Hi guys,
I recently won a ticket from a satellite for live tournament abroad(1k main event). I have played poker online randomly over one year (avg bin $10) but never live in casinos so I have a few dumb questions and I hope you could help me!
1. Is there any given breaks in a live tournament?
2. If I wanna use the bathroom can I just exit the table anytime and I won´t be dealt cards and dealer will take antes and blinds from my stack automatically?
3. Is it usual that people will take reads from my eyes and pulse at these levels? So should I wear sunglasses and shirt or scarf that covers my neck?
4. On the river villain bets and I decide to call. Is it enough if I just say ”I call” and the opponent will show his cards or do I have to count the chips villain bets and put them on the table first?
5. What happens for example if I have only chips amount of 100 and 500 left and villain bets 350? Can I exchange my 100s to 50s somehow so I can make the call?
6. I bet to 200 -> villain reraises to 500 -> and I want to flat. Can I take my 200 back and put a 500 chip in the middle? I have seen people done this in videos so I guess it´s okey but do I have to do it in that order so it won´t be red as raise?
7. Will waiters/waitresses take orders from tables or do I have to sit out to get a drink?
8. Is it an etiquette handshake players when busting the tournament or is it just a kind of final table thing?
9. Is there some good way to know how much is in the pot? I mean do people usually count the raises on every street or is it possible to count the chips from the pot when the chips are in a mess on a table?


I´m excited but also so nervous about my first live tournament (which bin is btw 10x my current bankroll haha) and I would really appreciate if you guys could clarify these thoughts for me!
Thanks!

THIS thread from May 2017 will get you started GL

1. Yes, tournaments usually have breaks every 1 or 2 hours. Some have a longer meal break as well. if you can' see if you can find the structure sheet, and it will tell you when the breaks are.
2. If you are absent, you will still be dealt cards, but you usually must be back at your seat before the dealing is done, or else your cards will be killed. You can leave the table at any time, with one exception. Some tournaments view leaving the table with live cards the same as folding out of turn, so you need to wait until you can fold your current hand, then leave the table.
3. Eyes yes, pulse, no. People will be on the lookout for your eyes to widen or narrow slightly, or for you to glance at your chips (strength) or stare at the board(you made your draw). The neck pulse is a lot less common.
4. Verbal is always binding. Say I call, and if you lose, count out your chips. The same is true at any level. you can verbally declare a call or bet to keep action going while you are cutting out your chips.
5. Toss out the 500, the dealer is very adept at making change. Here is an important point. the One Chip Rule. Any time you toss out a single oversized chip, it is always a call. Say the blinds are 50/100, utg raises to 300. You have AA and toss out a single 1K chip. This is a call. If you want to raise, best to declare verbally the amount you want to raise to. The One Chip rule trips up a lot of live poker beginners.
6. Correct. It is best to take the smaller chip back first before putting the larger chip forward, though if you do it in one motion (go out with the 500, come back with the 200) you will be fine.
7. Depends on the casino, but usually there will be food and drink servers roaming around. You can always ask your dealer to call for drink service.
8. It is not normal etiquette. If you have been playing all day with the same guys and have formed a rapport, sure, go shake hands. It is seen by some as rubbing it in if you bust someone and then go to shake their hand. In the early stages, just walk away when you bust, it is fine.
9. Remember the size of the previous action, multiply it by the number of players still in. Pre flop, it was raised to 200, 4 callers (pot is 800). On the flop, UTG bet 600, 1 caller (round is 1200, pot is 2000). You can also learn to estimate by glancing at the pot. not all tournaments allow the dealer to spread the pot, though, so you are better off keeping a running track of the action. this is a perfect thing to practice when you are not in the hand.

Also, remember to keep your larger chips on top or in front. Verbal declarations are always better, as they are less likely to cause confusion. If you win, never release your cards until the pot has been pushed to you. Take all the time you honestly need, but don't tank or hollywood on routine decisions.

Relax, have fun.

Had post disappear when I lost signal, marvellous

1 yes
2 yes although you will normally be dealt cards
3 don't be that guy
4 say call then pay if you lose
5 dealer will make change from the pot
6 should be fine, say call first just to be safe
7 venue dependent
8 do it if you want
9 count in your head. This isn't hard and doesn't need to be precise, if you round off you calling villain raising to 525 at 100/200, blinds getting out of the way, then him betting 725, knowing it's about 2k is usually fine

Gl, and enjoy yourself

Every game I've played at you can ask the dealer to count pots and stacks, dont see why the dealer wouldnt be able to spread pot considering they essentialy do that after every street?

If they are using TDA riles, then a pot count is not allowed. It is room dependent on whether or not spreading the pot is allowed.

From the TDA website

"54: Pot Size & Pot-Limit Bets

A: Players are entitled to a pot count in pot-limit only. Dealers will not count the pot in limit and no-limit."

And you are not entitled to a count of a players stack. you are entitled to a clear view of their stack. The only time a players stack can or should be counted is if they go all in.

This is very uncommon, although it might be more common in tournies.

Thank you very much for your answers. I really appreciate it!

While reading your answers I found a few more questions.

10. When player bets, will the dealer always count the bet automatically and say aloud the bet amount?
11. Players seem to put a random stack on the table when they want to call villains shove in HU pot. Is this move done just to ensure that it won´t accidentally be red as fold? And the amount of the stack you put in the middle doesn´t be as big as villains stack, just a random size stack, right?

10. no-most common protocol is simply to announce 'Raise' when a player makes a raise. The player who action is on can ask the size of the raise. A common mistake that beginner players make is that they ask the size of the raise when action is not to them. In most of the rooms I have played in, the dealer will only answer the question if action is on you.
11. In most rooms, placing any chip in the betting area when facing an all-in is considered a call. Some players will do it with a single chip. A lot of players do not like this, because it can lead to confusion and angle shooting, but it is unfortunately very common. It is always OK to ask the dealer to verify that the other player is calling. Some players will even ask the dealer to make the pot right before tabling their hand. This will likely annoy the other players.

a good rule of thumb for live poker is simply always declaring you action before doing anything. Verbal declaration is always binding, so it doesnt really matter what you do after that, the dealer will correct you. Check and call are trivial to declare, when betting simply say <bet x>, and for raising I recommend saying <raise x total>, if you just say <raise x> it is unclear if you mean raise to x or raise x more.

Btw, when playing live for the first time, your hands WILL be shaking, even if you do not feel particularly nervous. I recommend having one drinki to help with that, just dont drink too much after

I recommend you scatter your chips. Shaking hands are most noticeable when gather chips for a bet (call or raising doesn't matter). This works especially well in the early parts of tourneys when stack sizes are made of of only a few actual chips....getting "change" is standard. Scatter chips in you immediate area so it should be a simple action to :

1. Assess situation and come up with amount to bet (without moving a muscle)

2. Look at scattered chips and find the exact chip you want...or an oversize.

3. Look at dealer and declare action

4. Look down, pick up chip and flick into the betting area.

As you calm down or gain enough experience handling chips....this is unnecessary as you are much less likely to be shaking.

Also along that issue:

Go to a casino tonight (and play min-stakes)..and a few more times between now and the satellited tourney. Gain experience handling chips.