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Hints & tips for those who have not played "Live" before. (SPT Manchester)
Tikay10
Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 172,247
Morning.
It seems that quite a few of those at SPT Manchester have never played "Live" poker before.
There really are significant differences between "live" & online so this thread is designed to highlight some of the things to look out for.
This is not "my" thread, the more that contribute to it - either with tips, or questions - the better.
I'll get the ball rolling with a few bits & bobs.
Comments
Don't forget to post your blinds in a timely manner
This might seem an odd one, but Online we don't really post our blinds - the software does it for us automatically.
Nothing is more annoying to the other players & the Dealer than having to be told every orbit - "BLINDS PLEASE".
It makes you look a bit silly, too, so try to remember.
Seems obvious, too, but if you decide to "make up" from the Small Blind, don't forget to place those extra chips over the line.
Never - never EVER - act out of turn
Again, Online it is IMPOSSIBLE to act out of turn.
In live poker, it's easily done.
Even if you plan to fold, WAIT UNTIL IT IS YOUR TURN TO ACT.
Folding out of turn really is naughty & extremely bad form, & if done repeatedly you may get a time penalty & be forced to sit out for an orbit. Worse still, it identifies you as a bit of a clot.
Folding out of turn influences the action around us. Other players see us do it & it changes the action, meaning some players are advantaged, & other players disadvantaged. (Imagine if you are the button & fold out of turn. The hijack can take advantage of that & so it's unfair on the Blinds).
It happens most often when, say, a player is busting for a wee. He's dealt his cards, looks at them quickly, then mucks them "out of turn" & runs off to the loo.
This is really bad form - seriously. Please try never to do it.
If you want to visit the bathroom during play, or go have a smoke outside, fine, wait until you have folded in turn, then wander off. There is no necessity or rule to be present at the table every hand, so you can step away from the table for as long as you want. But do NOT do so "out of turn", it's really bang out of order, disrespectful, & extremely bad form.
Don't forget to post your antes
At Manchester SPT, antes come in on Level 8.
You must post your ante EVERY HAND.
You'd be amazed how much antes slow the game down if a few players keep forgetting to post them. It's bad manners, & it's anti-social.
The dealer (should) collect antes in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction (either, it matters not) but they want to be able to collect all of them in one quick "sweep".
Failing to post Antes promptly eats up the clock, which, on balance, is bad for the game & certainly unfair on some.
Protect your hand
By which I mean, keep your hand on your hole cards, OR place a chip or "card guard" (a coin, chip or small ornament) on your cards.
This is particularly important if you are in Seat 1 or Seat 9, as from those seats the dealer can easily "sweep" your cards into the muck accidentally. (Another thing which cannot happen online).
Please note if you don't protect your hand & the dealer mucks your cards in error, it is YOUR FAULT, not the Dealer's fault, & you won't get them back. However, if they were "protected" (as above) then in most circumstances they can be retrieved, subject to circumstances.
Don't believe me? Watch this, from the WSOP. (watch closely at around 10 seconds in....)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smNTAQildDc
Show one, show all
A terrible & boring cliché, but nevertheless it's true.
We are often tempted to show the player next to us our cards in non-showdown situations, perhaps we have run a big bluff with air, or have quads or whatever.
Don't do it. It's bang out of order & the Dealer is entitled to turn them over & show everyone. More to the point its seriously bad manners.
If you flick your cards up so the player next to you can see them, you have to show the whole table.
It's a bad habit many exhibit in live poker, showing their mate or neighbour they cards every hand, but its wrong, as it gives an unfair advantage to that player.
Be respectful during the play of hands you are not involved in
You fold, say, 8-2, & it gets heads up, & the flop comes down 8-8-2, or 8-8-8.
NEVER say "nooooo, I folded 8-2", as it messes with the play of the hand.
Equally, if you fold, say, 4-4 & there is a 4 on the flop, don't give the game away by mentioning it mid-hand or by banging the table in frustration, making it obvious.
Also, feel free to chat away whilst others are in a hand, but if a big hand goes off & a player is put to a decision for his tournament life, show some manners & respect & keep quiet until the hand is over. The player is entitled to some peace & quiet whilst he is in the tank.
Verbalise your action
I've probably played many thousand Live MTT's, & I doubt if there has ever been one of them where there was not an ugly argument about an action which was unclear.
When it is on you to act, catch the dealers eye first (wait, if necessary until he looks at you), then SAY what you are doing.
I am all-in
I make it 500 to go
I raise to 2,000
I call
These are all acceptable.
Be careful what you say. If blinds are, say, 100-200, and you say "make it two hundred" that's a FLAT CALL.
"String Betting" is the daftest rule in the word (& oddly, does not exist in the USA), but beware of it, as poker players are a bit silly with this one, & if you string bet they will all jump up in the air like little kids excitedly saying STRING BET. I've yet to see a string bet which was an angle shoot, but rules are rules. So announce your action first & then you'll be fine.
If you say Before you act "I make it 5,000" you can string bet as much as you want, one chip at a time if you really want & it's fine.
So just verbalise your action if you are unsure.
If you are not at the table when your cards are dealt.....
....your hand is DEAD.
Actually, this varies from venue to venue, but as a general rule you must be seated when the cards are dealt to you.
Respect the Dealer
One of the worst aspects of Live Poker is how rude some players are to Dealers.
If they make a mistake, a misdeal or whatever, so be it, no need to embarrass them by being rude about it. We all make mistakes.
If you miss all your draws or get badly outdrawn, there is no need to throw your cards at the Dealer.
Requesting a dealer change as "you are always unlucky for me" is nonsense.
Dealers get paid a pittance, & it's just not right to abuse them.
The "Single Chip Rule"
Blinds are 1,000-2,000 & you want to make it 5,000.
If you throw in a single 5,000 denom chip & say nothing that goes as a FLAT CALL of 2,000, & it is NOT a bet.
As noted earlier, VERBALISE your action in advance if you are unsure.
A Bet and a Raise are different things
So many folks get confused by this.
If you are first to act, you can fold, call or bet, but you cannot raise - you are BETTING. This is not a raise, it's a bet.
If the next player wants to re-raise, this is a RAISE not a bet.
Pay attention
If you sit there with your headphones on, fine, that's up to you, but you are more likely to miss the action in front of you.
Even in the limited experience of SPT's we've seen some fearfully embarrassing errors caused by not paying attention.
If, say, the fella in front of you goes all-in & you don't notice & announce "call", (meaning to limp or call a small bet) it's no good saying "I never realised he had moved all-in". You are now obliged to call the all-in.
I could go on all day (yes yes, I know, I already have) but I'm keen that others contribute too, so I'll pause for now.
Any questions? If so, don't be shy.
Don't EVER touch the pot
Sorry, one more really important one.
The pot does not belong to you even if you win it - the Dealer has to push the chips to you first.
NEVER EVER touch chips which are in the middle. Don't "make change" from the pot, & don't "rake in" the chips when you win a pot - that's the Dealers job.
Wait for the dealer to pass the chips to you, & only then, release your cards. (Don't release your cards until the Dealer pushes the pot to you).
There is no worse example of bad manners than pulling in a pot before it is pushed to you, making change from the pot, or in any way touching chips in the pot.
DO NOT TOUCH IT.
Don't have change?
You are Big Blind, which is 200, but the smallest chip you have is 500.
Don't ask other players for change, & don't ask the Dealer to give you change - just place the oversized chip across the line & wait.
The Dealer will give you change before he deals the flop.