First Casino Game

Hey,


Going to my first low limit casino game next week and looking forward to it. As a novice poker player but some what experience poker theory reader I was wondering if there is any thing I should know about in a low limit game that the books, or this site would not have told me. I plan on playing a tight, yet some what aggressive game at either the 2-4, or 3-6 limits.


I have heard that at low limit there are alot of people who will draw to the nuts because of the low limit. Does this seem to be the case in most games?


Any advice or help appreaciated, as I hope to make this experience an enjoyable one.

Welcome to the casino poker. Here are some quick tips.


Read Winning Low Limit Holdem by Lee Jones several times until you understand all of it. Memorize his starting hands.


Don't play AJo and KJo in early position. Avoid KTo and QTo unless you are in the big blind.


The casino does not have "auto post". Keep track of the button and post your blinds without being asked.


If you want to make a raise with one chip be sure to say raise, otherwise it will be considers a call. Example: a player in front of you bets 2 dollars, you place a red chip in front of your cards, you have just called.


To make a raise. Say raise. If you don't say raise, be sure to make your bet in one motion with more than one chip.


Do not say: I'll see your $2 and raise $2. You have just made a verbal call and your double motion is considered a string raise.


To make a bet, place about 3-6 inches in front of your cards. Do not "splach the pot"


When the dealer says showdown. The player who makes the last bet or raise shows first. Don't "slowroll". If you can't figure out whether you beat a shown hand, just turn your cards face up and let the dealer figure it out.


Address the dealer by name.


In any pot larger than 5 small bets, tip the dealer.


Pay attention. Play will seem very fast at first..


When you win the pot, hold on to your cards until the dealer pushes the pot to you. Do not reach out for the pot.


Watch a table for a round or two to see how things work.


Ask the dealer if you have any questions.


Don't discuss the hand in progress.


Don't talk to players while they are still in a hand.


Suggested initial buy-in: about 20-25 big bets.

Thanks for the tips, i probably would have made a few mistakes. It is a Casino just north of Toronto, Canada. Unfortunatley it is the only cardroom around. I'll take your advice along with me. I have done extensive reading on starting hands and was looking for just the type of info you gave. The type of stuff you only learn playing.

Hey MisFit, let me know how it goes. I assume you are going to Rama or Blue Heron. I live in Burlington and am curious about both those places. I played for the first time in Vegas 2 weeks ago and found the pace much slower than online. It wasn't hard to get the hang of it. 1 other word of caution, protect your cards especially if you're in seat 1 or 10. Put a chip on them so the dealer doesn't automatically pick them up. You will be considered folded.

We have a similar thread going in the Beginner section with some other Torontonians.


Good luck.

If they play in Canada like they do in Minnesota players will draw to the nuts, the second nuts, the third nuts and most likely the 18 nuts. Most players at 2-4 will play any two suited in any position. They will also play just about any connecters or one gappers from anywhere. in 3-6 this is less likely. Get your money in with suited connectors and pocket pairs. Drop the small pockets if you don't hit a flopped set. Expect to be rivered a lot. Don't go on tilt, don't loosen up your starting hand requirements. Make them pay when you have the best hand. Expect large chip fluctuations, bring money to cover them. Good luck.

My first B&M holdem experiences were at the Mirage and Bellagio in November. Here's a few things to note:


1. The action will seem to go very fast when you're sitting on the rail. I was very worried about that, but found it wasn't as bad as all that once I sat down.


2. When you muck, be careful not to catch too much air with the cards or they may flip over. Which is a bit embarrassing. Just slide them to the dealer just above the table.


3. Push your chips far enough out that the dealer can get to them easily. I was a bit timid at first in getting my chips out. Of course, don't splash the pot, as already mentioned.


4. Pay attention to the action. I was checked around to and stupidly said "raise" when I only needed to bet. Needless to say, folks weren't interested in playing that hand with me.


5. When you're in the big blind and the pot is unraised, the dealer may look at you and say "option?" which threw me initially. They just want to know if you're raising or checking.


6. Protect your cards. I always tuck mine under the nearest stack whether I plan to muck or not. I saw a kid at the Meskwaki casino in Iowa tuck his under the padded rail in front of him; unfortunately, whenever he leaned on the rail his cards flipped up. Everyone pointed out the problem. A chip is enough to protect.


7. I found it much easier to look at my cards when I started using my left hand to tip the corners up. If you do it with your right, you have to pull them further off the table.


8. Don't be afraid to chat. I'm not very good with that one. I fear I look too serious at the table.


9. If you forget to tip the dealer, don't be afraid to do so later. The first couple pots I won I was so amazed that I had all these cool chips that I forgot to tip.


Well, those were my mistakes and experiences.


Good luck,


Troy

As a fellow rookie to cards I think much of the advice given by Bill is excellent. My first hold'em experience happened on Saturday night about two weeks ago @ Mohegan Sun. I sat down $3/$6 and played for about 90 minutes. Walked with

$90 more than I started with.


At the advice of a friend I was advised to play very tight, even tighter than most authors advocate. He really didn't care if I folded my first 50 hands, he just wanted me to get the experience, and play premium hands, and when I did come in, to come in strong. Well on my third hand I got pocket AA, and started firing away. Floped an A, and I was off and running.


I'm not going to lie, I was a bit intimidated at first, but after a few hands I became more comfortable. Also, if you are playing super low limits you will most likely be in a no fold'em game with 6,7 people seeing every flop. Don't change your game, to play with them, stay tight, and make them pay when you have a hand.


I just finished reading Lee Jones for the first time, that is an excellent book, like the other poster said not only should you read it, but read it until you know it.

7. I found it much easier to look at my cards when I started using my left hand to tip the corners up. If you do it with your right, you have to pull them further off the table.


Out of curiosity, could you explain the bolded portion of your advice.

they'll draw to a lot less than the nuts. depending on the cardroom, id say you don't have to respect your opponent very much. don't be nervous or afraid to be aggressive when the situation warrants it. and dont get tricky. it will be lost on your opponents.

>>Out of curiosity, could you explain the bolded portion of your advice.


I'll try. I realized after I posted that I didn't explain that well, and it may be more related to how I like to hold my cards.


I like to hold the two cards with the long sides parallel to the table edge. What I said in my post is wrong if you like to keep the long sides perpendicular to the table edge.


So, I have my two cards and they're parallel to the table edge. I lift the corner a bit with my right hand and I see nothing because the cards are printed in the upper left and bottom right corners. If I lift the corner with my left hand I can see the rank and suit fine. This was driven home to me when the "table professor" sitting next to me at the Mirage exposed his cards to me a couple times.


I find holding the cards and tipping the corners up with my left hand gives less chance of me exposing my cards. Of course, I could just be a ham-fisted klutz.


Of course, I'm sure there are other ways, this was just my first experience when I went to look at my cards and tried using my right hand.


I watched a guy (the same guy who tucked his cards under the padded rail) just push down in the middle of the cards, which made the ends pop up. That's a method I wouldn't recommend. I could hear the cards screaming.


Anyway, I hope that's more clear.


Regards,


Troy