Goin' to Foxwoods tomorrow! First time in B&M -- advice? And how tough

Bokonon · #1 11-19-2003, 01:48 PM

is it there?

Been playing for only a few months, at medium online limits (Mostly HE, 5/10 shorthanded, some 2/4 and 3/6 10-seated, some NL tournies) and have been doing okay. Okay enough to risk a few hundred trying out a B&M for the first time.

So, the questions!

1) How is play at Foxwoods generally? Was planning on getting there late Thursday afternoon, sticking around until . . . well, until I get bored, lose my roll, or decide that the games are just too damn tough. At this time of year, at this time of week, during those hours, can I expect tourists, or rock regulars? If you could tell me exactly what percentage of each I could expect, then that would be swell [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img].

2) Do the games usually have a goofy structure that I'm not used to? Like this "kill" thing I keep hearing about? How do I adjust my game for those anyway?

3) Any good links for an online player hitting the B&M for the first time? I KNOW that others have asked questions similar to these, so I'm not going to bore you asking about tipping or etiquette or whatnot. Though any tips you have off the top of your head would be appreciated.

4) I have absolutely no poker face. Is this going to hurt me? I have this image of myself having a s***-eating grin every time I'm dealt a Group 1 hand. Ack.

5) Any chance of getting into a tournie while I'm there? Or do they save those for the weekend?

6) Woohoo! Goin' to Foooooooooxwoods!

CrackerZack · #2 11-19-2003, 02:21 PM

If you don't want to play the kill, sit in 4-8. Its 2-4 online soft, usually softer. It'll play a bit slow but should be profitable if you don't take too many cracks. The 5-10 is a better game. If the pot is $100 or more, its killed, meaning the winner of the pot posts a $10 blind next hand and it plays 10-20. The only adjustments really to make is to realize that many times a raise won't fold the kill blind, especially if he has position so be more selective with your stealing. And look for the affect the 10-20 stakes have on the table, often they'll tighten up a bit scared.

daryn · #3 11-19-2003, 04:25 PM

definitely... during my 5-10 w/kill stint i would just go crazy in the 10-20 games and scare off all the old men [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

lil' · #4 11-19-2003, 04:48 PM

definitely... during my 5-10 w/kill stint i would just go crazy in the 10-20 games and scare off all the old men

There are a lot of old dudes there at the 5-10 duirng the day, aren't there?

Joe Tall · #5 11-19-2003, 04:51 PM

There are a lot of old dudes there at the 5-10 duirng the day, aren't there?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah there are.

lil' · #6 11-19-2003, 04:53 PM

1) If you can beat 3-6 online, you can win at Foxwoods.
2) 5-10 has the kill, as others have explained. It's really annoying to have to post 10 bucks UTG and get dealt 9-3o.
3) Just play ABC poker until you get used to the atmosphere. If you like to joke around and talk, find someone who likes the same. Order a few free drinks!
4) It's probably not as bad as you think. Also, most people play their own hands and don't pay attention to that stuff.

Let us know how you do!

Bokonon · #7 11-19-2003, 05:06 PM

Been awhile since I've played in a full ring limit game, to be honest! Been playing 90% 6-handed and 10% NL. Going to have to dust off my books, because lord knows I'm going to be looking down at KJo UTG or QJo in early-middle and be betting it otherwise.

(I don't recall . . . QJo, okay to play in mid-position? Usually, my guess is that it is if there's not much action.

OR are there so many players seeing a turn with one overcard that it'd be suicide if I don't get two pair or a straight draw?!)

ohkanada · #8 11-19-2003, 05:36 PM

"2) 5-10 has the kill, as others have explained. It's really annoying to have to post 10 bucks UTG and get dealt 9-3o."

Strangely enough I won a nice killpot on Sunday and had to post my $10 UTG. I found 94o. 4 or 5 callers later the BB raised. I mucked of course and the flop was 999. Arghhhhh.

Ken Poklitar

Aces McGee · #9 11-19-2003, 06:25 PM

[ QUOTE ]
The only adjustments really to make is to realize that many times a raise won't fold the kill blind, especially if he has position so be more selective with your stealing. And look for the affect the 10-20 stakes have on the table, often they'll tighten up a bit scared.

[/ QUOTE ]

While I certainly believe you, I find this last sentence interesting. I played with a kill for the first time last weekend, a half-kill, actually, at the $4/$8 at the Sandia casino in Albuquerque, NM. While I didn't keep detailed records, my recollection is that the kill pots actually had more players than the normal ones, presumably because the bets were bigger and people thought they could win more money.

Are most kill games like the Foxwoods one (tighter in a kill pot)?

[Interesting kill side note: This game was killed when a player won two pots in a row. First night I was there, this one guy ran off six wins in a row. The following evening, we're at the same table again, and he reels off five straight.]

Aces McGee

CrackerZack · #10 11-19-2003, 06:30 PM

Kill is based on pot size at FW so it happens more often than 2 pots in a row. Also, the difference from 4-8 to 6-12 really isn't that big. Only the $12 bet feels big and it doesn't feel that big to 4-8 players. On the other hand, a $20 bet always feels big to 5-10 players.

As for the FW 5-10, I've found it tightened up on the kill when you have a normal lineup, when you have wackos, like on friday and saturday nights, they'll be wackier.