*Live* 1/2
$60-$200max
Casino

How much $$$ do u bring w/ u?

Do u always buy in for the max?

If u buy in for the max how low do u go before u top up? ($1, $5, $25, etc?)


I bring $600, always buy in for the max & top up everytime my stack dips below $196. I buy 60 Red, 4 Green & 2 Black chips when I hit the cage & I try to stay a minimum of 3 hours & a maximum of 8 (but I've been known to put in some extra hours if a 'juicy opportunity' presents itself (like a fish w/ a big stack to my right.) My goal is to be playing 5/5 at Fallsview in the not-too-distant future.

I top off the moment I dip below 100BB. I never bring more than 1BI in cash with me - I'll take the walk of shame to the ATM instead of carrying a bunch of cash.

Buying in whenever you are below $196 is a little unnecessary and probably slows down the game unless you are keeping a ton of chips in your pocket.

I play above 1-2 but I generally top up when I'm 80% below; for 1-2 I guess I'd top up if I'm below $150.

For the record I occasionally play at fallsview.

Well yeah, the top-off chips are always in my pocket. Pretty standard.

the first 40 red chips go on the table (the other 20 are in my pocket w/ the 4 green & 2 black.) In Niagara they make u buy chips at the cage (no cash at the tables) so the games move as quick as a live game can. *plus* the 2 black & 4 greens come in handy sometimes when a fish busts a doesn't want to walk over to the cage (we take care of them... right away!)

how about tipping, any philosophies?

$1 to the waitress for anything she does (which is never much more then bringing me a bottle of water) & $1 to the dealer when I profit a min. of $25 in the hand ($2 if I net $100 or more.)

Always buy in full.
Assuming you are adequately rolled, have 3 BI's ($600) with you ready to play.
I'd say you should top up anytime your stack goes below the $150 range.

Tipping $1 per hand, regardless of how much you win is standard. You don't need to tip on a chop or if you just steal the blinds and obviously you can definitely tip more on a big hand. Not tipping on a hand where you profit $10 - $24 doesn't seem right to me, but it's obviously within your rights.

2 limpers, Hero raises to $12 x/XX, 3 folds, Villain calls $10...
Flop XXX Villain checks, Hero bets $16, Villain folds

Pot $29 Rake $3
(26-12=$14)

keep tipping a $1 out of those pots to dealers that are making more per hour then you. some of them are really nice people, some are excellent dealers who move the game along quickly, and some are w/e & I tip them all the same because they pool their tips. i'm mindful of those dollars because at the end of 30 hours that's probably $60+.

*Live 2/5*
$100-$500max
Borgata

I usually bring about $1,200...or whatever is in my stash.....sometimes I have to grab in the dark.

I buy in for $420. $400 red and $20 white....just a habit/superstition.

I add when I drop to around $300.

i bring 2k for this game, top off when i'm down to $250. and i always bring at least 2 buy ins in chips to the table just keep the extra in my pocket.




as far as tipping goes, I no longer tip per pot that I win. I wait until the end of a dealers down if I am up say $100 or more I will tip $5 under that usually just $1 or $2 and if I am not up any money on the dealers down I do not tip.

This really isn't the time or place for a tipping debate, but honestly this is beyond horrendous. It's the dealer's fault you didn't win during their half hour? In a 2/5 game no less, you think $1 here and there is reasonable?

If you tip per win, you don't tip the dealers during a down in which you do not win. It works out the same, more or less, as tipping per win, assuming comparable tip sizing.

bingo. exactly what I thought when I started doing it, guess it's not as immediately apparent to some people.

In Australia we are not allowed to tip casino dealers. Awesome rule
As for buyins, I usually walk in with 5 BI cash and take 2BI in chips to the table. At Star City in Sydney you can't cash rebuy at the table so its 5BI in chips when Im there.
I dont top up on the 1st BI. I will aggro shortstack instead and change gears .

i don't play a lot live but when i do i tend to win a lot of small pots, if i tipped for every win i'd probably cut my profits by like 5-20%, and **** that, I just tip when the dealer leaves.

That is an awesome rule!

I've never understood just arbitrarily tipping. I'd be anxious to hear what others thought about this (plus has anyone had any experience w/ electronic dealers yet?)