when they say tournament, it's really a series of smaller tournaments, leading up to one, main event. this goes for all of them, including the World Series of Poker, where you see just the main event (10k buy in NL holdem) so, for example. at the foxwoods events, there is a $500 buy in No Limit (as well as some other buy in events, limit holdem, omaha, etc), that lead up to the 10k buy in NL Holdem main event. i plan on buying into the the $500 NL Holdem tourney at the Tahj, but will skip the $7500 main event, which is also NL Holdem. you do have a chance to get into a main event, if you dont wish to pay 10k, by placing highly in mini tournaments, called satellites and super satellites, that will win you an entry into a main event. good luck
In addition to all of that...Foxwoods also has other poker tournaments throughout the week. Example: Every Tuesday night at 7:00, they have a no-limit Texas Hold'em tournament with a very small buy-in. These tournaments are not satellites, they are just unrelated competitive tournaments in addition to satellites. They also have limit Texas Hold'em tournaments on Monday nights and Saturday mornings.
Question for those hold-em players out there: Do you guys find that the 5-10 games are sometimes easier to play than the 2-4's? From my limited experience, it seems that with 2-4 there is much less reward for "good" play, as those lower limit tables seem to have a greater percentage of loose players willing to see every flop -- they'll call you with 3-5o and beat your AK with a 4 on the river. In other words, with a large number bets frequently in the pot it makes it worthy for all those gutshot and backdoor flush draws to stick around, making it harder for good starting hands to hold up. Bluffing is also less successful at these tables. Are the tighter games in the higher limits better to play for these reasons, or is this just the faulty reasoning of an amateur, and that in fact all those loose callers are just what is needed for you to build your winnings?
Hi illiquid, If a skilled Player wants to play Texas Hold'em at a casino. He would be much better off playing a higher limit game. Once you become somewhat skilled, start playing the 5-10 games, stay there until you have control over your game. The 5-10 is a great table to develop your skills. Then move up to the 10-20. Then you can make some good money for your skills with some good play. In my opinion, that is the perfect game. Once you become a "real" player, go to the 20-40. Do not attempt to play a 20-40 game until you have complete authority and command over the game. When you do, after time and practice, you will be happy to play the 20-40. Do not move up to a highly limit game unless you are 100% comfortable with that. You gotta be able to bet. You can't think about the money. You just gotta play the cards. If you have fear, you will lose. So, you are better off at the lower limit table until you are 100% ready to play the lighter limit. You have to accept it and be comfortable playing it. Nothing wrong with playing a lower limit game, just always practice your skills, always be on your game, develop the good habits and never deviate from that discipline. 1) Trust me, purchase the Wilson Turbo Texas Hold'em software. Practice on that for a least 1 month, if not 3. Depending on how much time you put towards it. 2) Purchase a few basic books on Texas Hold'es. Read them. 3) Subscribe to Card Player Magazine. It is an expensive magazine, but it is well worth the price. Your trading will benefit from it too. 4) If you live near a casino or card room, play there. Skip the internet for now. You can easily develop bad habits playing internet poker. You will benefit so much more playing in a real card game. Texas Hold'em is a great game. There is so much to it. It's similar to trading, you will learn something every day. It's a nonstop learning experience. And you mostly learn about yourself. It's such a great game. There are SO MANY similarities to trading, it's amazing. But you gotta take it slow, practice, and slowly progress. After 3 months, you will be amazed at what you can "see" in the skill. Then after 6 months you will "see" things that you weren't even aware of when you were playing for 3. Then after 1 year, you will "see" things in the game that you never new existed when you were playing for 6 months. It's a great thing. I wish you the best, gotta_trade
personally, i hate limit holdem, and if you have aspirations of playing in any of the WPT events, then you might as well start playing NL right now. the problem with limit is you can't bet big enough to force people out, so you get sucked out on the river by somebody who has no business staying in the hand. i find the advice of moving up in limits before you have conquered say a 2/4 game questionable. the players are much better as you move up, and you need bad play to make money. for example, i dominate a certain NL single table level, but every time i move up, i get worked or break even at best. they are just so much better at the higher buy in game, than at the lower level. i have the wilson software, but don't use it, although some people swear by it. i'd rather practice against real people on the internet than a computer program.
yes...tons. the best ones make over a million a year, and this number will increase. it's absolutely blowing up, due to the first official televised tour (the world series was always televised once a year, but now there are 13 events on the travel channel that make up the World Poker Tour). when the corporate sponsors start coming in, the purses will get bigger. it's a good time to get in.
to guys that have become profitable at both could you compare and contrast the leaning curve. Thanks becaue it might be fascinating. For instance because you broke thorugh the psych barrier of getting profitable did you ramp up faster in poker, How bout when you someone makes a big bet. In friendly games I have said to myself what would my stop loss be on this trade should I take that bet. I found amoung friends with limited skills it got easy. How is it in real games.
Thanks alot for the tips! And I completely agree about the similarities with trading -- the only big difference for me is that I very rarely get a chance to play at a casino, and end up staying longer than I should only because I most likely won't be able to go back again for a month or so. Otherwise the patience/cutting losses/keeping profits part would be alot easier if I could make it there on say a daily or even weekly basis.
I know what you mean. When I'm playing I need to play for a minimum of 8 hours. But I can easily play for 12. If I wasn't married, I would live there. But if you notice that you are getting tired and/or your discipline is changing, you have to make a change, and that change is usually to stop playing and go home.