Maiden Voyage to a Live Poker Event.

The first time you ever play poker at a live event a card room or casino can be a pretty intimidating place and the last thing you want to do is give off the scent of being a newbie as the poker sharks are bound to circle sensing an easy meal. Here are a few hints and tips to make your first experience all the more enjoyable.

The Brush:
The “brush” is the nickname given to the employee responsible for managing the seating list of the poker tables within a card room or casino. You can usually find them towards the front of the poker room next to the board of available games. The brush is the person to ask should you have any lingering questions that you need answered before being seated at a table. Unless your father is Donald Trump ask for a seat at one of the lower limit tables which is usually $1/$2 blinds so that you can gain your confidence and become comfortable with the flow of the game before you decide to make your bid for the poker millions. Learn to walk before you can run!

Starting Out:
You are going to need to buy your chips before you can take your seat at the table and this is done at the cage where you will find a cashier happy to help you out. The maximum buy-in for a no-limit cash game is usually 100 big blinds as a guide for when you make your purchase. A tip is always remember to lay your money down at the cage as the cashier will not take the money from you as all transactions need to be logged by the security cameras.

Finally you are ready to take your seat at the poker table, remember to organize your chips don’t leave them in the rack it’s not allowed and you will be advertising you’re a card room virgin. Now you are ready to play so decide if you want to post and join the game straight away or wait for the blinds to come round so you can watch a little action before you enter the battle.

Betting Etiquette:
Chances are this is the first time that you will have handled real chips and made an actual bet instead of using your mouse and relying on the computer to do it for you. There is no need to rush and be cautious as how you handle your chips and bets will give your competitors the biggest indication that you are not quite the live poker veteran. Most card rooms and casinos will have their own rules regarding what constitutes a bet but if you follow these 3 rules you shouldn’t have a problem no matter where you play poker.

1) Placing chips past the betting line.
The betting line is clearly marked circling the interior of the poker table where the pot and community cards are placed. Any chips that are placed past the betting line and released are acknowledged as a bet.

2) Placing chips past your cards.
This rule is often in place when the poker table does not have a clear betting line. Any chips that are moved forward of your cards are once again identified as a bet, however if you are unsure then don’t be afraid to ask the dealer as rules can vary.

3) Verbal declaration.
In poker all verbal declarations are binding so to avoid confusion and making mistakes announce your bets before moving your chips into play. Calls are straight forward, however to raise make sure you are clear as to the size of your total bet.

Betting Rules:
Each card room or casino will have its own set of rules clearly stated covering etiquette and betting procedures, it is best to familiarize yourself with the rules prior to playing so once again you don’t advertise that you are a new player. As a rule though all raises must be equal to or greater than the size of the previous bet or raise. To give an example if the previous player makes a bet of $30, then the minimum raise would be $30 making your total bet $60.

Finally protect your cards and chips at all times so there can be no confusion or disagreements and if you are planning a long stint at the tables then it is useful to find out if mobile phones and other electronic items such as MP3 players are allowed before you start upsetting the other players.
So have fun as live poker is truly a completely different type of game from the world of online poker and most of all, good luck! Even better tell us how you got on and if you have any other tips to contribute.