[PShabi]

Was just having a smoke and reading through some of the hand quizzes in SSHE (again) and something popped in my head.

My first poker experience will be two years ago in a couple months. It was $5 buy-in NL dealer's choice with about 7 of my buddies.

No one could play. Anyway, I'm always the "go-getter" in every group, so I start buying books and playing micros on Pacific Poker. I yahooed "online poker" and that was the first thing that came up and I downloaded it at work. Eventually, the game turned into strictly NLHE.

Anyway, I was still pretty "green" and only played at Pacific. I signed up for a tourney for the first time and it was limit. The next week, we're playing at my place and I suggested that we play tourney style and set up blind levels, etc. I had copied the blind structure from the Pacific limit tourney, but applied it to No Limit. For example, the blinds were 25/50, I made the betting minimum 100 on the turn!! Funnier than that was no one argued. I thought I knew what the fuck was going on!!! I think back on how bad we played and just laugh.

BTW, once I "read up" a little and started playing with proper aggression, I crushed my buddies. It got to the point where I would just push my chips in ALL THE TIME. I was a total dipshit. Now, I've pretty much taught them all to play by kicking their ass and I can't beat any of them. My home game is definitely -EV for me right now, enhanced by the fact that it's winner takes all.