I was fortunate enough to have grown up in a poker-oriented family setting that enabled me to establish a good strategic foundation in formats such as Texas Hold’em long before I turned the legal age to actually set foot in a casino. I understand that not many young players have this advantage, which is why they need to make a conscious decision as to the best approach in tackling their poker career. Just because you might have the skill doesn’t mean you have the experience needed to successfully pursue specific poker avenues. Let’s see if I can help you with that choice.
Online Poker
Almost without exception, I always suggest to younger players that they get their start playing online. If you aren’t of legal age yet, you can still check out and increase your general knowledge of the game in the “play money” rooms that require no real cash deposit. If you can legally join Topspanishcasinos.com the live money games, online poker offers you the chance to enter in micro-level rooms that serve as a much better training ground than play money areas, all without ever having to risk more than a few dollars per session.
Live Poker
In the United States, where I’m based, you can’t gamble in a casino unless you’re 21 or if you’re 18 and visit an Indian Casino on tribal land (which are very popular in California). A casino setting can be an extremely intimidating place to be, which is why I don’t highly recommend you get your start in poker here. You’ll end up having to invest a lot more money to sit at these tables than you would have to online, making the learning curve very expensive by comparison. If you absolutely want some live experience though, I would suggest that you find a cheap tournament with no rebuys or add-ons. Now you can enjoy some face-to-face competitive poker while putting a hard limit on your actual financial investment.