Do you remember the first time playing poker?

Macke

Just in general? At a casino? What were you playing? Shoot.

First time I played I believe it was 5 draw and I won my first 3 pots...then proceeded to lose the next 10.

trigs

7 card stud and 5 card draw with my father when i was really young. we'd play just for fun not even with chips. i still enjoy the 5 card draw but the 7 card stud is a tough game for sure.

Milo

Started playing with co-workers of my wife. The game was Dealer's Choice. It was also what I would now call bullshit poker (wild-card games, 7/27, etc.). It was spread limit poker ($0.50 any time, $2.00 on an open pair, $5.00 max bet on the last round, 3 raise limit per round). Was always profitable in this game, and still play it for the social aspect of the night. Okay, the $80.00 average profit is nice over the last year, but now the game is only 3-4 times a year, tops.

First serious game I ever got out to, was a WSPC event at the Wooden Rack in Mississauga. Missed the tourney, but cashed out for $285.00 in the 1/2 cash game they were spreading for the bust-outs.

These days I content myself with sucking out on Buzzzardd in the Forum Home Games.

piggypie123

My first time is very simular to Milos. 4/14, 7/27, kings and little ones, chicago,dueces and jacks man with the axe natural pair of sevens take all, seven card stud, and a bit of holdem, because it was just getting famous at the time in 2003. It was all quarter poker. I really liked 4/14 and 7/27, as they were good pot builders.

JimmyHo

use to play guts (which I consider a form of 'poker') with friends in high school. My friend's father would join us some nights and insist we play 7 card stud. Of course, he always took our money.

djgolfcan

First time I played I was 12, some of the older kids accross the street were playing in their camper parked in the driveway. I had a paper route and took $10 with me and proceeded to lose it all. I think it was 5 card draw, but can't remember. All I remember is the sick feeling I had not having any more money when I left.

I didn't play poker again until I went to Brantford, about 7 years ago.

Unknown

I started playing at work 3km underground. then online won 2 tourneys for about 2k...then i came to this site to prove that people are cheating and i knew how....2 years latter i have no idea what poker is.....

moose

I played at BCC a lot during the heady days of poker back in '05 @ $2/5.

I had a lot of little sngs at my curling club where we didn't know exactly what to do if someone went allin so we basically froze the betting so that there were no side pots.

My first local tourney was at Pokerdro's - Sandro and Miranda Aug 2005. That's where I got to meet some interesting people - hmm...Mario cracked my AA early in the main tourney with some trash and then 23Braad destroyed me in the loser's tourney.

Shortly after that I played in Beanie's Cook crew tourney, where I got to meet some guy named Redington. I think was a $2 rb and Tyson's table had something like 2/3 of the chips in play because this other guy named SirWatts was also at that table and there were a hundred rebuys or so.

Finally in Sept. 05 I reached nirvana and got in a Bristol Street event after multiple tries, where I ran into these guys Zithal, JohnnieH, and DrTyore (didn't realize it was phonetic). The Bristol Street events always filled within an hour or two, which basically led to me having to check the forum every couple hours to make sure there were no Bristol events posted.

Has six years really gone by?

compuease

moose wrote: »

Has six years really gone by?

Thanks for the trip down memory lane Moose. I remember some of those early Bristols (they were the best). Oldest one I can find documented on here is XXV, wonder where all the rest are as that one was in May 2006. I joined early 2005 I think and I believe I played my first Bristol that fall. And who can forget the drama (BBC Z vs g2) of the first Royal (Ryder at that time) and the last minute cancellation then resurrection at our current Milton location...

blackmagicz

We used to play a lot of Yuker (sp) and then suddenly 10 years ago people wanted to play cards....started with 5 card draw and eventually moved over to hold'em. Joined the forum right away as I was on other boards for my other hobbies at the time (cars). Always enjoyed lurking and learning from people and now here we are 2011. Through this forum I completed all my poker goals including playing my first 10K buy in event this year. My goals for poker were as follows:

1. Win a casino tournament
2. Be a winning player at cash games
3. Play a WSOP event
4. Play a 10K buy in event
5. Overall be comfortable in any game I play in
6. Try to learn as much as I can and be that guy who can share information.

Been a fun run so far, learning from other members, meeting a lot of forum guys and having an all around good time with poker.

moose

Euchre. Fail.

To find bristol street, search bristol, home game section, author zithal. They are all there.

moose

Best part about this forum was signing up for one of Acid Joe's tournies in Bradford - then finding out his last name when he sent his address and realizing that it was the same Joe I spent 4 years drinking with at Queen's over 10 years earlier (now 20, god).

anyrag_dipscat

My first time playing poker was at Rama, back when holdem was first introduced there. The memory is embarrassing because, beyond knowing the relative strength of the various poker hands, I knew nothing about holdem. I remember calling with any two cards and then folding on the flop. I flopped a boat and checked down to the river because I didn't know that I could bet. Then a new guy sat down and flopped a straight and started betting hard, so I folded and left the table, telling him he was "too aggressive for me."

I also remember being angry at the dealer because he wouldn't take my cash and sell me chips, but wanted me to go to the cage. Yikes. <cringing>

It might not seem like it, but I've come a LONG way since then. These days I can actually sit down at a poker table and look like I have a clue what I'm doing.

ReefAquarium

I played penny ante poker when I was in grade school.

$.01 ante, max bet ... $.10

In high school I read every poker book I could find.

I stumbled on Amarillo Slims, "Play Poker to Win"

He talked about a funny game called, "Texas Holdem"

Years later I stumbled on Phil Helmuth's "Play Poker Like the Pro's"

This got me interested in playing again...

I started played the Brantford 2/5.
I won freeroll tournaments until I had a princely bankroll of about $3.
Then I turned my sights on cash games.

compuease

moose wrote: »

To find bristol street, search bristol, home game section, author zithal. They are all there.

Earliest Zithal hosted tourney I can find is something called the Pokerforum Celebrity Challenge July 24, 2004.

http://www.pokerforum.ca/f9/pokerforum-ca-celebrity-challenge-results-942/

right after that Bristol Classic VIII, Aug 4, 2004

http://www.pokerforum.ca/f9/bristol-street-classic-viii-announced-976/


Couldn't find the earlier ones until I found that Zithal had posted them in 2005 under headings of Retro tournaments... My first was XX on Nov 2, 2005. I finished 15th

Here's Rob's report of Bristol I, but I don't know when it was, probably early 2004?? Maybe late 2003?

http://www.pokerforum.ca/f9/retro-report-bristol-street-classic-i-4526/

Cerberus

Comp, you failed me. Was waiting for an epic trip report of some guy in your first game with this shaggy hair and homeless guy beard going runner runner perfect on you three hands in a row, incluing you flopping quads to lose to his runner runner royal flush.

And that man's name was...














































Jesus Christ.

compuease

cerberus wrote: »

comp, you failed me.

in before ban...

born2cruz

first memory of poker was at our fishing cottage in Quebec. Once the sun set and the rye came out we'd play 7-card stud for nickels and dimes 3-bet max limit. As the rye started getting taller in the glass that's when the fun started. Baseball, Chicago, follow the Queen deuces and one-eyed Jacks I always lost

reibs

My story isn't as good as most, but I think I started playing around '04-05 ish with a few good friends. Never played anything other than holdem. Once I learned the basics I started going to The Red Hot Poker Tour games at local bars (wasn't old enough yet for the casino). Free entry, win prizes for first type thing. I really had no clue what I was doing, but I shipped two tournies that year and made the final in Toronto. I think I finished like 13th/120 or so in that final tournament, & only final table won stuff... Thats when I decided to try internet poker....

Since then I really haven't gone back to playing much live, other than a home game here and there....

STR82ACE

First time I can remember playing any kind of poker was when our family went camping when I was about 10 or 11. My brothers had convinced a half dozen or so other kids, along with about four young girls, to play strip poker one day. This is in the heat of summer and none of us wore more than our bathing suits. My brother, ever the opportunist, would change the rules of the game constantly in his favour, as he did with EVERY game he played, and made it difficult to know who was ahead at any given hand. It wasn't long before the parents found out though and we were all grounded...in a canvas tent...in sweltering summer heat...for the rest of the weekend.

Never really played again until I found this site. Tried to find the post for my first ever home game, but couldn't find it. Man I was green. Pokerface9 was the first person to arrive, and thank god he brought his own chips with him, because the ones I had would NOT have been enough. Total of four of us played some $20 SnG's and I got slaughtered every time. After that game, I started looking into playing the game, read a crap load of books, found other sites, and played a lot of local games.

Compared to that time, can't even tell you how long ago that was now, I've come a long way, but I'll never be a Wetts or Watts or Vekked. I play now mostly for recreation online and more for socializing live.

crazykoby

I remember my Dad teaching me how to play 7 card stud when i was around 7-8 years old. It was my first lesson in the game about never playing with what you can't afford to loose. He would make me play with my own money (just penny game's) but still i think my allowance at the time was only $1 or $2 a week. He would beat me every time and gladly take my allowance. He always told me that the lessson was don't bet what you can't afford to loose.

RWPKRPLR

The first time I played poker was about 6 years ago. Before that I had only heard it mentioned a couple times in conversations. The big game then was dominoes. So after asking a million questions about the game at work. Me and a couple co workers decided to go to casino rama and give it a try. I remember the day like it was yesterday. A very cold, overcast day in February. We car pooled up to the casino each taking $100. When we arrived we headed right for the poker room where we signed up for 2/5 limit. There was about a half hour wait that day to get on a table. After about a half hour my name was called I got my chips and headed to the table. I sat down in seat 7 and looked around only to notice a few of the regulars were licking their chops ready to take my money. Then the dealer asked "would you like to post?" I didn't care then, so I did. My first two hole cards were A8 of spades. All of a sudden the action started and it was raise, raise, raise until it capped out! not knowing the strength or how important position was I called all of the raises. With five players in the hand. The flop came down AA6. I thought to myself this sweet I might win! lol Well the action didn't stop it capped out again without losing any players. Then turn came down an 8. I thought sweet I can't lose! Well it capped out again. lol. The river was a random 2 and the action continued once again it capped out. Once the betting was done I revealed my hand and one by one they all started to muck. With my hands shaking I raked in $275.

A Short time after a pit boss comes up to me and asks to see my ID. I gave it to him and for some reason he took it for a walk. About 20 minutes later he shows back and gave it back and says " GL sir " lol.. I found it weird that he took it away! Anyways by the end of the day I had accumulated $800. Which made for a awesome first trip to the casino. Ever since then I have been playing and learning ever chance I get.

JohnnieH

Used to play Stud and Draw for pennies in high school. Somebody had a set of Bicycle cards & chips. We thought we were the big time by playing Deuces Wild, Pregnant 3s and Kings and Little Ones. Once I finished up $2, spent it on 2 cheeseburgers from McDonald's. High Rolla, yo!

Got back into it once I met Drtyore. He hosted a SnG at Ineedanicks place. Actually convinced them to play Stud after Hold'em and took it down

Next he took me to some MTT in Waterloo that he knew of. Kept talking about this Rob guy who hosts tournaments, and was having a 'crazy rebuy' game where you could draw your fate from a bag of chips on the table. My 1st Bristol St event was Merry Xmas Madness II! Talk about a debut!

Mark, Rob and the rest of the crowd made the game a ton of fun I was soon hosting my own games and the rest is history.

hiphopopotamus

Ran a regular lunch time nlhe game during high school in the SU office from 2000-2002. Started playing in Calgary at Elbow River casino (limit 4/8) in 2002 when I turned 18. Started playing at Cash Casino tournaments shortly after. Got serious about poker in 2003 after reading Killer Poker and just took off from there. Online poker, I started in 2003 too I think.

Milo

I have that book, and a few of Vorhaus' others as well . . .

hiphopopotamus

Milo wrote: »

I have that book, and a few of Vorhaus' others as well . . .

Great book. It's always the first one I recommend to people starting out.

I haven't read anything else by him. How are his others?

Milo

Not too bad, though perhaps a bit dated now . . . I still leaf through them now and again, as I do most of my library . . .

ReefAquarium

hiphopopotamus wrote: »

Ran a regular lunch time nlhe game during high school in the SU office from 2000-2002. Started playing in Calgary at Elbow River casino (limit 4/8) in 2002 when I turned 18. Started playing at Cash Casino tournaments shortly after. Got serious about poker in 2003 after reading Killer Poker and just took off from there. Online poker, I started in 2003 too I think.

I have John V's books.

I think he is awful, Why do you like his stuff?

getem76

probably about 10-12 played a ton of "kings and little ones" (no hoddy here) about .50 a hand 1 draw .25 for the draw, made a killing upon it before taking up a real game, probably more around 15-22 played MTG then realized its all based upon luck and cards, cant bluff to win!...took up holdem, enjoyed it a good 4ish plus then discovered the wonders of PLO....still learning that game, think thats the life long goal to learn to play omaha!

hiphopopotamus

ReefAquarium wrote: »

I have John V's books.

I think he is awful, Why do you like his stuff?

I think it's really good for people starting out who generally play pretty passive. It's easy to read and just teaches you that aggression is required to win at poker.

Fwiw, I can only speak for the original Killer Poker book. Haven't read anything else by him.