I started playing poker just recently while on a business trip with some coworkers. A couple of them are pretty serious poker players who play in online tournaments just about every week. I ended up learning how to play the game from them and subsequently won my first game against them, beginners luck, I know.
Since then I’ve been playing online with ‘play money’ on a couple of the well known sites and played in a couple local tournaments hosted by a large group of people from work. I’ve held my own with the home tournaments but last night I wanted to jump into online tournament play.

I made my first deposit and entered a tournament on PokerStars with a $3 buy-in. Initially I was surprised at how aggressive the players were, as opposed to home games. I was knocked out once and was able to re-buy-in and start with a base of $1500 in chips. Most everyone at my table had over $6K, the blinds were pretty high and I was playing tight. I didn’t get any good hands for some time and was down to $1000 in chips. I figured I had made it through the first break and the second was coming up soon so at least I had the option of buying more chips. I got another so-so hand Ks8s, the flop was ok, but I saw another spade so I figured for my last hurrah I would go all-in and chase the flush. At this point I had committed to nearly half my chips due to all the raising during the pre-flop so I didn’t figure I was going to survive. I got a spade on the turn and the river beating out a guy who had three of a kind, all aces. Yea, I know it was a bad beat for the other guy but prior to going all-in I tipped my hat to the table and told them I was chasing a flush and would be out soon. I doubled up and from then on I made nearly 36K before I was knocked out and out of 520+ people I placed 113.

So I didn’t win but I figured it was a pretty good showing for my first online tournament. Aside from the bad beat I played solid hands and got a lot of positive comments from other players. Next week I’m going to try another tournament, I’m hooked now. I'm off to buy some good books on online tournament play, reccomendations?

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-=DarkEvo=-

Harrington on HoldEm Vol 1&2. These will explain the aggressive nature of the table. Plus this was a rebuy tourney. Do a search here for rebuys. As a quick help you should immediately rebuy to 3000 chips and always buy the addon. Come to these prepared to buy at least 5 times. 2 times initial...2 more if you crap out...and then the addon. Some people advocate 7, but if you play decent it will be late in the first hour before you're buying a 3rd time and the blinds are going to eat your 3000 fast at that point.

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Trons: "...be a winning person first."
RECENT SUCCESS: December
4th place $20+2 Stars MTT $1740, 3rd place $15+1.50 Stars MTT $1300

I appreciate the advice and will pick up a copy of Harrington on HoldEm Vol 1&2 this evening on the way home from work. I'll use your advice this Sunday when I try it again

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-=DarkEvo=-