live poker

[Dandingdong]

Hi guys.
I have been playing online for about a year and am thinking about playing some live poker at the casino in Luton. I don't know what to expect or how much money to take. If someone could give me some idea of what to expect and some do's and don'ts it would be much appreciated.
Thanks

[Dandingdong]

Cheers,
That's a great reply! Am still quite nervous though! Having to deal (and possibly shuffling) sounds like something i'd be very good at getting wrong! Hopefully i'll pluck up the courage to go and play in the £10 NL "rookie" tournament on saturday but i'm not sure yet!

[smeghead22]

Hello Mango,

I wanted to post this response because the £10 - buy in at the Grosvenor in Cardiff was a serious let down. For a start all the regulars simply played out of turn when it was my go, every time i bet and alot more times afterwards which is bad ettiquette. Secondly, the game is unlimited re-buy for 90 minutes - fair enough but the regulars simply bet every single pot for 90 minutes, knowing if they got lucky they would be paid off big time, if not they could just buy more chips and start again. This made it very difficult for the tournament players who want to play tight and aggressive, I had 1 re-buy all night, the women had 8. Then, when it came down to no additional re-buys, people finally started playing properly and played more conservatively because it was now a proper hold em tournament.

I have a few questions I would love you to answer -

1) Can I get a game at the Grosvenor in Cardiff which isn't unlimited re-buy
2) How many people go to the rookie night - whats it like?
3) Is there any way to win by playing correct tight and aggressive poker on a tuesday? Or do the people who re-buy 8 times a night always win because of the massive chip lead they already have over the tight agressive players.

I would love to know what you think of my questions and statement and I look forward to a reply from you.

[Top Pair Ace Kicker]

3) Is there any way to win by playing correct tight and aggressive poker on a tuesday? Or do the people who re-buy 8 times a night always win because of the massive chip lead they already have over the tight agressive players.

This is a common quote, but one which is incorrect.

The fact is that if someone rebuys 8,9,10 or 20 times in a tournament then it is impossible for them to *automatically* have a big stack. What they HAVE succeeded in doing is put a lot of chips on the table, but the very fact that they are rebuying means that they have only put them into the hands of OTHER players.

Of course they could carry on pumping all their chips in the middle in the vain hope of doubling up, and win some of their own chips back, but they do not always do this.

It is also true that they could very well have put them into the hands of other players who have called with garbage too, but they have managed to hit their 8-4 o/s.....

This is why, personally I do not like rebuys and play them very rarely. In my opinion if you are on a table with someone who is quite prepared to put loads of chips into the hands of the other players round the table, BUT you are not one of the lucky players they do it to, it can be very difficult to then build up your stack without resorting to coin flips.

It is quite possible to end up with about only a quarter of the chips that 4 or 5 people against you have purely due to the fact that someone is prepared to play that way. Of course your stack is now dominated by lots of players who could then loosen up their starting requirements even more meaning you are going to have to play tighter and tigher which then becomes a vicious circle and pretty much unplayable.

However I still disagree with Mangos comments about your way of thinking and playing not being the correct one.

Playing tight and conservative can work very well, but it is also true that if you wait for premium hands, you are occasionaly get your big pairs turned over, or your A-K get beaten by someone who is prepared to go all in with the above mentioned 8-4 who then hits their 4 on the river.

If you approach the game with the attitude that you are prepared to get sucked out by the odd bad beat, but hopefully this will be the night that your good hands stand up, you stand just as good a chance as someone who is prepared to rebuy as many times as it takes in order to double up their stack, than try to run over the table.

Good luck!

[smeghead22]

Thankyou for your reply, and I can understand your logic and your opinions regarding re-buy tournaments. However, I do agree with Top Pair Ace kickers response more.

'Tight and agressive is the correct way to play limit hold em in tournaments'
(Phil Hellmuth, Play Poker like the Pros, 2003, p.164)

This book has ben like a bible to me since I was quite young. It is published by possible the greatest tournement poker player who has ever lived. So if you think that loose play and not tight aggressive play is corect then Phil Hellmuth and myself sadly must disagree with you.

Thankyou for both responses Mango and Top Pair Axe kicker, they were both incitefull and interesting. I have now come to the conclusion that it will be extremely difficult to win the £10 - re buy pot limit hold em event in Cardiff. However it isn't impossible. Hopefull after 90 minutes I'll have picked up enought pots to give myself a chance at the money on the short stack.

If anyone knows were I can get a NL hold em poker tournament which isn't unlimited re-buy for 90 minutes I would be EVER so greatful!!!! Before you mention going to the World Series of Poker, I would love to but ill need at least $1,500 to play in the limit hold em shootout which unfortunately at this moment in time I dont have, but in 5 years time I will be going to play on an even playing field, which sadly I cant find in Wales.

[smeghead22]

Just a quick post here asking that anyone who knows were I can get a No limit or Limit hold em tournament in the UK, could they reply to this post! Im desperately looking for a game primarilly based on skill rather than luck which is what I am surrounded in! I dont have a huge budget sadly, thats why I need to start in the lower games and build up my earnings!

Any enthusiastic gamers out there will be happy to know that World Poker Tour is coming out on many games concoles next month. The screen shots look fantastic and the word from America is that this could be the first of many.

Finally, "May all you cards be live and your pots be monsters!!!!!!"

(Mike Sexton)

[PokerWoody]

You will see more outdraws in Limit and PL doesn’t play hugely differently from NL. In rebuy events you are looking to accumulate chips and then protect them. This will include calling for all your chips into multi way pots during the rebuy stage when you know you are behind but have ANY sort of draw which stands to take the pot. Once you have enough chips to play your game you should then start to try and protect them. In Cardiff I have previously done okay with 3-5k at then end of the rebuy stage and I know others (Mango) who have got to the final table on less.

I recommend starting out with some strategy books and working from there. Don't assume TAG is the correct strategy for all poker games. It works well in cash games and at the start of freezeouts when the stacks are relatively large compared to the blinds but as the blinds grow you will dribble your chips away if you carry on waiting for big hands. Play chip stacks, play position and play aggressively. Throw PH's book away and get some new ones. Dan Harrington’s book 'Harrington on Holdem' volumes I & II (to name only two) should be mandatory reading before you enter a casino again.

Good luck.

[smeghead22]

Thankyou for all your responses, they have been informative and insightfull. Just a quick post informing the readers that I won £117 last week in the casino playing pot limit hold em. Phil Hellmuths advice and stratagy really paid off, now I am going to purchase more high quality poker software and books to improve as a player.

There wasn't any secret to my success, I played tight for an hour and folded mostly then I made a stand against the jackel on my table and doubled up. No one respected my raises so I waited for the green light according to Sklansky and pushed all in. The other players were hoping for gut shot straight draws and a runner runner flushes.

Now I am looking for a higher stakes game, ive heard about the Grosvenor Victoria Casino in London, home to many famous players such as the hendon mob and the devil fish. once I have a bankroll again ill pop down there, then ill really see if ive got the skills!

(P.S Did anyone see Poker superstars on challange TV last week? David Sklansky got dealt pocket rockets 6 times! I wish I could be dealt pocket rockets twice in a tournament!)

[Top Pair Ace Kicker]

LOL

With £117 you will certainly be able to buy yourself a bigger fishing rod anyway.

[SandyBaby]

I've played at the Grovenor, Cardiff on a tuesday quite a few times, and, sure the regulars can play like maniacs in the rebuy part, but playing tight has meant that I've made 3 final tables and lucky enough to be in the money on each occaision - over £2k in total. I limit myself to only 3 rebuys MAX for the night, and only play premiums - no point in bluffing or limping because you can be sure of a call from someone. Play a typical tight/aggressive game, be patient and it's relatively easy to take their chips - leaving them shout for Alex whilst waiving their tenner in the air.

Peter
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