Watching Texas Hold 'em on TV

[ThePresence]

I am not a card player, I barely know the rules of hold 'em.
I usually switch the channel when I see card games, but for some reason I decided to watch this time.
It's 2 hours later and I'm hooked.

 

[pyonir]

haha...it can be. I'm not a card player really either...but i find myself watching it late at night...and just zoning out. lol

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Just remember, if you think you're learning by watching the WSOP or any other tv show, you're not, it's the last place you'll learn anything. If you want to learn, play online in the free rooms and grab a book or two to teach you.

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
Just remember, if you think you're learning by watching the WSOP or any other tv show, you're not, it's the last place you'll learn anything. If you want to learn, play online in the free rooms and grab a book or two to teach you.

Well I am learning how the game works. Obviously I'm not learning enough to play.
But why do you say it's the last place to learn anything?

 

[tasmanian]

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
Just remember, if you think you're learning by watching the WSOP or any other tv show, you're not, it's the last place you'll learn anything. If you want to learn, play online in the free rooms and grab a book or two to teach you.

The only thing i learned from watching poker after dark is that they have lots of patience. Having patience is the only way you will win.

 

[KK]

I don't get the whole online playing deal. It seems like alot is taken away from not being able to read the other players. Of course you could be reading someone wrong face to face, but that seems like half the fun of playing.

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: KK
I don't get the whole only playing deal. It seems like alot is taken away from being able to read the other players. Of course you could be reading someone wrong face to face, but that seems like half the fun of playing.

I don't even know what only playing means.
I'm not watching WSOP, I'm watching European Poker Masters.

 

[tasmanian]

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: KK
I don't get the whole only playing deal. It seems like alot is taken away from being able to read the other players. Of course you could be reading someone wrong face to face, but that seems like half the fun of playing.

I don't even know what only playing means.
I'm not watching WSOP, I'm watching European Poker Masters.

He means online. You play the free section to just up your skills.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Watching other people play cards is right up there with watching other people read or play golf. Seriously, watching a bug in the grass or, a bird fly, is several magnitudes more entertaining than watching Poker on TV.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
Just remember, if you think you're learning by watching the WSOP or any other tv show, you're not, it's the last place you'll learn anything. If you want to learn, play online in the free rooms and grab a book or two to teach you.

Well I am learning how the game works. Obviously I'm not learning enough to play.
But why do you say it's the last place to learn anything?

Ah, you can learn to play

I just meant that if you think you're learning strategies or something, you're better off playing online. Part of it is simply due to the fact that you only see a few hands out of the whole game, you won't get to see every hand and keep an eye on what they fold, play, bluff, etc.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: tasmanian

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
Just remember, if you think you're learning by watching the WSOP or any other tv show, you're not, it's the last place you'll learn anything. If you want to learn, play online in the free rooms and grab a book or two to teach you.

The only thing i learned from watching poker after dark is that they have lots of patience. Having patience is the only way you will win.

I've been playing a bit tonight, and I think my longest wait between a winning hand was 30-40 hands. I might have won one or two, but my pocket cards were worthless so in the end, they're not profitable enough to play, so I folded them.

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
Just remember, if you think you're learning by watching the WSOP or any other tv show, you're not, it's the last place you'll learn anything. If you want to learn, play online in the free rooms and grab a book or two to teach you.

Well I am learning how the game works. Obviously I'm not learning enough to play.
But why do you say it's the last place to learn anything?

Ah, you can learn to play

I just meant that if you think you're learning strategies or something, you're better off playing online. Part of it is simply due to the fact that you only see a few hands out of the whole game, you won't get to see every hand and keep an eye on what they fold, play, bluff, etc.

I saw every hand. Maybe the European tournaments show it differently?

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
Just remember, if you think you're learning by watching the WSOP or any other tv show, you're not, it's the last place you'll learn anything. If you want to learn, play online in the free rooms and grab a book or two to teach you.

Well I am learning how the game works. Obviously I'm not learning enough to play.
But why do you say it's the last place to learn anything?

Ah, you can learn to play

I just meant that if you think you're learning strategies or something, you're better off playing online. Part of it is simply due to the fact that you only see a few hands out of the whole game, you won't get to see every hand and keep an eye on what they fold, play, bluff, etc.

I saw every hand. Maybe the European tournaments show it differently?

Hmm... quite possibly, I haven't watched it enough to know for sure, but so far the books I've read don't recommend trying to learn from it. As for their reasoning, I forget.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Reason you won't learn by watching on TV is they only show the good hands when something happens. They don't show all the hands in between where everyone folds before the flop.
What I'm learning is, poker is a grind. A patience game. You have to be willing to fold hand after hand until you get something you feel you can play.

Playing online lets you just concentrate on your cards and the community cards, so you can analyze all the different possible combos that you and the other players have, or could have. You get that part down, then when you play live in person, if you get a talker at your table it won't throw you off so much while you're trying to decide what to do.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
Just remember, if you think you're learning by watching the WSOP or any other tv show, you're not, it's the last place you'll learn anything. If you want to learn, play online in the free rooms and grab a book or two to teach you.

Well I am learning how the game works. Obviously I'm not learning enough to play.
But why do you say it's the last place to learn anything?

Ah, you can learn to play

I just meant that if you think you're learning strategies or something, you're better off playing online. Part of it is simply due to the fact that you only see a few hands out of the whole game, you won't get to see every hand and keep an eye on what they fold, play, bluff, etc.

I saw every hand. Maybe the European tournaments show it differently?

If it was heads-up you might have, but I doubt TV showed every single hand of a table full of players.
I'm sure they made it seem that way, though.

It is pretty cool though, isn't it? I used to think I'd rather sandpaper a tiger's ass than watch poker, but I find it very compelling now.

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb
Reason you won't learn by watching on TV is they only show the good hands when something happens. They don't show all the hands in between where everyone folds before the flop.
What I'm learning is, poker is a grind. A patience game. You have to be willing to fold hand after hand until you get something you feel you can play.

Playing online lets you just concentrate on your cards and the community cards, so you can analyze all the different possible combos that you and the other players have, or could have. You get that part down, then when you play live in person, if you get a talker at your table it won't throw you off so much while you're trying to decide what to do.

The show I just watch showed all the hands, even when they all folded.
Like I said before, perhaps the European shows are different?

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
Just remember, if you think you're learning by watching the WSOP or any other tv show, you're not, it's the last place you'll learn anything. If you want to learn, play online in the free rooms and grab a book or two to teach you.

Well I am learning how the game works. Obviously I'm not learning enough to play.
But why do you say it's the last place to learn anything?

Ah, you can learn to play

I just meant that if you think you're learning strategies or something, you're better off playing online. Part of it is simply due to the fact that you only see a few hands out of the whole game, you won't get to see every hand and keep an eye on what they fold, play, bluff, etc.

I saw every hand. Maybe the European tournaments show it differently?

If it was heads-up you might have, but I doubt TV showed every single hand of a table full of players.
I'm sure they made it seem that way, though.

Well I only tuned in when they were down to eight players.
Even i f they didnt show every hand I saw a bunch of times where they all folded before the flop.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb
Reason you won't learn by watching on TV is they only show the good hands when something happens. They don't show all the hands in between where everyone folds before the flop.
What I'm learning is, poker is a grind. A patience game. You have to be willing to fold hand after hand until you get something you feel you can play.

Playing online lets you just concentrate on your cards and the community cards, so you can analyze all the different possible combos that you and the other players have, or could have. You get that part down, then when you play live in person, if you get a talker at your table it won't throw you off so much while you're trying to decide what to do.

The show I just watch showed all the hands, even when they all folded.
Like I said before, perhaps the European shows are different?

Maybe. Late night on cable, they might show the whole thing just to take up time.

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
Just remember, if you think you're learning by watching the WSOP or any other tv show, you're not, it's the last place you'll learn anything. If you want to learn, play online in the free rooms and grab a book or two to teach you.

Well I am learning how the game works. Obviously I'm not learning enough to play.
But why do you say it's the last place to learn anything?

Ah, you can learn to play

I just meant that if you think you're learning strategies or something, you're better off playing online. Part of it is simply due to the fact that you only see a few hands out of the whole game, you won't get to see every hand and keep an eye on what they fold, play, bluff, etc.

I saw every hand. Maybe the European tournaments show it differently?

If it was heads-up you might have, but I doubt TV showed every single hand of a table full of players.
I'm sure they made it seem that way, though.

It is pretty cool though, isn't it? I used to think I'd rather sandpaper a tiger's ass than watch poker, but I find it very compelling now.

What is Heads up?
Excuse my n00bness.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
Just remember, if you think you're learning by watching the WSOP or any other tv show, you're not, it's the last place you'll learn anything. If you want to learn, play online in the free rooms and grab a book or two to teach you.

Well I am learning how the game works. Obviously I'm not learning enough to play.
But why do you say it's the last place to learn anything?

Ah, you can learn to play

I just meant that if you think you're learning strategies or something, you're better off playing online. Part of it is simply due to the fact that you only see a few hands out of the whole game, you won't get to see every hand and keep an eye on what they fold, play, bluff, etc.

I saw every hand. Maybe the European tournaments show it differently?

If it was heads-up you might have, but I doubt TV showed every single hand of a table full of players.
I'm sure they made it seem that way, though.

It is pretty cool though, isn't it? I used to think I'd rather sandpaper a tiger's ass than watch poker, but I find it very compelling now.

What is Heads up?
Excuse my n00bness.

2 players

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
Just remember, if you think you're learning by watching the WSOP or any other tv show, you're not, it's the last place you'll learn anything. If you want to learn, play online in the free rooms and grab a book or two to teach you.

The one thing you learn playing online is how many idiots play online and all they do is play every hand no matter what the cards are. I play no limit online as if I were playing limit poker and pretty much only play either the nuts or the 2nd best hand. I can make a few moves with agressive betting but for the most part to play online for free where its fake money you are better off just playing quality hands if you wanna come out ahead.

 

[anxi80]

interesting they show every hand. i dont mind watching poker on tv but i think if i had to see every hand id get bored quickly. fold; fold; fold; fold; call from the small blind, raise by the big blind, fold to the raise; fold; fold; fold....

 

[sandorski]

Texas Holdem is fun to play and sometimes fun to watch as well. You can definitely learn a few things watching it on TV, but like most things it is better to Do in order to Learn.

 

[pray4mojo]

the only thing youre gonna learn from playing free online poker is how to play bad.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

You definitely don't see every hand. IF you've ever played at a casino you know how slowly the game goes. There's a reason you sit there for like 5 hours only to get a few amazing all-ins.