Newbie to poker

So I think I wanna start playing poker. I'm here in Vegas till Tuesday and thought maybe now would be a good time to learn. I know about card rankings for the most part and not sure yet how the betting works. I just stopped at The Mirage's Poker Room to ask if they give lessons and they said I just missed it by a half an hour. Boooo! But they give lessons once a day at 11am. Anyone know where I can go to learn where I'm not constrained by a time slot?

Also I'm going to check out the Wizard's site for strategy info. I have no idea when to bet, raise, fold, etc. I don't want to get creamed at the tables!

Start off playing fixed limit, like 2/4 or 3/6 rather than no limit. Don't know who has lessons.

Quote: Rigondeaux

Start off playing fixed limit, like 2/4 or 3/6 rather than no limit. Don't know who has lessons.

This is good advice. For lessons, you can probably find a few videos on youtube with basic strategy to get you going.

Also better read up on Jared Tendler's two books.

Quote: HotBlonde

So I think I wanna start playing poker. I'm here in Vegas till Tuesday and thought maybe now would be a good time to learn. I know about card rankings for the most part and not sure yet how the betting works. I just stopped at The Mirage's Poker Room to ask if they give lessons and they said I just missed it by a half an hour. Boooo! But they give lessons once a day at 11am. Anyone know where I can go to learn where I'm not constrained by a time slot?

Also I'm going to check out the Wizard's site for strategy info. I have no idea when to bet, raise, fold, etc. I don't want to get creamed at the tables!

Open a Bovada account
Decline the bonus
make a small deposit
Play the 2 cent 5 cent game to get lots of practice
read some poker books

By the way, A casino may have lessons to play but not teach strategy
Poker strategy gets complicated. Its not like BJ, their is no perfect strategy

My advice for a rookie, play tight.

My host just told me that I don't get comps on poker play :(

Quote: HotBlonde

My host just told me that I don't get comps on poker play :(

That sucks!:( I have read somewhere that many Casinos only give Comps to slot players. Those Slotist Casinos! :/ I know that Slotist is not a real word, but I mean it like the word "Racist," but I can't exactly use the word "Racist," in this situation.

Vegas (or any casino) is no place to learn, unless you're stinkin rich.

When you get home, Google 'pub poker in <your area>'. For the price of a burger and a beer, it's a far better and cheaper way to learn.

Read my article:
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/poker/7713-introduction-to-poker-in-a-casino-poker-room/

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Vegas (or any casino) is no place to learn, unless you're stinkin rich.

When you get home, Google 'pub poker in <your area>'. For the price of a burger and a beer, it's a far better and cheaper way to learn.

Read my article:
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/poker/7713-introduction-to-poker-in-a-casino-poker-room/

This is good advice (above). From my personal experience, every Vegas casino has at least one table of people just WAITING and HOPING for you (tourist fish newbie) to show up. Been there, done that, been playing poker a lot longer than you, but not like they do. It will likely be a waste of your money, because the house edge and procedures will not protect you while you learn; they get paid no matter what. The players will take turns carving you up.

If you insist, your best protection will be to ONLY play tight. My advice is: Don't guess, don't bluff. Only stay in with super-strong cards; fold everything else. Don't continue after the flop unless you have a made hand or significantly improve your hole cards. Like, have a pocket pair below 10's, you don't keep going unless you get trips in the first 3 cards.

This will get very boring, because you will probably only play 1 hand in 10, if that. The MINUTE you think, "well, maybe I'll try this...", get up and leave instead, because you just committed to losing your money.

Go watch rounders and the scene where they are playing and talking to each other. Yeah that makes sense in my head. Then the tourist sits down and they clean them out. Tourist leaves and they talk again, next tourist plays and gets cleaned out.

If you're missed for half an hour then come back again for another day. Also you can talk to your friends or relatives in this case. Might they can help you.