With my baseball cap pulled low and my dark designer sunglasses hiding my eyes, I took to the poker table with more confidence than a guy at an all-girls school.
I was an amateur. Nothing more than a novice at a game that features money — lots of it.
With $55 in chips, I started playing. “Slick576” thought they were pretty smooth, but I took ‘em for $2. Same with “loadedfred.” After I was done, he was loaded no more.
Yet after an hour of gaming, I was down to $34.75 and it was only the first night of my poker experience.
The game of Texas Hold ’em has become one of the most popular individual “sports” in the entire country. So popular, in fact, that ESPN programs tournaments constantly on its network.
A few months ago, I had heard about the phenomenon and decided to try to learn how to play. I bought a Hold ’em software for my Palm Treo and figured it would be a good way to pass the time during my hour-long train rides to and from New York City.
I had barely touched the program until I was presented with the opportunity to write about the game I had once yearned to learn. Given a $50.00 budget, I took to some friends, books and the Internet to learn a game that could make you millions and take just as much out of your pocket.
Two good friends of mine were the first people I approached regarding the game. Mike Steffe and Ellie Miltner are both amateurs; however, they’ve learned the play the game and consider themselves “pretty good.”
“The game of poker seems easy, but it’s a lot of luck,” Steffe, 23, said. “I’ve played for a few years now and just when I think I have it down, I’m wrong.”
The game is played with anywhere from two to 11 players using a standard 52-card deck. The dealer will toss out two cards to each player and betting begins. Depending on your hand, you will choose to stay in or fold, which means to bow out of the game.
The dealer will flip three cards in the middle of the table and your goal is to create the best hand using your cards and the community cards. Eventually, after numerous betting options, five cards are in the middle of the table and the person with the best hand wins.
“It’s a great game because you only get two cards compared to five or seven,” Jason Steuer, 30, said. “It makes the game very tense when that last river card is flipped.”
Steuer started explaining to me the best hands to be dealt. The best spot to be in during the game is to have a royal flush. This consists of a king, queen, jack and 10 all in the same suit.
You could also have a straight flush, the second best hand, which are five consecutive cards of the same suit. Next, having four of a kind is a solid hand, followed by a full house. A full house is where you have three cards of one rank and two of another rank – for example, three sevens and two kings.
A flush is when you have five cards of the same suit, which is ahead of a straight, five consecutive cards no matter what suit. Rounding out the hands, three of a kind beats two pairs, which obviously beats a single pair.
Over the next few days I did more research into the game. I began to learn that it was just as much strategically mental as it was luck. During my practice rounds, I also began recognizing the similarities and suits that I needed for good hands.
I signed up for an account on PartyPoker.com and figured it was easier than a drive to Atlantic City – heck, that $50 budget would have gone to gas for my SUV. The place even compensated me $5 just for signing up.
Before signing up, I made a pact with myself that I would not go to a table with over .50 big bets. I know, it’s pretty funny how — select answer: 1) cheap, 2) careful, 3) smart — I was being, but I had to realize I’m just a beginner.
My first few hands were okay, a couple of pairs and nothing more. I was down $10 when I won two hands for a total of $15.75. I had made .75! Yet, this was for research so I couldn’t stop when I was ahead.
“BlueMagic” put a spell on me and after an hour of playing measly .50 games, I was down $15.25 the first night. It was 12:30 a.m. and it was time to go to bed – actually, I wasn’t ready to stop, but I was talked into it.
The next day I did some more research into the game and began realizing that it may seem simple and friendly, but it can get downright nasty. I was ready to be one of those players that make my opponents look silly.
I started off the day playing a few practice rounds before heading over to the real money tables. My first hand landed me a jack and seven; however, an ace and jack had been placed in the center of the table. Another flop landed a jack again, putting me at four total. Throwing my complete $5 in, I ended up taking $10.50 before signing off for the night — $44.25 in the bank.
It was the last day of my poker experience and I knew I’d most likely lose all the money – for the sake of my column, of course. Starting the day at one of the easier tables on the board, I began losing money quickly.
“PokerStar42” was just as their name suggested and grabbed a $14.00 pot from me and within an hour I was down to $5. For this would not have been possible without the help of “SugerCainy,” “MarkJac22” and several other players who used my performance as an easy money-making scheme.
My last hand was one I thought I was going to win. I had two pairs (queens and eights) and figured I’d go all in against “SouthPaww.” When the dealer called the winner, I was left in the dark. For good ole’ “SouthPaww” had a full house (three kings, two nines).
In all, my Texas Hold ‘em experience went over very well. I have to say that it’s a simple game to learn and a harder game to master. After seeing the way I played this week, I think I’ll hold off on a trip to Atlantic City for a while.
Then again, I think I’ll hold off on PartyPoker.com, as well.
This article originally appeared in the Hunterdon Voice newspaper.