First Time Playing Live Poker in the Casino
If you play video poker online and you’ve never played in a live casino before and you’re planning on making your first visit soon then make sure you read through my guide so you’re prepared. It can be a little challenging for new players who have never been to the casino before to get settled in and I’ve got some little tips which will help you remain calm.
Typically most casinos have a poker room which is off to the side of the main casino. Inside the poker room will be lots of tables, chairs, poker players and one chip booth. When you first arrive you’ll need to usually get your chips from the chip booth initially and then if you need more chips while playing you can just buy them from the dealer.
Depending on the US online casino you’re playing at will reflect whether you need to pay a fee when you sit down. Some casinos, like the Bellagio poker room take a couple bucks from every player every half hour whereas other casinos just take a rake from every pot and take no fee. If the casino you’re playing at takes a fee then you’re going to need to pay that when you sit down and you’ll also need to post big blind unless you wait for the big blind to come around to your spot.
When you’re playing a cash game for the first time you shouldn’t tell anyone at the table that it’s your first time. Often when you do this it gives your opponents the false impression that you’ll be bluffing like crazy and this often results in your opponents calling you a lot more then average. You should also remember that everyone at the poker table is there to make money and not to make friends. It may seem like some players are befriending you while playing, but usually they are just trying to get information on you as well as make you play more conservatively against them. Most people feel bad knocking out friends at the poker table so a lot of players try and take advantage of this fact.
If you’re playing a long session you can walk from the table for short breaks at anytime without saying anything. If you need to go to the bathroom or have a smoke then you can just go and do so. If you would like to take a longer break in order to eat or play another game then you can ask for your seat to be reserved for up to an hour. You can just leave your chips on the table and the dealer will watch them for you until you come back.
The most important thing for first timers to understand when they play poker at a casino like Harrahs is that they need to follow proper etiquette. It is very differing from your typical download Poker Star games that you play on your home computer. You will be able to lots of etiquette tips online for new poker players and I suggest reading as much on the subject as you can. You don’t want to upset other players at the table by doing things you shouldn’t be doing plus it’s embarrassing if it’s your first time and you do something to get the table yelling at you.