dealer/player views

[booger]

I've played online for 3 years playing LLHE SSNLHE and more recently SSPLO. I recently became a poker dealer after getting laid off in Jan and just wanted to share some experiences dealing and playing live. It's easy to tell when players are learning their poker from watching WPT and WSOP when you deal at a 2/4 table with 6 guys in their twenties wearing sunglasses and there is a staredown on the river. I can't help but just smile in amusement. My favorite line I hear both dealing and playing is "I know you have me beat...or ....I'll pay to see.....". I saw a 2/4 player get checkraised 3 times, winner had tptk on flop, turned nut flush, and donkey had middle pair and actually thought he might have a winner. I've seen 22 call all the way down to the river with straights, flushes and obviously 5 overs.
You can really learn alot from watching your opponents, observe your opponents even when not in the hand as the tells are out there. When the flop comes out look at your opponents faces not the flop, if they keep staring at the flop for more than 4-5 seconds they usually missed. If they see the flop then glance at their chips they probably hit. When the fourth suited card comes on the turn watch everyone look at their hole cards it's beautiful. I've only logged 24 hours of live play at 4/8 and have won $520 playing straight forward poker. Leave out the tricks and bluffs and hammer away at the strong hand preflop to river. While playing had a woman in her upper forties sit down to my right. She called two raises on the button with K2 suited and rivered a flush and stated "I really am a very good player." About an orbit later I have 2 red Kings in the BB. Two limpers and her in the SB and I raise all call. Flop is 995 she bets all call. Turn is 7 rainbow she bets I raise , two folds she just calls and genuinely looks upset. River is 9 she bets i raise and she says "I have to call again" She show 85o.
Use game selection when picking a game as long as it fits your bankroll...a soft 4/8 is better than a table full of nonsmiling, tense 8/16. If losing your concentration get up and take a walk. I see players who obviously have been at the table too long and never ever drink unless you are just having a good time and the $ doesn't matter. Learn to leave the bad beats behind and play every hand to the best of your ablility or walk away.
On behalf of all dealers thanks for the tokes and good luck everyone. Booger J [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]