[Tom Bayes]

As others have said, where and when you get your chips is completely dependent on how the cardroom is set up and the "culture" of the room. Anytime you are in a poker room for the first time, this is one of the questions you should ask the floorperson when you are getting on the list. They SHOULD give you a courteous answer.

The B&M I play most often (Aztar in Evansville, IN), you buy chips from the floorperson at the podium when you are called for your game. No one expects you to buy chips beforehand, and it's a pretty small room. When you are done, you will typically "color up" your chips and then go to the main cashier to get your money.

At the Grand in Tunica, they have a cage in the poker room where you buy in and cash out. They have an electronic waiting board and most observant players (myself included) will buy chips when they are 1st in line for their game.

The Goldstrike in Tunica has a chip runner. She calls you when your seat is open, takes you to your table, and you give her your cash and she brings back the chips. You cash out at the podium.

I think the dedicated poker room cage or chip runner is usually found at medium to large rooms, and buying in at the podium is the norm at smaller rooms.

Buy-ins during the game are handled many different ways. At Aztar, you put the money out on the table. Sometimes the dealer sells you the chips right at the table and other times calls the floor to get you chips. I really don't know why it's one way sometimes and the other way at other times-seems pretty random. It's similar at other casinos. If you need to rebuy, get your cash out. If you need to go to the podium or the cage to buy them, the dealer should tell you.