Live poker for disabled players

[Rolliman111]

I'm a spastic handicapped wheelchair user who only plays online poker so far. Before I venture into qualifying tournaments for live poker events, I would like to know some more things ...

POKER TABLE
Since I'm quite small in a wheelchair, I have to remember that I do not get to the poker table. Are poker tables height adjustable in the casinos, or are there ramps and platforms where I can stand on the wheelchair?

Help while playing
because I can not move my hands well because of the spasticity, I'll probably need help with live poker while watching the cards and putting chips. Can I apply for help? What do the official tournament rules say? In chess tournaments, the referee has always set my figures after I have told him my move.

If I really get such a package (eg EPT Monaco, Berlin, Prague ...), then I have to pay my carer for the trip itself, so hotel, food, arrival, ect. Or put the poker organizers like pokerstars, titanpoker, ect. something else?
All these are additional costs, which I have to be aware of before. I have to calculate my costs.

Maybe this is the wrong place to ask the questions, but I still hope some experienced tournament players can help me here.
​

 

[mtl mile end]

I have no firsthand experience with this, but I strongly recommend that you do not put too much effort into winning a multi thousand dollar buy-in entry for a gigantic tourney on the other side of the Atlantic for your first ever live experience. Bad plan. I wouldn't want to be sitting at a tourney table for the first time in my life trying to figure out how to get high enough at the table, how the assistant is going to help me, how to do a million other things that I assume you have to deal with daily AND look down at my $10K entry worth of chipstack and think "so this is live poker". Usually, the "so this is live poker" part is enough to deal with on its own.

I'm sure that tableside assistance for players with disabilities varies from room to room and tourney to tourney. Why not start out with some live games locally? That could be your best option for gaining experience and realizing what assistance exactly you need to play a live tourney. This would also be good training for the assistant, if you have someone for this role. It would also allow you to gain a familiarity with the room, and they with you. If that's not an option, you could plan a vacation or short trip to a cardroom for some small tourneys.

All experience you gain will be added to your live poker toolbox. Good luck.

EDIT: just saw you were German. So forget the "other side of the Atlantic" part. I stand by the rest though.

 

[Jillychemung]

Disabled players have been allowed an assistant to help them play. Of course you must supply this assistant yourself, I have never heard of casinos having them available. ESPN coverage showed a nice segment on a blind player, Hal Lubarsky, who cashed in the 2007 Main Event. Hal continues to play as his Hendon Mob profile shows cashes most every year since 2007.

 

[Rolliman111]

in my area, there are only small Casino with a few cashgame tables, but there are no tournaments.
in cause of my Disability i try to plan all Things very carefully, because if there is something wrong, it's very hard to find a way out for People like me. thats why i try to get most Information as possible.

 

[mtl mile end]

Could you have access to a venue that accepts partypoker Live Dollars? If you did, you could start winning the PPL$ and visit the venue for a "scouting trip", get acquainted with live poker experience, and continue to build your PPL$ roll until you can play the "Big One" (at that venue).

 

[Rolliman111]

Could you have access to a venue that accepts PartyPoker Live Dollars? If you did, you could start winning the PPL$ and visit the venue for a "scouting trip", get acquainted with live poker experience, and continue to build your PPL$ roll until you can play the "Big One" (at that venue).

it is the first time i have heard About such a possible Thing, so i have to check it out, but thanks for this tip...

 

[mtl mile end]

it is the first time i have heard About such a possible Thing, so i have to check it out, but thanks for this tip...

General info:
https://partypokerlive.com/en/ppl-dollars/promotions

Partner Casinos:
https://partypokerlive.com/en/ppl-dollars/casinos

I thought there were more. For a German, it looks like UK or Czech Republic are the closest venues.

Perhaps the most important thing is the schedule. Go to PartyPoker and check the PP Live Dollars filter in the Poker/Tournament Lobby.

 

[Rolliman111]

General info:
https://partypokerlive.com/en/ppl-dollars/promotions

Partner Casinos:
https://partypokerlive.com/en/ppl-dollars/casinos

I thought there were more. For a German, it looks like UK or Czech Republic are the closest venues.

Perhaps the most important thing is the schedule. Go to PartyPoker and check the PP Live Dollars filter in the Poker/Tournament Lobby.

thanks a lot for yur help…………...

 

[337samuel]

see my new thread disabled poker player

I'm a spastic handicapped wheelchair user who only plays online poker so far. Before I venture into qualifying tournaments for live poker events, I would like to know some more things ...

POKER TABLE
Since I'm quite small in a wheelchair, I have to remember that I do not get to the poker table. Are poker tables height adjustable in the casinos, or are there ramps and platforms where I can stand on the wheelchair?

Help while playing
because I can not move my hands well because of the spasticity, I'll probably need help with live poker while watching the cards and putting chips. Can I apply for help? What do the official tournament rules say? In chess tournaments, the referee has always set my figures after I have told him my move.

If I really get such a package (eg EPT Monaco, Berlin, Prague ...), then I have to pay my carer for the trip itself, so hotel, food, arrival, ect. Or put the poker organizers like pokerstars, titanpoker, ect. something else?
All these are additional costs, which I have to be aware of before. I have to calculate my costs.

Maybe this is the wrong place to ask the questions, but I still hope some experienced tournament players can help me here.
​

msg me i can help you

 

[Poker_Mike]

I'm a spastic handicapped wheelchair user who only plays online poker so far. Before I venture into qualifying tournaments for live poker events, I would like to know some more things ...

POKER TABLE
Since I'm quite small in a wheelchair, I have to remember that I do not get to the poker table. Are poker tables height adjustable in the casinos, or are there ramps and platforms where I can stand on the wheelchair?

Help while playing
because I can not move my hands well because of the spasticity, I'll probably need help with live poker while watching the cards and putting chips. Can I apply for help? What do the official tournament rules say? In chess tournaments, the referee has always set my figures after I have told him my move.

If I really get such a package (eg EPT Monaco, Berlin, Prague ...), then I have to pay my carer for the trip itself, so hotel, food, arrival, ect. Or put the poker organizers like pokerstars, titanpoker, ect. something else?
All these are additional costs, which I have to be aware of before. I have to calculate my costs.

Maybe this is the wrong place to ask the questions, but I still hope some experienced tournament players can help me here.
​

So....no the poker table itself does not adjust. But of course you can adjust your height in your chair as needed.

Yes you can bring an assistant but that is not essential unless you need other care from a medical attendant.

The dealer should be your friend as a neutral party. You can always just verbalize to the dealer what you want to do (call raise fold) and announce your bet size is always a good idea. The dealer can literally pick up your cards and also pick up chips off your stack and make change as required.

I have played live tournaments and cash games with disabled players and they range between accepting all help to not accepting any help (I can do this on my own!) attitudes.

One player I can remember does not have use of his arms but swings his torso until his hand is on the chips he wants to put out beyond the betting line and he turns his body to push the chips out with his hand still on them. This is not pretty to watch but I always admire his determination! Sometimes he would win a pot and if it wasn't too big a pot he would leave them scattered in front of him so that the chips were "ready" to be pushed out again. If it was a big pot then he might ask his neighbor to stack some of the chips for him. This player also used a little "ramp" that he pushed the cards onto to lift them up so he could see them - he got good using this and wasn't showing his cards to his neighbors.

Play like this does slow the game down at the table. I am always willing to play with anyone so this doesn't bother me. If anybody gives you grief about being slow at the table - slow down even more and tilt them!!!

I would always check with management and the floor about if your accomodations are legal in that room. Maybe they have a better solution? But again the dealer is always always there to help you and move the game forward.

Good luck !

 

[Vilgeoforc]

You raised an interesting topic. I think it all depends on the casino or club where the game will take place. But I think a serious institution should consider this issue, because you pay real money for playing there.

 

[SubZero111]

So....no the poker table itself does not adjust. But of course you can adjust your height in your chair as needed.

Yes you can bring an assistant but that is not essential unless you need other care from a medical attendant.

The dealer should be your friend as a neutral party. You can always just verbalize to the dealer what you want to do (call raise fold) and announce your bet size is always a good idea. The dealer can literally pick up your cards and also pick up chips off your stack and make change as required.

I have played live tournaments and cash games with disabled players and they range between accepting all help to not accepting any help (I can do this on my own!) attitudes.

One player I can remember does not have use of his arms but swings his torso until his hand is on the chips he wants to put out beyond the betting line and he turns his body to push the chips out with his hand still on them. This is not pretty to watch but I always admire his determination! Sometimes he would win a pot and if it wasn't too big a pot he would leave them scattered in front of him so that the chips were "ready" to be pushed out again. If it was a big pot then he might ask his neighbor to stack some of the chips for him. This player also used a little "ramp" that he pushed the cards onto to lift them up so he could see them - he got good using this and wasn't showing his cards to his neighbors.

Play like this does slow the game down at the table. I am always willing to play with anyone so this doesn't bother me. If anybody gives you grief about being slow at the table - slow down even more and tilt them!!!

I would always check with management and the floor about if your accomodations are legal in that room. Maybe they have a better solution? But again the dealer is always always there to help you and move the game forward.

Good luck !

Thank you for this answer Poker Mike. It is a good answer and helps me as well with some of the questions I was wondering about. Just one of the reasons I like about Cardschat!