Figured I'd split this into two subjects. This is Chris Milani from pokerstars for those of you that dont already know me from the forums. And well I tend to get a little flustered at these play money tables from time to time. Now I dont claim to know even half the shit of most of the guys reading this, but I am trying to learn so bear with me.

I tend to play the low stakes play money tables, and I realize that is probably a problem as its mostly gutter poker trash that play those stakes. But it's what I'm budgeted for as of the moment. When I actually bear down I tend to pull a few k an hour profit at these tables with out fail. Problem is, I tend to frustrate because of 1 or more of the following scenarios...

1. Too many players sit, and go all in on the first hand preflop negating any hand I have, and I finally end up calling and about 50% of the time I double them up. Now this tends to happen at these tables, and I understand that its play money, but damn if its not annoying as hell.

2. Players check/raising without knowledge of the concept. Too many times I sit on the button or one before, have had a hand post flop and it is checked around to me. Now at a normal table for real money, or players with any sort of skill my bet might not be so big, but I'll toss down a 500 chip and watch everyone minus maybe one or 2 call. Not everyone at this table is slow playing, fuck half of them dont even know what that means.

3. The bad beat. It happens, I know. This goes hand in hand with number 2. I play a paired ace, when its checked around to me. I have the top pair, I know it, they all know it (or should). If they checked around to me and I put 500 down when they have an over pair, or the Ace on the board high they should fold right? 9 times out of 10...nope. And whats even worse is when they continue to do it on the turn and river, then catch a second pair on the river and check thru to me who will usually bet handily unless their is a pair on the board, only to lose in a showdown because of stupid play.

4. Shit talking, or badmouthing. I'll take a beat, I know it happens, and everyone has their own style. I choose not to talk shit, unless its to one of my buddies and then they know its for grins. Well we get these "players" that take a bad beat from you and think their king shit. Keep playing your game, but its frustrating and I've actually turned the chat off a few times lately as I just cant see why people get so hyped over catching a miracle card when the pot odds/number of outs, and every other poker stat was yelling at them to fold and run.

I try to laugh at these people, but its slightly irritating, but I plan on making a deposit soon and would like advice on what to avoid if anything can be suggested to make sure my play money poker woe's do not translate into real money flounderings.

The books will be ordered (super-system, and theory of will be the first 2) and I plan on doing the work necessary to become a decent player as I enjoy this game immensely most of the time, but its got enough of an edge to really make me want to fly off the handle sometimes. Etiquette wise I think I've stayed up to par, but really i cant promise how long it'll stay that way if things continue the way they've been lately.

Any suggestions on anything I've stated as a problem in this post, or things I should watch for when i make the jump from funny money to real money would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Super System...I gotta get that. I picked it up....that is a thick book, man.

Chris, some advice that I stumbled across today in a book.

To quote Doyle Brunson.....

"It seems to me that many players who buy poker literature read it mighty haphazardly. That, in itself, isn't too damaging, but it means they recieve far from the maximum value for their purchases. The problem, as I see it, is this: Just the fact that a new book is in their possession gives some players the incentive to take daring strides into games they have no business playing.

Maybe they feel there's some sort of magic that comes with mere ownership of the book. You see them sit smugly at tables, unarmed but eager for battle. Their subsequent doom is always self-inflicted. Yes, a lot of good stuff has been written about poker recently, and more is coming out all the time. But you've got to read it to learn anything. Just brushing across the words absent-mindedly while watching television won't do the trick. But a lot of folks think that will do do the trick, and there's the problem."

Basically, what im saying is that going out and buying and reading the great poker books is probably necessary for you in order to take the next step of improvement. BUT its even more necessary to UNDERSTAND the words written inside of these books. I think that you did ask about how to read these books on IM once. And that is a good question. Read them over and over again. I first read "Theory" and Super/System like 7 years ago, and I know that each and every time I pick up and read one for even 10 minutes, I learn something or understand something better.