Rookie tries hand at poker at Central City's Fortune Valley

As a rookie, poker has always been a challenging game for me to approach. Not because it seemed overly difficult, but because I’d always imagined poker games as impenetrable clubs taking place behind closed doors. I pictured dimly lit, smoke-filled rooms where large men chomping on cigars suspiciously peered at each other over a handful of cards. I pictured old-time saloons where hardened cowboys who play games with rugged names like “Texas Hold Em,” “7-Card Stud” and “Draw,” kept a bottle of whiskey close and a sidearm even closer – just to even out any odds they didn’t deem in their favor.

Recently, though, poker has become less of a mystery. More and more tournaments are broadcast on TV and countless tables are now visible in casinos all over. Those doors have been opened to the general public, and the players inviting us to sit at the tables don’t look like Tony Soprano or Jesse James, they look just like you and me.

“It’s a great time right now for new players,” says Stuart Sutterfield poker room shift supervisor at Fortune Valley Hotel and Casino in Central City. “The current popularity of the game has made it a better environment for everyone. New players are getting the courage to get off the rail – or sidelines – and join in the game, and the more experienced players are happy to make them feel more comfortable. And because of the friendliness of our market, they’re much more willing to help them out.”

Thanks in large part to media exposure, Texas Hold’Em is the game right now, particularly with younger players, because it’s quicker and features more action. And, as Sutterfield pointed out to me, it’s easy for beginners to get a feel for the game and get the courage to sit down at the table.

Before you get ready for that first deal, it’s good to have some knowledge of the game. Study up on the basics like winning hands, bets and table etiquette. You can do this by watching tournaments on TV and watching games at local casinos. But poker is a game by which you learn best by experience, so you may also want to try your hand at online free play and at video poker machines in the casinos – a good way to learn winning hands. But poker is first and foremost a social game – so don’t wait too long before visiting a real table.

Start at a full table with the lowest limit or buy-in, and look for the table having the most fun – you don’t want to sit with a bunch of sourpusses who have no patience for a newbie. A solid choice is the $2-$10 max bet games at Fortune Valley; these are very social games where players are able to stay in the game, hitting on the occasional hand. And the games often move at a friendly pace that creates a good learning environment.

As a beginner, you’ll want to play your hand “tight.” That is, make smart bets to stay in as long as possible. You’ll want to start out only playing on face cards and pairs. It is vital to choose the right hand before you start throwing your chips around – otherwise you’ll end up a “fish” (read: sucker). “Fish” can typically be seen swimming around nighttime games after a lot of booze, betting on more hands rather than knowing when to check or fold.

The more you play, you’ll start to find trends in play and players. Eventually, you’ll look for player “tells” regarding bluffing and raising bets (though you’ll actually be able to see them better when you’re much more experienced). Psychology is a big part of the game and reading people is vital, particularly later on as you gain more experience.

Interestingly enough, a rookie has a distinct advantage in that other experienced players don’t know how to read the new player vs. players they see all the time. So, why not use that to your favor and bring your basic skills to the table? It’s a safe bet that you’ll be welcome and that you’ll learn something new and valuable.

And it’s an even safer bet that you’ll have a heck of a lot of fun doing so.

—By Michael Behrenhausen

THE BASICS:

Texas Hold ‘Em:
— House dealer gives you 2 cards of your own and deals 5 community cards.
— Combining these: Take the best 5-card combo to make the best hand.
— You are betting on the cards you weredealt as well as the following 5 the dealer lays out.

The action:
— Dealer “button” starts the action and moves around table from player to player after each hand evening out the odds.
— Blind is to left of dealer button; Big Blind is to left of Blind.
— Blind and Big Blind must bet; Big Blind is usually equal to minimum bet; Blind is usually half that.
— Looking at your 2 cards, you can “check,” “raise” or “fold” (with no penalty during early stage).

After blind:
— Dealer puts out 3 cards (“the flop”); first round of bets or checks are made
— Dealer puts out 1 more card (“the turn”); second round of bets/checks
— Dealer puts out final card (“the river”); third round of bets/checks