My first time...

Playing my first live game (no limit) on Friday night and just wondering does anyone have any tips for me. There will be between 6 and 8 of us in a single table ring tourney. I've been playing on line for a few months and have read plenty of books, sites etc so any extra input would be handy. Can't see myself wearing the sunglasses though!

At first, plat tight and wait for the good hands. Pay attention to the other players, especially their style of betting and playing. As the tournament goes along, you can start bluffing a little but not too much. Don't chase too many cards. The more comfortable you get with the players betting and playing styles, the better. Trust your gut instinct. Be confident. Good Luck! :shakehand

ok Jpockets, in my opinion live games are a totally different animal to online games. A few things to keep in mind.

1. dont look for tells on your first game. The best thing to go is when your delt your hand dont look at the cards straight away. Just look for players that go for chips, it will usually mean a raise. (suppose it is a tell but a basic one that happens EVERY time i play live).

2. Play your cards tight, but when you enter a pot raise, and be the aggressor if possible for the hand, dont stare people out, remember you need a better hand to call rather than raise.

3. If you get shortstacked, dont go all in until you see lots of limping into the pot with no raises, you can usually take the pot there and then.

4. When the blinds get high you have to be the aggressor, this is usually where the game is won and lost, especially when it gets down to 3 or 4 players.

Basic enough stuff but i hope it helps. oh and if your a chatty player continue to be chatty if you pick up aces or hip a dream flop, nothing as easy to spot as the player who is wreaking your head with his poker stories all evening, all of a sudden he shuts up sits up straight and............. ususally everone at the table folds.

Good luck and enjoy yourself, try to stay away form the drink aswell. I find that when I go out to play at someones house there is usually alittle bit of drinking going on and thats great at first but if you end up final two your judgment might be a little clowdy.

I personally love playing live. But I usually play with the same 5-10 people everytime so I have become quite accustomed to everyone's style of play. It takes some time to read people, so don't think you can just do it first try.

dont focus to much on trying to read people .. your first time playing .. just play the cards .. dont limp in with a shat hand because all its going to do .. atleast most of the time .. is get you in trouble .. and make you end up calling something you wouldnt nomrally want to call .. have fun tho .. live games are sooo much more fun and bring out more emtion than online play .. control that emotion and you will do fine