Newbie seeks advice

[damian374]

I started playing Hold 'Em like millions of others just this year. I have got quite a bit better through weekly home games and home tournaments and have done some reading. I think I am ready to try my skills ( not luck ) at a B&M room, perhaps Foxwoods, but I am a little nervous about playing in a casino against "professionals". Can any of the more experienced out there give me some advice on how they originally made the transition from Home to Casino?

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

Unless you're going to go to Foxwoods and immediately sit in the 20/40 game, you're much more likely to be playing against people like yourself than professionals.

[sleepyjoeyt]

Ask one of the floor people where the lowest holdem game is and just watch for a while.

If you don't understand something, remember the situation and ask the floor or someone else at a later time.

The players generally don't like people lurking around the table, but you just have to keep a little distance. If someone asks you to move, then move.

Don't try watching at a higher stakes table, for several reasons:

1. Even though some of these people stink, they have probably been playing long enough that they will not be asking a lot of questions about rules, bets, etc. so you won't gain that much insight.

2. Usually there is at least one ass at the bigger games that will call the floor over and make you move.

3 The action is (often) a lot faster at the higher limits and may be difficult to follow.


The biggest mistakes new people make are these: protect your hand (if the dealer mucks your hand by mistake its still mucked and you lose the pot). Don't release your cards to the dealer (even if you have been told you won) until you've got the pot in front of you.

When you want to raise, say "RAISE". If you try to raise but don't bring out enough chips in your first motion, then this may be declared a string bet and you will not be allowed to raise. Just say "RAISE" if that is your intention and you can put your chips in as fast or as slow as you want.

When you first sit down at the table, always wait until you are the big blind to play (unless the dealer button is one or two seats to your left). The dealer will ask you if you want to post or wait til the big blind. If your big blind will occur in the next couple of hands and you post a blind now, people will think you don't know what your doing, which is not what you want.

Don't bring more than you are comfortable losing, and then post a few hands when you get back.

Relax. Everyone in that room was a newbie at some point.

Good luck.

[PotatoStew]

[ QUOTE ]
When you first sit down at the table, always wait until you are the big blind to play (unless the dealer button is one or two seats to your left).

[/ QUOTE ]

Even if the button is one or two to your left, I'd still wait for the big blind... gives you a good chance to relax and settle in for an orbit while watching up close how the others at the table play.

[Jerboa]

[ QUOTE ]
When you want to raise, say "RAISE". If you try to raise but don't bring out enough chips in your first motion, then this may be declared a string bet and you will not be allowed to raise. Just say "RAISE" if that is your intention and you can put your chips in as fast or as slow as you want.


[/ QUOTE ]

This is very good advice. Last time I played at Foxwoods, I caused just such an incident. Had the nuts, and went to raise but didn't announce it. Then the chips stuck together in my hand and the double motion to get them out was ruled a string bet by the dealer. Worst part was that I would have been reraised and lost out on more than just the single bet.

[The Armchair]

My first non-home game was at the Foxwoods 2/4. I did a few idiotic things (like not understanding how overchipping worked as a small blind) and came out way ahead -- up $200 over about 15 hours of play. Lesson: It's okay if you look like an idiot so long as you don't play like one.

[damian374]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I will surely post my results next week after I get back. I am very excited.