Switching from online to B&M

My new job means that i will be working close to a casino soon and i intend to spend some time there working on my live game. What kind of changes do you think i need to know about that will help me adjust my game so it will be more suited to b&m play. Any advice would be good because i dont want to be out of my depth to much. I have played online for a few years and have played mtts up to $50 buy ins, Thanks.

B&M is a LOT slower than online so dust off your patience your going to need it.

It's not as easy to pick a table or the right game, you go on a list and take what's available, again patience if you see another game you want in or if the table your at isn't to your liking request a table change. Don't be afraid to change tables or quit if the action and your style don't mix well.

Proper bankroll and time management, the lower the stakes the higher the luck factor, the higher the stakes the better the skill levels. Check your ego outside and get a firm grip on your emotions there is actually human interaction here. I've seen all knds of characters at the live tables, some like flashing money and bullying, talking smack, some are reasonable, quiet, loud and all in between.

Watch out for enjoying yourself during a losing session. I have had a lot of fun while losing in the right mix of people, it can be habit forming and become a major leak in your game. Focus, stay focused on winning, if you are having a great time and losing, stop and figure out why, you may have to quit or re-adjust your game.

Patience, position, playing a solid game and position. Did I mention position? Oh yeah position use it! If you want service tip the waiter/waitress so they'll remember you and treat you right.

The main differanvce is human interaction, your're not at home, you can't kick the dog or yell at your wife and kids when you get bad beat. Smiles and anger are both infectious, self-emotional control is KEY and that's not allways easy when interacting with other people.

The best is being able to interact, enjoy yourself while contributing to others ejoying themselves while your winning. If they are having a great time and losing it's good for you, try to develop that atmospjhere at your table and work it to YOUR advantage.

New article if you are looking for live tournament advice. Most of it can work for ring games too.

http://www.cardschat.com/f6/articles-contest-82021/ (http://www.cardschat.com/f6/articles-contest-82021/)

Hey thanks for the good advice mrdaman i will make sure to use it. Thanks for the link titans4ever and yes it was live tournament advice i was after. Thanks again. I do ok in online tourns and wanted to know about any tweaks i might need to make in a live environment.

Live tournament advice? That is a horse of a differant color.

Shop around if you have more than one casino available, if not you're pretty much stuck. Buy-in, re-buys, blind time, starting chip stack and structure can make a big differance between skill and luck.

If you're a shallow pocket player avoid the re-buy tournaments untill you have a bankroll and enough confidence in your ability to know whether to re-buy or quit.

Look for tournaments with the longest blind level times, most live casino dailys are 15 to 20 minutes and the stack size can be anywhere from 1500 to 5000. Most dailys are 15 minute blinds, 1500 stack and start out at 50/100. These are fast tournaments 4 to 6 hours with about 200 people and the structure of the blind progression can go up very fast. Luck is a huge factor it's like a turbo tournament on line, play fast and aggressive push premium hands as far as you can.

I try to avoid the fast blind progression structures, in 15 to 20 minute blind tournaments a slower blind progression works to the favor of skilled players, a faster progression makes luck a much more important factor.

On weekends the casino's tend to compete more for players, this is a great time for shopping the best tournament games. Some may offer 5000 starting stacks with a reasonable blind progression and 30 minute blinds. They may cost a little more to buy-in but competitive skill is enhanced lowering the luck quotient. I try to seek these kind of tournaments out and support the casino's decision to offer them.

Other than choosing which tournament to play in, how you play is very dependant upon blind structures, time and progression. It's still slower than online play so patience is important, position and studying your opponents for weakness's to exploit, is important.

I think the main differance in online tournament play to B&M live play is just choosing the right tournaments, staying within your money management scheme and enjoying yourself while playing your A-game. Pay attention to structures, adjust your game accordingly and you should do ok.

Thanks again mrdaman all your advice is thankfully received.

No problem Mojo

Another thing comes to mind, I was playing live tournaments before I started online tournaments. A HUGE differance is the ability to play one tournament after another.

Online I can play 2 tournaments at the same time or more from 1 dollar entry to 1000. If I bust out I can get into another tournament and increase my odds of winning or cashing just by the sheer number of tournaments I can play in.

Live B&M the most you'll ever play is 2 one in the morning and one at night if you have the constitution to stay alert for both.

Because you can only play 1 or 2 a day assuming you have the time for that many you win ratio will be WAY LOW compared to your online percentages compared to time spent.

Try not to get too discouraged if you don't cash or make a final table in live tournaments right away, I average making the final table maybe 2 out of 10 tries sometimes better sometimes worse, but I continue to get better all the time.

Those fast structures are hard to defeat, luck plays a major role, consistancy is difficult under those conditions. I haven't gotten to play any major tournaments where the blind structures are 1 hour with a longer blind progression. Consistancy has GOT to be much easier in those as we keep seeing the Pro's over and over in them, I think that's a major reason.

They can afford the best tournaments with the best structures, they can be consistant in them. Until any of us reach that kind of level we can realisticly expect our win/loss records in tournaments to have vilotile swings.

Just thought I would add this because it can be very discouraging not to win a few in a row playing live, if compared to online play, know you win more online becuse you can play more online.

Good luck!

You make a very good point mrdaman and one that i didnt dream of thinking about and that is that you realistically only get one shot maybe two per visit to a casino but can find another one right away online. That important point alone would definitely make me want to be more alert and help me to play my A game or at the very least to play very solid. Good advice thanks.

LOL I keep thinking of more.

Since the live play is slow in coming, sometimes there are lines to buy-in and if you're late they will cut off the entry at 200 or so players.

What you're going to want to do is get there early so you are sure to get a seat in the tournament. Ok you've bought your seat, now you have 1 or 2 hours before the tournament starts ... what'cha gonna do?

Play in a live ring game? Play slots? I gotta stress this I learned the hard way, everything you spend from valet parking to slots, to live play to the tip to a waitress for a coke adds or detracts from your net poker earnings or loss's.

I have won and lost small fortunes in the hour or two before a tournament starts. If your bankroll is tight, bring a good book don't let boredom drive you to playing slots or risking your bankroll in live games over your head. Even 3/6 limit games can have quick swings of 100 to 300 dollars. A negative swing can destroy your bankroll and attitude.

Money management include MORE than just the buy-in for the tournament.

I added this not just for you Mojo I have no idea of your stake level or managment style. It's for everyone, it's wisdom from the school of hard knocks. Beware of the one armed bandits and trapping yourself in a game where if you take a hit you won't have time to make it back up, the conditions are perfect to effect you adversely. A good paperback only costs 6.99 or so its a good investment.

Even better if it is a good poker book. Good advice.

Thanks titans4ever i read that article after you put me onto it and gleamed some good advice from it. Then i read all 6 articles and even voted. Thanks again.

Hey i have been playing Live for a few years. It is slower but that should be advantageous as it gives you time to think more about your options.

One of the biggest things I would look out for if you are brand new is the maniacs. Online it is easy to play these guys b/c you arent actually looking at them. Live, they are going to use every thing they possibly have to intimidate you into folding. If you get into a match with one - try to get head to head early and try to call to the river if the stakes are low enough then fold when they come over the top on the river When you finally do get a monster against them play it the exact same way and dominate them by calling their over the top bet on the river.
Not only will ppl respect you at the table but you wont have to worry about maniac for the rest of the night.
And if you lose a real suckout donkey beat call you can always smash the guy in the mouth if your pissed instead of ruining your keyboard.

Play the player not the cards - the cards do not matter pre-flop at these things. you should get a book on "tells and reading people". - This is if you are playing live ring games. Obviously if your in a tournie you have to be more weary of the cards.

Thanks sdexceed for your tips and advice. This thread is turning out to be a lot of help to me and anyone else thinking of making the transition.