The Internet College kid goes to the casino...

I have a pretty funny story to share, some of you might enjoy. I am a regular 2/5nl cash game guy at the local casino and keep a pretty low profile. College is back in session (thank god for the loose money and the girls) and that means college internet guys at the card tables. Last weekend there was a game going on and two friends sat down wearing their college hoodies and pokerstars baseball hats. Naturally the regulars at the table perk up and the game picks up.

(I'm making this topic no so much to pick on these kids but as maybe a lesson to some of you that are thinking of going to the casino for the first time)

After an hour or so it becomes pretty clear that both of these kids know what they are doing but aren't familiar with a live game. Folding out of turn, not tipping, playing super super tight and not talking at all. Eventually the table start to get on them. One of the regulars is an outspoken guy from New York that likes to talk during the game. Hes telling them that hes gonna teach them what they don't read about in the books and making sure the kids know they have to tip when they win. Then another guy starts going on about how they aren't playing 5 tables and they have to play more cards or no one will play with them. It got to the point where when the one kid raised the entire table would talk about how no one should play the hand. They also took forever to make decision during very insignificant pots. Look..if you have a big decision to make and want time, i will never call the clock on you. But if you have to take a minute to fold pre-flop to a $20 bet with nothing in the pot your going to get heckled.

I felt kinda bad for the kids, I mean everyone has to start somewhere, maybe 2/5 wasn't the best idea for them. And to be completely honest, they didn't do that bad. One kid lost 2 buy ins, and the other made $200 or so. But no one at the table was giving them any respect as a player.

Anyway, I didn't have a problem with them like the rest of the players. If players are going to NITs thats fine with me, they won't get much from me, NITS are easy to play against. But the tipping and folding and and taking forever to bet were getting me. When you play in a casino game for the first time you should throw the dealer a dollar for a pot. If you don't want to thats fine, but at least be aware that your supposed to tip them. Also, it shouldn't take 2 minutes to fold you hand if there 3 blinds in the pot.

Anyway, now I'm just rambling. Any thoughts?

I think you're right, I've only played one ring game live in a casino..and what an eye opener that was.....Wow, those guys cleaned my clock.....I won the first hand that I played but it took me probably 3 rounds around the table to play it..I picked up something like ace queen bet 3x the pot..and just took it down....I said something about how can this loose table fold around....Dealer says....well you have to play more than one hand every 20 minutes....I didn't play REALLY terribly, I was just way outclassed.

Ive never played holdem in a casino.But if i ever do I would know enough to tip the dealers.Its just good manners.

I've played tons live , and it is a different world than playing online ... especially the looseness of the tables. Out here in LA there are so many players and so many rooms if you don't want to be seen as a regular you don't have to be. But it's very easy to spot the internet college kid (and ideally his friend he forced to bring along who doesnt know how to play).

I have never played live, but i do have a question. When playing a live ring game and you want to leave, what would you say is best etiquite (sp) for leaving. Should you leave when BB comes back to you or when??

You're being kinda nitty about tipping, to be honest.

I love live poker.

I love your story.

The last time I was in Reno playing 1/2NL, I forgot to tip the dealer twice. He was an ass to me the rest of the night and I didn't figure out why until later. Needless to say, I always remember to tip now. lol

No real rule. If I'm down or haven't won a decent pot in a while, I might make a comment that I'm gone when the BB gets back to me, but won't make it a big deal.

If I've recently won a big pot, I'll make sure the table knows I'm leaving in "15 minutes" or "one more orbit" or whatever. Happened to me at the Nugget in Vegas back in July where I had just raked a $250ishpot. My wife got to the poker room just as I was stacking my chips and the guy I beat (an off duty dealer from the Nugget) said "I guess that means you're outta here". I said I would need to go shortly, but that I would stick around for one more orbit. He was really cool (as was most of the table) and said not to worry about it if I needed to go. I said I wasn't a hit and run kind of player and wouldn't feel right if I left right then. I think the whole table appreciated that.

I did see two bad hit and runs that week though. One against me when an old Mr Mayogi looking jerkoff sucked out a runner runner straight on me to win a $400+ pot. He couldn't stack my chips in the tray and run away fast enough. I almost chased him to the new table he moved to.

Another guy who I had played with all week and thought was cool, hit and run someone else on an even bigger pot ($600ish I think) a couple days later. The whole table was pissed about that and even more pissed when he showed back up at another table in the room about 20 minutes later.

I've played a few times in the indiana casinos and agree with everything you have said, but one. Out here they don't notice if you play a hand every 2 hours, they are so loose and drunk on the weekends that when you get a hand you almost always capitalize on it. I know its a generalization, but I've played weekdays when the tables are filled with regulars and they actually notice things, weekends are a tight players dream.

If a new player isn't tipping then I'll wait to tip and ask the dealer if I missed him. Or I'll throw him 2 and say the extra one is incase I miss him next time. They'll get it sooner or later.

No hard fast rule but I'll generally announce that I'm going to play through the blinds and leave. I've just heard too many negative comments from other players about "that guy" that always leaves before posting.

If I get a big pot right before I'm about to leave then I'll play through another orbit but I'm just the sweetest guy in the world.

Lol, kinda like in bars with the hot chick and the, uh... other girl.

I've never played in a cassino before, but I can imagine that is totally different from internet, just that a lot of people are looking to your face and trying to read you at any expressions that you could show + people are talking, and you can't "block" the chat lol
it must be tough to a internet player get used to a table game

Why all the subtle things to try to make the kid feel guilty? If he's played online before and hasn't played in a casino, he's probably just really nervous and trying to keep track of everything. Most likely he's not being a dick but he just didn't realize it. Obviously it's not compulsory but if someone would just mention "usually it's a nice thing to tip the dealer after winning a pot like that" that may be better than the subtle methods trying to embarrass the kid. Anyway, I'm gonna be that kid in ~3 and a half weeks and can say I'm gonna be nervous as **** at least when I first sit down. Just so many things to think about that you don't run into online or in live games with friends.

i've played live in a casino once, just decided to go for it, and played $100 max table (bought iin twice at $50, i'm not that risky, lol)
Anyway, first go round, i basically got blinded out, not calling any raises at all- mostly due to inexperience, thinking, hey if they raise, they must have something (which online, i worry about much less....something about looking into the players eyes, vs an avatar of a bird).

Finally got one good hand, raised min bet with pocket kings, thinking someone owuld raise on my timidness, and they did, and i went all in. They called for another 30, with a-10 suited, and beat me.

And thats the last time ill play holdem in a casino, until i get much better, or more wealthy.

Haha. Thats really funny.

Bottom line is online poker and live poker are very similar... but NOT the same.

The extent to which they are different makes its surprisingly hard to go from one to the other.

Hope to play some Live ring games soon

Have been looking into the poker rooms on my last casino trips but don't feel Safe at the limits they play, usually 3/6. Might start out at one of the tournaments, usually $30 entry, as I figure I can at least get in some table time and get used to Live play.

Any more tips and insights for Live play would be appreciated!

Good Luck and Good Games!

Good thread - I enjoyed read everyone's experiences/thoughts. I'm hoping to play in some live cash games in the near future and will make sure remember these tips/suggestions.

That was my biggest problem the first (and so far only) time I played live.

The guys on either side of me just wanted to shoot the breeze! I was nervous and trying to concentrate, and they just wouldn't stop.

lol at "live" players making fun of an internet player-- live players are the absolute WORST.

Now that is just craziness.

I have a feeling what you mean is live players, if they played the way they do live, at internet tables might not do so well.

Or do you really mean you think they are "the absolute WORST"?

Perhaps I am just gullible?

cAPS

But in this case we are looking for the Grenade to jump on

I remember my first casino NL HE game, it was a very similar scenario. It was on a Saturday night, and me and the wife took a trip to the casino one evening, and I decided I would try my hand at playing NL HE at a casino. I felt like I wasn't one of the "cool kids" for not showing up with my sunglasses, hat, hoodie and ipod. There was only me and two other people at the table who didn't dress that way. Me and the other two fellas chatted it up all nite and all three of us walked away with 2x-5x the max buy in. Me and one of the other dudes who didnt' dress like the unabomber left at the same time and he told me it was always that way on weekend nights when college was in session, and he tried to never miss a weekend without playing on Friday or Saturday night if he could help it, and sometimes played both nights if he could get away with it. I made enough in that session to cover my wifes losses at the table games and dollar slots and still came out ahead for the night after paying for dinner and some souviniers at the shops.


~S

I took it to mean that if the average internet player sat down with the average live player, the internet player would eat the live player for lunch. Whether this be live, online, or underwater.

There are four things i do not like at a table, 1] some one next to me that has not showered, 2] a person with a hat, 3] a slow player,4] someone that wants to talk football.

Also seems as if most people you guys assume are internet players are simply recreational college kids. The average live player is probably better than the average college kid who will play in a casino. They've watched it on ESPN, think "it can't be that hard", want to look cool, and go in and play. Obviously I don't know, haven't played in a casino yet, but that's the sound of it from these responses. No good online multi-tabler would take minutes to make trivial decisions considering they have to make multiple tough decisions in the span of seconds online.

Sounds mostly like live players suffer from elitism and have a need to prove they are better than online players and prove that online isn't real poker. And lol at 1/2 live players talking about being good and acting like they're so much better than anyone. They're mostly playing tourists no? If they're playing 5/10+ maybe I could give them some respect, but when you're riding the lowest limits available I'd have to laugh at anyone making fun of a player and acting like this table was out of his league.

What's wrong with #2?

This^^. In my experience $1/$2nl live plays worse that 0.01/0.02nl online.

If you're going to be a NIT live, you need to call, not raise, till they're pot locked.

That was prolly me...

Right. To some it's the smell of money.


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I have said and always will say $1/$2nl live is the biggest donkfest ever. But this was a $2/$5 table and you will get regs in Vegas or out here in LA at this level that are good solid players. At 1/2 people fricking FLUSHMINE. Nonsensical stupidity.

And I think Zach has taken the role of defending the internet college kid. Hmmmmmm I wonder why lol

Don't worry I agree with the fact that your average internet regular will destroy the average live guy in the long run.

No, read it again, that was #1. #2 was wearing a hat. What's wrong with wearing a hat at the table?

Zack, I almost feel like your attacking my original post.

I'll repeat it just to make sure its clear. I didn't make this post to attack internet college kids. Thats where a lot of people start, and its natural for someone without a lot of table experience to be out of their element. Just as a live player would be out of their element on the internet.

Online poker is very different from live games. More people need to accept this, and be aware of it in topics when we are making comparisons about the two. Also, this was a 2/5 game, not a 1/2. There is a very big difference between the two games in most casino's. (On a side note...The Borgota seems to have a pretty loose 2/5 usually).

And Zack, one of the biggest things that separates cash game players is their game selection. In live games it easy to see who the tourists are and it would be dumb not to want to play with. When I walk into the card room I look for 2/5s with people I don't recognize because thats usually a good sign. Its not as profitable to sit and raise blinds with the regular grinders. It would be a bad play to pick that game over one full of tourists. Don't attack live games for being full of tourists and tell me that I'm an elitist for playing them. Anyone that chooses to play in the harder game is the one that should be made fun of.

Sorry, wasn't attacking anyone, but if I were, it was people like Double-A suggesting the subtle shots at the kid. That's what kinda pissed me off. If they're messing up and aren't experienced with live play, just let them know. It's common courtesy. Don't try to drop subtle hints to further embarrass them.

I'm also sorry about my characterization of live poker. I've never set foot inside a casino so have no idea how it is. I just know that every single person I've talked to that said they played live (most of which I knew and played online) have said it was the softest game they had ever played in. Now they're probably going over the weekends and playing 1/2, where the tourists are. I've just heard from people who say they've played both that 1/2 online is probably tougher than the 5/10 live games. That's all I'm going off of.

Also, not a huge deal, but it's Zach not Zack.

Also my posts weren't exactly geared at CC members either. It's geared at the live players who think they are the shit and that online players all suck at live poker. It's the same game and many of the online players are much better than the live players. That goes from people like Hellmuth looking down on Durrr to just a common perception among amateurs and grinders ("well you may be able to play behind your computer screen, but can you play with the big boys?"-like comments). Sorry if you felt I was ripping on you.

My comments weren't meant to take shots at or embarrass anyone.

If I felt like taking shots at an inexperienced player for not toking then I'd look at them and say, "Hey Dork, why aren't you tipping? Dealers have to make a living too you know!"

In my experience it's best not to comment or make suggestions about other players actions. That type of dialogue can often create a bad vibe at the table and that's just -EV. B&M games aren't all "happy go lucky" situations. Not everyone is there to have fun and play cards. Sure there will be games full of nice people enjoying a social game but just as often you're playing with drunks, addicts, people playing way over their head financially, or just total a$$holes.

Suggesting to another player, "usually it's a nice thing to tip the dealer after winning a pot like that" might be met with a response like "Oh, O.K. thanks" or it might be met with, "Usually it's a nice thing to mind your own f#@king business. This guys been dealing me crap all night!"

Asking the dealer if you missed toking him is common in live games. In that context few if any people are going to take a dialogue between the dealer and another player personally.