Posted Mon Aug 16, 2004 9:40 am GMT by BamaFan92
After playing online for the last year, I will be making my first trip to play in a brick and mortar cardroom nexk week. Just so I don't look like a total first timer, I need some advice. Things like...
1. When you go in the cardroom, do you go to the desk and register your name or go straight to a table?
2. When you take your seat, do you have to post a blind to play? Do you have to wait until the BB comes to you to play?
3. In $2-$4 Hold 'Em, is $1 tip okay for the dealer when you win a pot? You don't have to tip if you steal the blinds or win a small pot, do you?
If someone could answer these questions, and give me any advice, I would appreciate it.
BTW, I'm not new to casinos. I've played blackjack for years. I've just never stepped into the poker room. Thanks.
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Posted Mon Aug 16, 2004 9:51 am GMT by Dave B
Check in at the desk.
You can either post a big blind, wait for the big blind, or wait for the blinds to pass and post a big blind behind the blinds. Some places will let you buy the button, otherwise the button will pass to your left and you can post a big blind one off the button.
$1 is very acceptable. For small pots, no tip is OK. Where I play they have $.50 chips as well for tipping for small pots or drinks. Some people only tip $.50 no matter how big the pot is.
Lots of good advice here in the past-do a search and you will be fine!
Posted Mon Aug 16, 2004 11:51 am GMT by MasterShake
At a 2-4 table I won't tip unless the pot is more than $8 or so. I'll usually only tip a buck regularly, but in a big pot I might tip $2 to make up for the small ones. At the casino I play though the dealers don't keep all of the tips you give them. They're pooled together and divided equally.
Posted Mon Aug 16, 2004 2:35 pm GMT by golddog
Advice:
Don't play out of turn.
Show respect for the dealers and other players.
Have a good time.
Don't play at levels which will stress you if you lose.
If you're not sure, ask.
If you have time, go downtown and play at the Horseshoe just to say you did.
In terms of rooms, if you're real new, you might try out Excalibur. Last time I was there, it had real low-limit ($1-to-3) and seemed to be a place where they kind of expected beginners.
Mandalay Bay and Luxor also have rooms on the strip. I haven't played in Monte Carlo, but hear it's nice.
Posted Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:14 pm GMT by BamaFan92
Actually, I live in Memphis, near Tunica, MS. Sam's Towm has a $2-$4 game. All other casinos have $3-$6 as their lowest limit game.
Thanks for all the advice.
Posted Wed Aug 18, 2004 9:28 am GMT by BamaFan92
Another question I thought of. Where do you get your chips? Is it like blackjack where you lay your money on the table, ot do you give them money at the desk? Thanks!
Posted Wed Aug 18, 2004 9:30 am GMT by Nut Flush
Where I play, I get my chips at the desk. Tell them what game you want to play, then they direct you to an open seat. If there is no seat available, they will put you on a waiting list.
Posted Tue Aug 24, 2004 8:10 am GMT by BamaFan92
Thought of 1 more question...
When I decide to leave and need to cash out my huge stack of chips :D, how does that usually work? Thanks!
Posted Tue Aug 24, 2004 8:15 am GMT by BamaFan92
Thought of 1 more question...
When I decide to leave and need to cash out my huge stack of chips :D, how does that usually work? Thanks!
Posted Tue Aug 24, 2004 8:32 am GMT by Nut Flush
Most casinos have a cashier counter where you take your chips to cash out. Just to be nice, I always tell the table when it's my last hand before I get up and leave. Thank the dealer and the other players(if they deserve it :D )
Posted Tue Aug 24, 2004 9:01 am GMT by BamaFan92
Do you have to ask for a chip rack or something?
Posted Tue Aug 24, 2004 9:04 am GMT by ballbp
The racks will be lying around. When you get your chips they come in a rack but you have to put them on the table to play.
Posted Tue Aug 24, 2004 9:07 am GMT by Nut Flush
| Quote: | | Do you have to ask for a chip rack or something? |
Hopefully you'll need one when you cash out :D
Posted Wed Aug 25, 2004 8:26 am GMT by fatshaft
| Nut Flush wrote: | | Quote: | | Do you have to ask for a chip rack or something? |
Hopefully you'll need one when you cash out :D |
 confident chappie
Posted Wed Aug 25, 2004 8:45 am GMT by BamaFan92
Well, I'm making the trip tonight. I'm not sure what to expect, except to get some very valuable experience (I hope it doesn't cost too much). I'm pretty nervous (maybe just excited with anticipation). I'm not that comfortable in a No Fold 'Em Hold 'Em game, so I may not be playing very many hands at all tonight. I will do a alot of observing and give you a report tomorrow.
Posted Wed Aug 25, 2004 1:46 pm GMT by AlicanteKid
Good luck! I'll probably be playing at the Bicycle Club on Saturday (going there to watch the pros at the WPT event). I usually play at Commerce, though.
Posted Thu Aug 26, 2004 8:23 am GMT by BamaFan92
Made the trip, had some fun. Played 2-4 and lost 22 (including dealer and waitress tips). I played very few hands in the 4 hours I was there. I was so amazed at the different levels of people at the table. A few people sat down and had no idea about blinds, betting structure, ...etc. People always acting out of turn. The tells were just amazing. One drunk guy sat to my left, had never played hold 'em. On fifth street he hit his straight flush and said to himself, "There it is". Another player with no idea got great cards. Won her first 2 hands. One old lady was so happy to hit her straight on 5th street that she totally ignored the 4 diamonds on the board and was raising. Incredible! The same lady lost with her straight to the nut straight one time. She had no idea she could be beaten. These people call with any paint-x or any 2 suited cards.
My table image was very tight. When I raised pre-flop, I got few callers. There was no bluffing, of course. I semi-bluffed on the button with pocket dueces once and got called by a pair of 5's on the river.
I'll end it with this...In the BB, dealt K5s. Checked it. Flop came KKx. SB checked, I checked, checked all the way around. Turn came K. SB bet. I was about to jump out of my seat. I smooth called, and got 2 more callers, planning to raise on the river. River came nothing, SB checked (crap!), I bet and SB called. That was fun!
I was nervous at the beginning (for no reason), but I feel like I should have taken some of those people's money. I just never got a run of cards to do it. That's fine. I learned a ton about cardroom poker. It doesn't take long to figure out who is there to "gamble" and who wants to win money. It just seems like the people "gambling" get so lucky!
Anyway, thanks for the tips!
Posted Thu Aug 26, 2004 8:48 am GMT by Dave B
low limit is a lot like lotto poker. Play there until you are comfortable, then step up 2 levels for some reasonable play.
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