betting. Online, the betting is prompted for you. But in live play you have to understand the blinds and quickly get with the betting action or you feel like a dunce holding up the action. By my fth free tournament, I placed 14th out of 200-plus initial players—not bad for a confessed slot player! (Ed. note—Check out where you can play live games and tournaments in Southern California on page 15.)
And yes, I am still playing! Stay tuned for my next poker installment—who knows, you may see me (along with the other 6000-plus players) in the World Series of Poker!
Maya Winkler is a non- ction writer who says she is the luckiest casino player she knows. She plays in casinos all over the United States.
ONLINE POKER SITES FOR THE FIRST-TIME POKER PLAYER:
PokerRoom.com—This was the rst site I played in. Great graphics, plus multi-table tournaments No download is required to play on Poker Room.
PartyPoker.com—Party Poker stresses free play at their new site PartyPoker.net (tag-lined ”World’s Largest Poker School”). PartyPoker.com has a big multi-table tournament every year called the Party Poker Million. They have the world’s highest online poker traf c to their site.
HollywoodPoker.com—Has the unique approach of presenting players with the opportunity to play against famous actors. James Woods is an of cial spokesperson. The graphics are great, and they offer a bunch of options to customize player experiences.
Paci cPoker.com—Is one of the favorite sites for many Texas Hold’em players. Online money players I know recommend this site.
AbsolutePoker.com has a great and well-organized website. A ne Texas Hold’em site. Allows you to play at three tables simultaneously.
Page 10 June 2005