Anime Texas hold 'em

[Revenant]

I learned the rules a few days back and started playing with people - live, of course. Have been using tournament rules so far, so not betting cash yet. It is amazing how much depth and opportunity for psychological improvement this game has. Any players on the Codex? Where do you play, how often, with whom? Do you bet cash? Friends of mine used to play online poker for money, but I heard it was banned some time ago.

 

[Galdred]

I played a lot of online poker when it was allowed. It is still allowed in many countries, but here in France, the taxes are so high (lol at a tax/pot) that you cannot beat the house+the government, so there is very little point in playing.

The level was better, but you could play more tables. You ended up playing like a robot (I played 4 to 6 tables at once. One of my friends played up to 12).
Actually, I was a semi pro. I tried to play part time poker and use the second half working on my game (it was another one at this time), but getting enough cash/month playing poker took so much time and energy that I didn't get much progress done on my game.

The level of the average player is also much higher than it used too, and now that it is botable, it might be even harder to get any serious money out of online poker that it used to be, so I would not recommend it (at least, that is what my friends who are still playing tell me).

I also played in casino which was a much nicer experience as you could have conversation, but it was also weird to have direct contact with people you were trying to get money from. The rake and taxes are higher but the playing field is so bad that it is still more profitable now IMO.
It used to be around 5% when I played. 3% with rakebacK. It is now 7% after tax, and 4.5% with rakeback.
It is a huge difference, as you lose the money on every pot you win, so it can quickly reach 50% or more of your winnings as your edge is usually not that high.
Being taxed on the overal profit would have made much more sense, but the French government only saw it as a big cash cow, and never thought about the implications that taxes would have over the number of players.

I don't play anymore (I kind of burnt out), except sometimes with friends. It is critical to bet money to avoid everyone playing like donkeys. Even a tiny cash prize (if playing tournaments) or stack size (if playing cash game) would do. We had a stack size of 2$ when playing together (we used to play with a stack size of 100-200$ online or live, so it was only to make sure people where not doing dumb things to unwind).

Regarding strategies, the most important part is knowing how to mix up your game: how to leverage your reputation to maximize gain.
Wheter you are loose (play a lot of hands) or tight (the reverse!), you also need to be agressive, and bet/raise much more than you call (folding is ok of course!).
Paying to see the cards is usually a losing proposition.
Also, discipline is king. Don't believe the small voice telling you that "it will be ok, at worst, you'll see the cards and improve" when you have a strong suspicion you are beaten.
And when evaluating your strategy, don't take into account the data you could not suspect (ie, if you managed to win because you lucked out a 1:5 draw, don't consider it a good play, and try to make sure it does not happen in the future).

I played a lot @Full Tilt (which has been bought by Pokerstars since).

 

[da_rays]

We usually play around the week end a bunch of friends when we have some free time from work , family and other life inconviniences . We used to play 5 cards stud poker but envetually changed to Hold em . Now to cater to everyones play style , the dealer set the rules for the turn ( Hold em , 5 cards stud , or any other variants ) . Bunch of cigar , few case of beer and voila! And we bet money everytime we play . We just chip 5 or 10 bucks each , split all the chips evenly for everyone and when the evening is over ( or when the drunkness is too harsh ) , we count the chips and the 2nd get his investment back , and the 1st player get the rest of the money pool . It either get your beer cover for the night , or you lose 10 bucks , which is not that much getting drunk with friends .

Ive played online a few years ago like your friend , around 10 tables at a time , twas fun , but for me poker , card game , board game must be played around a table with people. Else , how are you gonna fuck up everyone psych with a solid poker face ?

 

[ghostdog]

I play with friends 2-3 times a month, when we can gather around. Starting bank is 20euro each and you can re-buy if you want. Divided in small chips so the game can last a bit.

We start with classic texas hold'em and at some point when we're getting drunk we change it to "poka" (it's a Greek version of poker, it consists of various games with some special rules). Poka has some crazy variations of poker which are great fun, especially after a few drinks.

 

[Darth Roxor]

It is critical to bet money to avoid everyone playing like donkeys.

Can confirm.

Back at uni we used to play hold 'em (Texas and Omaha) each day we had a longer break between classes. Unfortunately today we no longer play so much due to obvious reasons, but still we always take a token set and cards everywhere we go in case we hear the call of the gambler.

Good times.

 

[NotAGolfer]

Also, discipline is king. Don't believe the small voice telling you that "it will be ok, at worst, you'll see the cards and improve" when you have a strong suspicion you are beaten.
And when evaluating your strategy, don't take into account the data you could not suspect (ie, if you managed to win because you lucked out a 1:5 draw, don't consider it a good play, and try to make sure it does not happen in the future).

Agree, but only on the discipline is king part. The rest depends on pot odds. Especially when playing against beginners it can actually be the best move to call them often and hope for the unlikely big hand to connect. And then let them give you a big chunk of their stack with their 2 pairs or other shit they just won't lay down because they know from TV that you have to play tight. And since you are doing the opposite and call all the time of course you're the noob.
I played a small brick&mortar no limit holdem tournament (very small stakes though) once and against a lot of these players I called like crazy because they always gave me good pot odds with their timid bets. Still only finished second because one of these fuckers actually had balls and raised 2/3 to 1 pot size all the time. He was a lucky idiot though because he did this with a lot of shit hands too and played way too loose (also I knew him and knew that he's a moron), but in the end the blind schedule turned it into a crapshot contest (like it often happens). Still, he deserved it more than all these pussies that bet 1/5 or even less of the pot so I was okay with it.

 

[sser]

I used to play a ton and was quite good at it, too. Cash games in people's homes, in the back of bingo halls (with the obligatory off-duty cop paid to watch the back), in (strange for Texas) basements with thick metal doors and the sliding peepholes and almost cliche password usage. Have had chips thrown at me. Chatted with a cholo missing half his hand on account of bullets. Got accused of cheating when I called three bluffs with nothing but ace-high. Watched a guy get muscled out of a room with pointed jackets barbing him in the back (read: guns). Played games in some really, really rough areas. Always. Always lost money at the casinos, though. Could reliably clean up cash games, but all them casino lights or something always got to me. Amusing that I read this as I recently had the itch to go try and play again.

 

[J1M]

When I play this I walk away with winnings, but I find the game extremely boring.