Adjusting to live

[luckystraights]

I'm hoping to play in one of my local casino's soon (poker this time), games are very few and essentially $200nl, with 20-100 BB BI restrictions, so thought I'll start a thread to see if anyone has any suggestions on adjusting to the higher stakes (capital wise mostly), and any other differences they've noticed playing live.

We play sporadic home games, maybe 1 every 3 months, typically 5c/10c, though its not unknown to just buy in for $40 or even more, stacks get deep and it often plays like a bigger game, though never this big.

We'll probably be playing a $20 or so BI game, to work on getting used to the higher stakes in casino's, stakes are still pretty low, as myself and another normally want 3+ BI's on hand per game.

Can you store money in a casino, so your not leaving the place with it all at once?

[Detroitdad]

if your talking about a 1/2, $200 buy in at a casino, it's similar to micro stakes online. Pre flop raises don't mean a whole lot.

I rarely play at a casino, but when I do. This has worked for me. Don't play a hand for two orbits unless its a monster. Watch everyone, and everything that happens at the table. You won't regret it. Your playing with 9 other players that you have never seen before. You will need as much information as possible.

B

[luckystraights]

IME, there is just one table going, yeah 1 lol, so I think however sits will be a recreational "reg" or a clueless fish, like at 2nl.

[MsprinM]

Like DD said play very few hands for the first few orbits but watch the table like a hawk. Take everything in. Table conversation provides all kinds of info if you are listening.

[Detroitdad]

Over all, your going to want to play a tight, positional game. If late position/button and you can see a flop with mediocre cards, do it. If they hit, you will definitely get paid off.

Don't be surprised to see people calling pre flop with garbage, and chasing all the way to the river. Ultimately, that is what you want. You just have to not tilt if they repeatedly get there.

I through in a $15 bet, pre flop, FIRST TO ACT with Pocket Aces. 5 players called $15 dollars..........insane, and I had been playing tight for about two hours. Flop was very over pair friendly. I pushed for my remaining 150, and everyone folded...........LOL...........

[FSL009]

If you play your normal tight (assumption) range that you woudl inline you will be well ahead of most peoples opening range live.

but if you keep an eye out you will soon work out the calling stations and the better players pretty quickly.   I dont rely on physical tells that much live as the betting action understanding from online probably is pretty similar live - although as DD mentioned it is aking to micro games.

we have 2/3 and it is pretty regular that the game plays out of control ie a $17 raise is minimum with AA, KK otherwise no one will fold.

its live so people dont fold as much and get bored quicker etc.

Most of all just wait for premium hands and you should be right.  the main thing to remember is most people wont remember much past the last three or four hands so no tricky plays relying on people seeing stuff from a couple of circuits ago.

Also you cna fold three or four orbits and most of the table wont remember that your playing tight unless you tell them.  one or two will but most of the ones you want in the pot are still going to just call in with carp anyway.

also i extend the bottom of range and limp a little more in later position with soft limpers ahead of me, no point stealling as much as most people call through anyway so just see a flop here and there with an odd hand and see how you go with position for bluffs.   

some of the hand people play you will just astound you.

[luckystraights]

This might be a high variance game then, as I doubt I'll be waiting for a premium hand.

On certain tables online, especially on ipoker I play ATC, so it'll be quiet a contrast to have zero FE lol.

[MsprinM]

I don't like making broad assumptions about the players you will face. You wont know until you get there and watch them. I play pretty much every night of the week. One club is filled with calling stations who will call any bet. Another is full of rocks who you can steal pots from. Another is a good mix with lots of soft money, calling stations, and good players.
Keep your eyes open and play the person.

You will do great.

[dugthefish]

great responses to this tread.  i just got back from diamond jo 1/2NL.  it was my first trip up (for a cash game) in over a year.  in previous attempts i always felt like i was way in over my head (and played quite poorly because of it), but the advice from this thread (and HPT in general) helped enormously. 

i played just like it was a 1/2c game online, and it worked great.  idiots were calling $12 PF with hands like 62o, and one guy limped QQ from SB into a 6 way pot, then c/c all the way down with a board of AKJJ4, and even paid off the winning flush!

my biggest hand was QQ UTG.  i raised to $12, MP and BB call.  flop comes Q63, to hearts.  i had built a reputation of c-betting half the pot, so i fired off $30, MP makes it $60, BB calls.  i make it $160 (cause i don't wanna see anymore hearts), MP folds, BB shoves (he had me covered by about $50).  i had to double check my hand to make sure i still had the nuts (i did) and called.  he flips AA, and we watch 2 harmless cards fall.  awesome. 

i finished up $300, by far my best finish casino live game.

and thanks lucky, i've been reading your blog and pulling quite a bit of useful info off of it.  good luck, and im sure you will pull out of your slump soon.

[luckystraights]

and thanks lucky, i've been reading your blog and pulling quite a bit of useful info off of it.  good luck, and im sure you will pull out of your slump soon.

Thank you for the kind words.

Sorry about the lack of meaningful updates.

[FSL009]

yeah me and a few mates went to the local on friday night.  the issue being that the table i sat down at had me and my mate - okay players, then 6 regulards plus two unknowns.

the two unknowns were gone real quick are replaced with regulars....

I was like how did all of us end up on the same table....wow.

they were so good that the only time i had AA the hand went like this.

I was BB. 

fold, fold Raise to $18, fold to the SB Re-raise to $42, I had AA so i raise to $120 (was meant to look like an overbet against the re-raise cause i know he had KK, QQ or maybe even a split with AA but i know he is a rock and that a $90 he would probably fold out) I was trying to show i was not that good a player but mostly they had worked out i was alright by then.

Anyway initial raiser folds.  SB tanks it for an eternity...then eventually folds showing KK stating he doesnt know that i am capable of folding this hand and therefore it is more likely that he has AA and is not playing into me.

I muck my hand spewing that he didnt over shove...

anyway he was wanting to get me to show the hand so I smiled and told him i re-raised him with JJ thinking he was on AK and that we would flip for it.

KK can you believe that he could fold KK...stuff him.

anyway I ended up $115 for my troubles but at a really tough game so i was pretty happy with that effort.