Question live play

I was wondering, I've never played live, my question is, are you allowed to pick up your hole cards off the table to look at them? Not that I would, it would be to easy for someone to see them. I know in single deck Blackjack game you are not allowed to do this. Just wondering.
Thanks

It depends on the places rules. You can't take them off of the table. What some dealers let people do is pick them up to look at them as long as the cards don't go past the rail, or other people see them, (hard to explain) they won't complain. For example you can't pull the cards toward you, take them off the table, and hold them up to your chest while you look at them. They are supposed to remain on the table and in plain view of everyone at the table.

Depends where you are - like white_lytning says they definitely shouldn't make it past the rail or leave the dealer's sight or anything.

There are pretty much no good reasons for doing it anyway though, so as a general rule just don't do it. Leave them flat on the table and get in the habit of capping them with a chip or some other object while you're in a hand.