Learning All Over Again

Where to begin? That is the question. In today's market, there are a plethera of sources. There are literally hundreds of different books and online sites that offer strategies and advice. One of the best places to start, in my opinion, is by reading Super System 1 & 2. This series is considered the Old and New Testament of poker. And I would consider it required reading for any serious poker player. So this is where I will begin my journey, again.

I decided to use this strategy as my foundation. From there, I will add information and strategies, but not try to over complicate anything. I believe this is where a lot of players make a major mistake. They read and study a lot of different material, and some of that material is counter productive to each other. One strategy is great for one situation; whereas, another strategy may not work in the same situation. I believe that you should have a solid foundation of both basic strategy and starting standards. From there, you can add more advanced strategies and reads. But you should try to understand one basic strategy and build from there. You also want to take your own playing style into account. You will have your "A" game and your normal playing style. These styles will vary from each other. At the beginning of a tournament, everybody is trying to play their "A" game. However, once they get comfortable and start to settle down, they will begin playing their normal game. You need to understand your normal playing style. Are you normally tight or loose? Do you crave action? Or can you be patient and wait for the positive expected value situations? This is why you need to understand yourself and your motivations.

A lot of players will consider Super System outdated and archaic. To some extent, I would agree. However, Super System is still a great source for learning a basic strategy for almost every popular poker game. The only reason why I would partially agree with the previous statement, is because so many people have read Super System. Super System 2 has some great information on other forms of poker, especially Omaha and Limit Hold'em. However, the No-Limit Hold'em section is a review of the original Super System.

Once I have finished reading the Super System series, the next book I will be reading is Daniel Negreanu's Hold'em Wisdom for All Players. I have been taking notes and devising my strategy as I go. I am doing this, so that I have a solid grasp of both basic strategies and starting standards. I have a lot of experience playing the game, so my strategy is not based solely on theoretical situations. I have taken just about every bad beat possible, and have had to suck out from time to time. So I have an understanding of how the game works and operates.

Well, time to get back to work. It will be a long and hard road. But I feel that once I am done, I will be a solid player that will continue to improve over time.