Tomorrow will be my first time playing live at my local casino. I am new to poker and have been playing online for about 4 months. I have my basic opening ranges, 3-bet ranges, etc. memorized. I've subscribed to Upswing Poker and studied my a$$ off. I have a decent bankroll. I plan on playing 1/2 and maybe 2/3. Any advise on my first time?
1. Don't tap the glass. Be nice to the fish and try not to spend the session talking poker strategy
2. Your memorized ranges may be useless when playing live. Online ranges and Live ranges don't really match up the same. You may have to adjust.
3. Watch for anglers/be careful not to accidentally angle. (Like keeping your big chips in view)
4. Don't forget to tip?
I recommend playing a low stakes tournament at the casino for your first experience. You risk a very finite amount, and with that amount can get 1 to 4 hours of experience just learning the mechanics, cadence, and protocols of the live game.
Online players are super easy to spot and that can affect your (lack of) action. You haven't been online for years so you'll probably not be a total weirdo, but try saying hi to the guy on your left when you sit down, make sure to tip, and don't bring your book bag with gatorade, snacks and all that nit crap
Pay attention to who the action is on. Sounds standard but online players take this for granted
Tip your waitress ffs please don't be a life nit
Again you've only been online a few months so I'm probably displacing some of this from others who have played years and show up but top 3 are
1) pay attention to action
2) tip the poors working
3) don't be a mime. Also be cognizant of your hands, they can be a tell
I completed my first live session. I lost my $600 buy-in on my first hand. I planned on playing $1/$2. When I got to the counter, I was told the $1/$2 table had broke. They did not have an ETA on when another 1/2 table would become available. I was told they had a seat at a $2/$3 table available. I agreed to a 2/3 table. I bought in for the max $600. I sat down at the table and sat next to a nice older man who whispered that another gentleman at the table was raising every hand and generally acting like a maniac. I had a pair of jacks in the cutoff for my first hand and raised $15. The button called. The maniac went all-in sitting in the big blind. The big blind covered me. I thought about what the older man had told me about the big blind being a maniac. I thought about it for a while and decided to go all-in. The button folded. The run out was 10, 5, 9, Q, 7. I turned over my jacks and the maniac turned over 10's for a set. I buy back in and play for another 2.5 hours. The maniac plays every hand and raises every turn. He basically runs over the table. You can tell the maniac has alot of money away from the table and doesn't care about losing. I win and lose smaller pots throughout the session. I had alot of nice wins including a set of 9's over a pair of Aces, and kings over queens. When the dust settled I lost my buy-in. I'm pretty bummed out. I think I played ok. I definitely played tight after losing my buy-in. It was definitely intimidating playing against a maniac with unlimited money.
Too bad about that first hand .. glad you did get a few hours in otherwise and gained the experience with your second bullet.
Not that you should've played the JJ hand any different (wrong thread for that) I will tell you that it's very common for 'maniacs' to actually be pretty good at poker when the dust settles down. Sure some are just 'gambling', but others will splash and splash around 'all the time' but when a major amount of chips go into the middle they 'poof' show up with some pretty good holdings.
Lots of folks wouldn't make past an hour in a 'larger' game with action like this, but it is really not a big surprise that 'they' figured out how to maneuver your chips away from you on this day. GL
If you put out a single oversized chip without saying anything, then it is a call. You may not play with big chips ever at 1/2 but if you do its important to know.
I made this mistake my first time playing in a casino. $100 bills played at the time in this casino and I wanted to 3bet preflop and just put out the $100 without saying anything. My squeeze was denied and I had to see a flop OOP vs like 6 players. I flopped a set and one of the limpers went nuts with a bad fd and got there. That was a bad start to my live career.
You articulated one thing at internet players don't realize until they start playing: Live stakes are way bigger than online at a given skill level. A 10nl player probably knows a lot more than a 2/3 live player, but the stakes are way higher. It is one thing to lose $20. It is way different to lose $600. FWIW, you didn't have to buy in for $600. Next time, buy in for less than 100 BB until you get used to the amounts.
I will note that you got your money in good. You shouldn't be upset it all.
Every trip to the poker room is a learning experience and since it was your first time there was a lot to learn but it sounds like you handled it well. After a few session you will be licking your chops at having a maniac at the table because the odds will be in your favor.
I would not buyin for the maximum 200xBB. That may be theoretically better, but it increasing your risk when you are starting out.
I would not go straight be hand charts. You do not want to play anywhere near as loose as most people in a low stakes game. However, with multiway pots and being only able to play one table, you usually want to play all pps and a lot decent suited hands,
It was a bit humorous last night as another Reg and I would basically take turns telling a young buck what his hands were. I give him credit for sticking through a very fun 5 hour session. He had major timing, betting and body tells (and a VPiP of about 15%) but I think he will turn into a good Player eventually .. and told him so when he racked up with a tidy profit of $5. I bluffed him off $80 in his last hand by telling him to show me 'the' King, not the other card in his holding when he folds. He smiled and said 'I got a lot to learn' and this was fun tonight, see ya tomorrow.
I tend to agree that you need to buy in at a comfortable BB amount. If you even feel that you are thinking about $$ and not BB, then you need to rack up and buy in for less the next time around. LOTS of chips to be acquired in low stakes games when you make the opponent think about 'a tank of gas' instead of the hand flow. There's nothing wrong with trying to avoid high variance spots, but you really need to mentally be able to withstand how you handle those spots. GL
