I started out getting a free $10 on Royal Vegas and promptly blowing it all in about 3 hands, and this was, as you say, after spending ages to learn the game. I thought I was gonna be able to keep my head up and at least break even but it didn't happen.

I kinda realised why I blew my money so I went to a friends computer and signed up again and this time I seem to be doing OK, I've worked my $10 up to $40.

Heres a few things I think you should try:

1) Play some play money poker. This ain't good for much but It'll help you realise when there's straights on the board and you'll miss them less. Also I think that a lot of the lower limits players do play with similar traits to the play money opponents. Especially when you get $10 free for signing up, a lot of players come in and go all-in with crap.

2) Play tight and passive. I know when you read this sight you get the idea that loose aggressive play is the only way (at least I did anyway) but I rekon its the wrong approach against low limt messers. You can't bet them off draws and re-raise them out of pots because they won't respect you when they dont realise what your doing.

3) Don't trust top pair, even if it does mean folding the first AA you got dealt in 300 hands. A lot of the time you do need the best hand because you'll have 4 idiots passivly calling you down to a showdown.

4) I think its useless tryin to get reads on players who play every hand regardless, go all in every fifth hand and call pot size bets on a gutshot. I don't bother but I'm practicin with a few of the regular players on the site.