Hey guys,
I've played online for the last 3 years, I only ever played as high as 25nl, but beat it pretty handily (3.5BB/100)over a decent sample size.
I'm kind of over playing online at the moment, as I notice the games getting tougher every week.
This leads me to wanting to play more live. Prior to this I've played total about 50 hours live, and really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed physically handling chips, the environment and mainly the general softness if live games.
I have a few questions, sorry if they come across as noobish.
- is it more beneficial to 'talk it up' at the table and be the social guy, or just keep to yourself and play poker?
- I know that it's more acceptable to limp live, where as online is blasphemy. Assuming a fairly passive game, should we play as many pots as possible? Ie UTG limps, we're in MP with a hand like Q8s, 89o, 34s...can we limp behind here? Basically, is it okay to limp medium strength hands from MP, are are we always isolating here?
- might be a bit of personal preference here, but in a 1/2, $200 Max game, do you buy in with 200 of reds? Or get a 100 chip and rest in reds? I remember hearing Bart Hanson touching on this a while ago, but don't remember exactly.
- any other basic tips?

Sorry if this stuff has been covered 1,000 times.

Limping with hands that are connected but don't provide strength and security pre are often folded or played passively, it's up to you to decislde which of the two.
Whereas for talking you should talk only if you think it's giving you tells on your opponents. If you talk just for the sake of talking risks you uncovering tells and to look strong or weak which can help or fool your opponents. Long story short, talk if you feep confident about your skills in table talk.
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Be nice at the table, talk to people around you. The general consensus is that you shouldn't talk poker while at the table since you don't want to educate fish for free (paying lessons always welcome), but there can be some value in letting the fish talk poker while you remain non-commital (or just incorrect) in your responses. It helps the game when everyone is happy and/or drunk, and it can get you some checks from hands that beat you if your opponents 'like' you. I wouldn't recommend talking while you're in a hand though.

Limping is still a leak in many spots. You want to see flops where you have position and a hand with potential. Really small suited connectors can get you into RIO territory, as can random offsuit gappers. Fold from EP, limp some from LP, but lean more towards raising. They dynamic at the table will sort of dictate this. Some tables will limp 6 ways, then the button pops it to $12 and everyone calls ... now you're in the CO with J8s staring at 5:1 direct before the flop. Lots of players call here and I'm fairly sure it's wrong.

In general live players call a lot more often than they should, chase draws with bad odds, and basically over-value their hands. But then every once in a while someone obviously hates their hand and checks or flats with what any good player would recognize as the likely best hand.


At a $200 max $1/2 game you shouldn't buy a $100 chip and a stack of red from the cage. Its not normal and just causes hassle when you have to break it. Just get all red. Now, if you wanted to try to look like you just came from the pit you could sit down with a handful of $25 and $100 chips and play. This can make you look like a total gambly fish.

Without live experience I wouldn't recommend trying to project any image at all. Just buy $200 in red, sit, chat, and take in the flow of the game. Observe how players bet, how often they call, what the standard raises are and how many people are in each hand. It'll take a while to absorb all of the little protocols and become completely comfortable at the table, then you can start adding more advanced thinking.

Table talk...live poker is a social game. Most of the players in a card room/casino playing 1/2 are NOT serious poker players; they are there for the fun of it and looking to have a good time. If your table is full of guys really concentrating on the game, switch to another table...seriously! If the table is chatty and light-hearted it's probably a lot more +EV. You don't have to be Billy Crystal, but if you keep to yourself and never engage the other players they will probably play a lot more carefully when you're in the pot, which is not what you want.

Limping...don't get carried away, but you can certainly limp speculative hands in position. In some games you might be able to limp from any seat, it just depends on the game. I generally play pretty tight for the first orbit or two and try to get a feel for the table. The thing about a lot of low limit live games is that you're going to get paid off on your monsters a lot more often, so there's no reason to too deep in a hand without solid values. Again, at 1/2 if you find yourself at a really tough table...switch.

If you're new to the room, just buyin for $200 from the cage and take whatever chips they give you. Again, the idea is more that you're trying not to stick out. The casual player doesn't think about this, and you don't want them to start. After a while, you'll know what the norm is in your room for the game/stakes you are playing.

Final thought...although you are serious about your game and want to play well, you don't want your opponents to be aware of this. I never do the sunglasses/headphones thing at a low limit game...it's one thing against solid pros in a tournament that has a 4 or 5 figure buy in, something else entirely with folks out to have a good time for the evening. Keep the atmosphere light and enjoyable. Do NOT talk politics, religion, or poker strategy. Sports is fine. If someone at the table just bought a boat, ask a few questions and get them talking about it. Do NOT talk poker strategy. If you're nice, people won't mind losing money to you. If you're smart, you won't appear to mind losing to them when they play horribly and suck out on you. Do NOT talk poker strategy.

If you catch yourself talking poker strategy, take a restroom break and ask yourself why.

Good luck on the tables!

talk to people and be friendly. it won't be about poker most of the time. it'll be about sports, music. the other night we were talking about barney and other children's shows.

like others have said, buy in for $200 red.

limp Ax suited. you'll overflush someone regularly. limp small PPs.

raise and be aggressive the rest of the time. people generally let you know when you are beat. i.e., mr. passive suddenly check/raises your flop c-bet when you have TP or an overpair? you are likely beat.

good luck.

You are correct that this has been answered 1000 times. Search is your friend.

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