Any advice for live cash games?

[holdem007]

I've been reading this forum for a few hours and it seems that a majoiry of the advice is for online games. While, these are helpful no doubt, I can't seem to find solid advice for playing live.

Could someone please point me in the right direction?

[swiggidy]

The advice here is on playing poker. It is most definitely applicable to live play.

Are you looking for B&M advice, or home game advice? If it's B&M it would probably be helpful to list the stakes you play.

[Pelion]

You just need to look through the hand histories until you find one to do with live games.

Its still pretty much the same game so if you understand the arguments for online play you should be able to translate them to live.

The two main differences are usually:

1) Stack sizes tend to be smaller. Alot of cardrooms will only let you buy in for 50bb or so. That means you have alot less time to figure out if TPTK type hands are beaten and so TPTK should usually be played for stacks (except of course Vs passive players who have raised...)

2) Players generally play worse for the stakes they are playing. Casinos have higher minimum buyins than online so the worst players are forced to play higher than they otherwise would. This results in monies.

Apart from adjusting to the structure and players its still the same game. Go out there and kill it.

[holdem007]

swiggidy -I'm new to casino play.
I'm playing no limit $50 buy in with $1 small $2 blinds.

[Kits]

I played a $60 flat buy in 1/2 local casino not long ago. I admit I was really surprised at how retarded most of the players were. Lots of calling stations. I made a ton of money over betting strong hands. You can't really go wrong with ABC poker here.

[drmcboy]

value bet

[Galapogos]

Take all the advice on 25NL online game hands and apply it to the 1/2NL live games.

[holdem007]

Thanks fellas.

[zook]

{moved from NLHE Strategies}

[donkbee]

value bet

QFT x 908498454

People call down with any pairs.

[JB25163]

There are some useful stickies in the B&M section on this site:

http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...oker-36056.htm

[Fnord]

Top Pair Good Kicker is the Nuts.

[Percival]

What about tipping the dealer in a live game, what is the proper etiquette for that?

[bigspenda73]

Depends on size of pot, split pots, etc....also I only tip on pots I win

I will not tip a split pot unless there are more than 2 players involved throughout the hand. Why lose the rake + tip?

I don't tip for a hand that doesn't see a flop
I tip $1-2 for a hand that sees a flop ($2 if it larger than normal)
I tip $2-3 for a hand that goes to showdown
I tip $5 for large pots with big hands.
I tip $2-5 if a dealer has been good and is leaving. I do this b/c I frequent the same room quite often so I see the same dealers quite a bit. It's good to have them on your side. If not for good karma, they will also give you better service. I.E. call cocktail waitresses over for you, have the floor change the TV's to different channels, and anything else.

As for live play in general, I think you'll be surprised the amount players will raise PF. It seems to be 5-6xBB. The bad players are playing NL b/c in their twisted minds they are good at poker and earlier they were playing 2-4 limit and everyone and their grandmother was sucking out on them so they came to the NL table to prove that you can buy out draws and they tend to bet way too much money. I like to squeeze at these games a lot b/c there is a ton of money to pick up PF.

[Percival]

Do you tip if you are behind? Example; you sit down with $25 and you are down to $15, you win a pot for $5. You are down $5 overall so do you tip?

I was also wondering about taking notes either in a live NL game or a tourney. While playing online I keep notes on players. Is this ok live or a no-no, OR is it ok but you really look like a fish so not advisable?

[bigspenda73]

Notes would actually make you look like you know what you are doing. I would never what that perception of me. I show up and from the moment I am there it is my goal to make everyone believe I have no idea what I am doing. I dress accordingly, ragged jeans, a sweatshirt, backwards hat and I ALWAYS post my BB. I make sure everyone sees it and I let the dealer tell me I don't have to post it. This happened the first time I played at a casino at is was by mistake then, now it is intentional. I always tell the dealner, no, I want to play this hand, and then the dealer has to tell me that I don't have to post and I can still play. I look perplexed and from there on I get no repsect....which is exactly what I want.

Yes, I tip whether I am winning or losing if I win a pot of substantial value. If you are worried about a $1 tip you probably shouldn't be playing in the game either way.

[drmcboy]

You won't need notes at any table you're sitting at with 25 bucks. You really won't believe how bad people are compared to online. Plus, you don't have much to do besides watch people.

[givememyleg]

Top Pair Good Kicker is the Nuts.

qft!

[donkbee]

As for live play in general, I think you'll be surprised the amount players will raise PF. It seems to be 5-6xBB.

Haha. Last time I played live 1/2, I was raising $20 to $25 preflop whenever I raised because it was the only way to prevent a family pot. Even when I raised that much, I always got two callers. I couldn't get a HU flop no matter what I did ...

[bigspenda73]

You sound like all the other whiners....

j/k

but seriosuly, you do

[donkbee]

How am I whining?

[bigspenda73]

Just show some boob next time and you'll be goot.

BTW I think raising to 20 or 25 in the 1/2 NL games is quite a bit too much. I think $10 accomplishes the same goal without getting you pot stuck

[Xanadu]

$50 buy-in 1/2 you are getting close to pot stuck with any pfr.

[Fnord]

$50 buy-in 1/2 you are getting close to pot stuck with any pfr.

GAMB00L
GAMB00L
GAMB00L
GAMB00L
GAMB00L
GAMB00L
GAMB00L
GAMB00L

Srsly, you can beat that game with:
88+, AJ+/ATs+/KQ and nothing else.

[donkbee]

Just show some boob next time and you'll be goot.

BTW I think raising to 20 or 25 in the 1/2 NL games is quite a bit too much. I think $10 accomplishes the same goal without getting you pot stuck

LOL gee thanks. I think I know how to play poker and that if I didn't have to be raising 20BB preflop, I wouldn't have been.