Apologies for a very basic question, this one could have ended up in a couple of places...
I've played a couple of tournaments in Vegas, but I've never played cash - what's the usual procedure for getting into one? Who do I speak to in order to get "on the list"? Who do I give my money to and get chips from? I'm slightly intimidated by the thought of looking like I don't know what I'm doing before I've even sat down at a table!
There should be a desk at the entrance to the poker room, just talk to the person at that desk and tell them what kind of game you want to play and they'll either add you to the list or tell you which table to go to. Rooms usually have their own cage they'll direct you to to get chips.
Usually.....usually, you approach a desk/podium that is stationed at the entrance to a poker area. Some actually have a DryErase or electronic board showing which games are running, what games are starting a list to begin.
Scan the list and ask to get on the list for either 1/2NL or 2/5NL or 3/6HE (or whatever).
If a seat is open, the host/floor will take your buyin amount and either give you your chips...or take them himself to the table and place them on the table at your chair.
Some casinos will give you a pager/buzzer for when your seat opens up. Very convenient if it looks like a long wait as it allows you to roam around without missing your place in line.
1. Sit outside the poker room at a slot machine and observe others walking in.
2. Have BI ready to bring out when the host calls you to the desk. He/she may then either (1) exchange for chips or (2) tell you a runner will bring them to your table or (3) tell you that you will need to buy at the table. AQll three....have $$ ready for the podium. Or maybe the poker room has a dedicated cashier to handle in / out.
3. If you don't know, ask the host what the typical buyin size is for the table. Then as you approach the assigned table, quickly scan the table for stack sizes. That is an excellent time to turn to the host and ask for another rack.....if you want to match table average or see a whale with a big stack. Sometimes, the max buyin is set however.
4. Don't sweat the details here....just have fun. And....if you are a good player....what's the harm in giving off a noob vibe?
Good advice above. My suggestion for a tournament player starting with cash is to buy in somewhat small to start. If 70 BB is good enough for Limon at a table where he doesn't know the players, it is good enough for the rest of us. At a 1/2 table, that would be $150 and $200 at a 1/3 table. You shouldn't be playing any higher if you're just starting out.
One piece of advice is that people in cash games will tend to bet all in or call all in with stronger hands than you are used to in tournaments. There are lots of reasons for that, but one of the biggest is that you can't force someone out of the game. They can always add more chips if they run low. They are never in a position of having to make a move.
You'll probably lose your first couple of buy ins because you'll be playing it like a tournament. Try looking around the web for some guides about the differences and maybe observe the tables while you are waiting etc.
