Georock
05-01-2004, 05:49 PM
Hello all!!,
I"m a long time lurker, and finally decided to join in the conversation. It's great to be here!! I've been studying and playing hold 'em online for about 8 months, and finally decided to take the trip to Foxwoods for my first live play. I didn't want to go alone, so a friend of mine who is a very good player with a lot of live playing experience agreed to go with me ( I didn't exactly have to twist his arm!).
We get there, and the Casino is just massive. I'm getting slightly nervous, but I've read 6 or 7 books, practically memorized HEFAP, know all of my hand groupings, what to play in any position, tactics, etc. We both sign up for a 2-4 game, and in around 45 minutes, I get my seat. Right off the bat I'm lucky, because the dealer just deals the cards and doesn't ask me to post. I thought maybe the rules were different or something, but then I realized that she just forgot. I quickly discovered something about low limit live hold 'em:
Almost all of the advanced knowledge is not needed.
I'm playing tight and by the book, of course, and I notice that there are at least 7 seeing the flop, 5 seeing the turn, 4 seeing the river, and 3 showing down (on average). I almost could not believe it! If people have a pair, ANY pair, they are staying in. Here are my hand highlights:
I have Q 10 in the SB, and catch a straight on the turn. Win my first hand played!
I get KK and it holds up, off to a good start!
I get A 10 suited, get 2 pair and lose to a straight on the river. The guy didn't even know he had a straight, we had to tell him!
Got 6 7 suited in the BB, got a flush, and lost to a higher flush (darn it!)
Got A Q suited, and once again lost to straight on the river.
6 hours played, down about $50 (13 BB), and had a wonderful time and learning experience! I was shocked how people are only thinking about what they have (maybe), and aren't at all thinking about what you might have. If they have something, ANYTHING, they stay in, and if they raise, watch out, they have 2 pair or better. For the last 2 hours I was at a table with my friend. He showed down AA and AK in previous hands, and raised again before the flop. The flop came J high, and he bet all the way to the river, with 2 callers. he had J A, the other two people showed J 10, and J 6, With a King on the board!! Absolutely amazing.
So, if anyone is worried about playing live, don't be. It's fun, and seems like it will be eventually profitable. There was a women playing next to me, who asked me "does it count as a straight if you have JQKA2??" unbelievable! I saw young a rounder looking type go on tilt when he had 3 good hands busted, a guy who said "There's no such thing as bad cards, only bad flops" rake in alot of chips ( beat AA with J6 offsuit!), and a bunch of nice elderly people who were more than happy to talk to you and keep on throwing their chips in the pot.
This game is awesome, and thanks for having me on the board!!
I"m a long time lurker, and finally decided to join in the conversation. It's great to be here!! I've been studying and playing hold 'em online for about 8 months, and finally decided to take the trip to Foxwoods for my first live play. I didn't want to go alone, so a friend of mine who is a very good player with a lot of live playing experience agreed to go with me ( I didn't exactly have to twist his arm!).
We get there, and the Casino is just massive. I'm getting slightly nervous, but I've read 6 or 7 books, practically memorized HEFAP, know all of my hand groupings, what to play in any position, tactics, etc. We both sign up for a 2-4 game, and in around 45 minutes, I get my seat. Right off the bat I'm lucky, because the dealer just deals the cards and doesn't ask me to post. I thought maybe the rules were different or something, but then I realized that she just forgot. I quickly discovered something about low limit live hold 'em:
Almost all of the advanced knowledge is not needed.
I'm playing tight and by the book, of course, and I notice that there are at least 7 seeing the flop, 5 seeing the turn, 4 seeing the river, and 3 showing down (on average). I almost could not believe it! If people have a pair, ANY pair, they are staying in. Here are my hand highlights:
I have Q 10 in the SB, and catch a straight on the turn. Win my first hand played!
I get KK and it holds up, off to a good start!
I get A 10 suited, get 2 pair and lose to a straight on the river. The guy didn't even know he had a straight, we had to tell him!
Got 6 7 suited in the BB, got a flush, and lost to a higher flush (darn it!)
Got A Q suited, and once again lost to straight on the river.
6 hours played, down about $50 (13 BB), and had a wonderful time and learning experience! I was shocked how people are only thinking about what they have (maybe), and aren't at all thinking about what you might have. If they have something, ANYTHING, they stay in, and if they raise, watch out, they have 2 pair or better. For the last 2 hours I was at a table with my friend. He showed down AA and AK in previous hands, and raised again before the flop. The flop came J high, and he bet all the way to the river, with 2 callers. he had J A, the other two people showed J 10, and J 6, With a King on the board!! Absolutely amazing.
So, if anyone is worried about playing live, don't be. It's fun, and seems like it will be eventually profitable. There was a women playing next to me, who asked me "does it count as a straight if you have JQKA2??" unbelievable! I saw young a rounder looking type go on tilt when he had 3 good hands busted, a guy who said "There's no such thing as bad cards, only bad flops" rake in alot of chips ( beat AA with J6 offsuit!), and a bunch of nice elderly people who were more than happy to talk to you and keep on throwing their chips in the pot.
This game is awesome, and thanks for having me on the board!!