Open Texas Hold'em Question

What I'm about to ask is incredibly open ended and a pretty big request. I know whenever someone comes onto the boards curious about craps there are a lot of users (including me) that truly enjoy helping someone else understand the game. I'm hoping that this evolves into a full discussion for random users to skim over when they're thinking of giving poker a try.

I know how to play poker, I've played it with friends, but when it comes to playing it at a casino and not being able to say "I have no idea, how does that go again?" has kept me from walking up. I can look up most of the things I'm asking, but I'd rather have someone who enjoys explaining the game tell me from lifelong experiences. I'll start with a few general questions:

1. What different types of tables are there? As a beginner with a small bankroll, what should I be looking for?

2. When I sit down at a table, do you usually join games already in progress or do you usually have mini-tournaments at a table until people leave or whatever. Also, how does this work do I just walk up to the front desk and tell them to put me at a table... should I be able to tell them the kind of game I want or will they have a board somewhere or will it be assume what games they have?

3. Etiquette-wise: When can you leave a table, I assume you can at any given time. I ask this because it seems like leaving immediately after a huge win would be a dick move.

4. I've heard of required-tipping at these tables - something to do with when you buyin?

5. I've also heard that poker dealers are some of the snootiest people in a casino - please give me like the top 5 things I should watch out for so that they don't yell at me.

Playing poker in a casino for the first time can be very intimidating. I went to Vegas on 3 occasions with the intent to play some poker before I finally got up the nerve to play. I'll try to answer your questions as best as I can. But there's no substitute for going to a card room and watching for a while to get accustomed to the environment.

1. You'll have your choice between tournaments, limit games and no-limit games. Most card rooms have a flyer available detailing the times and buy-ins for their tournaments. You can get into tourneys for as little as $50-60, but I don't recommend playing in a tournament with less than $100 buy in. Cheaper tournaments are designed to move faster, and you really gotta get lucky quick to stay in. At $100 or so, you can usually last a couple hours without getting too much pressure.

Limit games have specified bets/raises at every step of the game. I think $3/6 is most common on the strip, you may be able to find $2/4 at lesser casinos. $3/6 means that all bets/raises before and after the flop must be $3, and all bets/raises after the turn and river must be $6. 3 raises maximum is usually typical. So the most you can lose in a single hand of $3/6 limit is $72. Buying in for $100 is acceptable, I'd think $200 would be better.

No limit games usually start at $1/2 or $1/3. Here, $1/2 means the small blind is $1 and the big blind is $2. Because it's no limit, any bet thereafter can be any amount. I recommend buying in with 100 big blinds.

2. Most card rooms have a video status system. Watch the video screen to see what games are offered, how many tables are playing each game, and how many people are waiting to play each game. If the line to play a particular game grows to 9-10 people, the room will probably open a new table and you'll all sit down at once. Otherwise, players are added to existing games as seats become available. Once you've scoped out the situation on the monitor, approach the front desk and tell them what game you'd like to play. They'll direct you to a table if there is no wait, or put you on the list.

3. You can leave the table at any time. I wouldn't think twice about anybody leaving the table after a big win. Other players will join the game, and I can win back my money from them.

4. In tournaments, tipping is often accomplished via an added buy in. You can buy in for an extra $5 or $10 which goes to the dealer's tip pool, and in return you get some extra tournament chips. This is usually optional, but everybody generally does it when it is offered. Tipping is also expected from tournament winners.

In cash games, tip the dealer a buck or two when you win a hand.

5. Poker dealers should be quite disciplined, but I wouldn't describe them as snooty. My #1 recommendation: specifically announce what you are going to do before you do it. "Fold", "Call", "Raise to $50." This avoids a LOT of problems. Don't make the dealer try to guess your intentions. And don't say "I'll see your $10 and raise you $20," no matter how many western movies you've seen it in. Once you say "I'll see your $10..." your action is complete.

1. There will typically be two kinds of HE cash games running, fixed-limit and no-limit. Fixed-limit games, like 3/6, involve the blinds and then $3 bets/raises on the first two rounds and $6 bets/raises on the last two rounds. In no-limit games, you can put your entire stake into the pot whenever it's your turn. As a beginner, probably stick to 2/4 or 3/6 limit games. You won't win much, but you won't lose much either. Such games are notorious for terrible, crazy play -- it can basically be a crap-shoot -- but sitting for a few hours at a low-limit HE game will at least get you accustomed to the mechanics of live casino play. Being comfortable with those procedures is almost a requirement for having confidence at the higher limits or no-limit games.

2. If you join a tournament, you're in a tournament. Otherwise you'll be playing a cash game and you can get up anytime you want. You'll check in at the podium or desk. Some rooms have TV monitors, others have whiteboard lists -- but the purpose is the same. The boards list the kind of games running, often what table they're on, and any list of players waiting. If the list gets long enough for a particular type of game, the room will often open a new game for those players.

3. Yes, you can leave at any time. Leaving immediately after a huge win is often considered poor form, but there's no rule against it (in casinos, anyway). To avoid that, play one more orbit very tightly before leaving (before the blinds).

4. No tipping is required, but it's customary to tip the dealer after winning a big pot (or even any pot).

5. The primary job of a poker dealer is to keep the game running smoothly. Yelling at patrons does the opposite, and I've only seen a dealer raise his or her voice a handful of times. Mostly they just work, dispassionately watching the cards and making sure the floor rules are adhered to.

Good luck.

Nothing to add you have two very complete answers to your questions. Good Luck!

What others have said plus:

Unless the floorperson is too busy, you can talk to the floorperson before sitting to ask all your questions. If there happens to be a table with a dealer waiting for the game to open, you can ask that dealer all your questions too.


1/2 - Check the video system and/or ask the floorperson what the abbreviations on the screen mean. If there are no open seats, you'll be put on the list on the video. If there is open seating at multiple tables, the floorperson will seat you at the table with more open seats.

Most casinos require you to get chips at the cage before you sit. Some even do not allow you to reload at the table.

3 - Leave when you damn well want to. However, if you're leaving to take a short break, you should leave your chips on the table.

4 - Tip the dealer when you win a pot. A buck is good unless it was a particularly size pot. No tip if it was a very small pot - like under $10.

5 - Snooty? Hardly. They generally are quiet, but just keep trying to keep the game moving.

Note: If you have a question about house rules, go ahead and ask - it usually won't mark you as a novice.

I graciously thank everyone who has answered, now some follow-up questions. To add onto my opening from before, I know how to play the game but there are a handful of elementary things I don't know. I have no real problem losing a couple hundred to get the feel of the game at the tables and see if it's a game for me.

6. When you first sit down at a table, don't you have to wait for the big blind to come around to you or open with the big blind before you see your cards?

7. So it seems like a $2/$4 kind of table would be what I'd like. What does it mean a maximum of 3 raises - does that mean you personally can only raise 3 times during the entire hand or 3 times total per betting round?

8. So I buy my chips at the front desk who then brings my chips and me to a spot on a table? What happens if I bust out and they do not allow buying chips at the table - do I go back up front to get more? Adding onto this, is there a min/max buy-in at these lower limit tables?

Also for anyone in the Seattle area, I have to choose between Muckleshoot and Snoqualmie.

6. You can post a big blind and begin playing immediately, or wait for the big blind to come around to you. The dealer should explain this to you.

7. It means that there can be a total of three raises by the table during each round of betting. For instance, preflop: the blind bet is $2, somebody raises to $4, you raise to $6, and the original raiser makes it $8. There can be no more raising during this round. You would need to add $2 to your original $6 bet to complete the round of betting.

8. This may vary by poker room. I think all of the rooms I've played in have chip runners. Ask the dealer how to get more chips. He may sell them to you at the table. Or he may call for a chip runner. Or he may tell you to go to the cage. If a chip runner is used, they'll probably work something out so you can continue to play while the runner is fetching your chips.

There is typically min and max buy ins for NLHE, and usually a min for limit hold 'em. This information is generally well documented at the front desk, either on the video monitors or on a flyer. For Vegas poker rooms, visit allvegaspoker to see what games and limits are generally offered at each poker room.

All three of these questions can vary from casino to casino.

6 - Some casinos do not require you to post. Those that do will always give you the option to wait for your big blind. If you elect to wait, you will not be dealt in.

7 - $2/$4 generally is a limit game. $1/$2, $1/$3 and $2/$5 are no limit. In limit games, the first number is the bet size pre-flop and post-flop. The second number is the bet post-turn and post-river. In no limit games, the numbers represent the blinds.

The maximum raises is for the entire table, per betting round. However, if only two players remain, there is no cap to the number of raises.

8 - You buy the chips and you bring them yourself. The floor person merely points you to a seat. If you bust out or want to reload, sometimes you can do that right with the dealer. Sometimes there is a person that will do it for you (a chip runner), and sometimes you go get them yourself. If you have to get them yourself, the dealer will mark your spot 'reserved'.

The min/max is posted on a little plaque next to the rack. Note that these are only buy-in limits. You can win and exceed the max. You can also lose and fall below the minimum. There is no requirement to reload if you get low. Most casinos will not deal you in if you have less than the big blind.


Check there threads for more info:

https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/poker/3548-two-poker-room-questions-for-ask-the-wizard-or-anyone-else

https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/poker/3560-another-poker-room-procedure-question

Quote: ahiromu

Also for anyone in the Seattle area, I have to choose between Muckleshoot and Snoqualmie.

Snoqualmie's nice. Muckleshoot's the biggest poker room in the state, and has some of the toughest players. I've played there a couple times, and specific to their setup...

1) They have limit hold 'em, no limit hold 'em, and Omaha games (limit and no limit, I think). As a beginner, I'd suggest you start with the lowest limit game they have ($3/$6)

2) You'll almost always be assigned to a game already in progress. At the podium, ask what limit games they're running, and pick the lowest limit one. If a seat's available, they'll show you to your seat, take your cash, and bring your chips to the table. If a seat's not available, they'll put you on the waiting list. You'll have to sit around reading poker magazines for a while.

3) You can leave at any time. Yeah, it's kind of annoying to leave after you win a big pot, and it's irritating if you leave on the small blind, but it's no biggie.

4) Tip between $1 and $3 when you win a pot. For a tiny pot, no tip.

5) Top 5 things? a) Play in turn; b) No string bets; c) Announce your action (i.e., "raise", "call", "fold") d) Keep your cards on the table; e) Don't show them to other players, even if they're out of the game.

6) Online, yes, you have to wait for the big blind or post. In real life, it's the rare casino that makes you do this. if you're lucky, you'll get a seat next to the button and thus a few "free" hands.

7) On a $3/$6 table, pre-flop, bets can be $3, raise to $6, raise to $9, capped at $12. Then the flop comes, and it can get capped at $12 again (after a bet of $3, raise to $6, raise to $9). After the turn, it bet can be $6, raise to $12, raise to $18, capped at $24. On the river, the same. You can pretty much count on this never actually happening unless there's some really drunk players.

8) If you bust out at the table, just tell the dealer you want to re-buy. They'll call the chip runner over to take your money and deliver you new chips (unless the dealer has enough in his tray to do it for you).

There's lots of little poker rooms around too. Several in Renton, Iron Horse in Auburn, PJ Pockets in Federal Way. You might consider those if you want a cozier, less formal introduction to the game.

Quote: travisl

There's lots of little poker rooms around too. Several in Renton, Iron Horse in Auburn, PJ Pockets in Federal Way. You might consider those if you want a cozier, less formal introduction to the game.

I was going to mention this part - Washington State allows non-tribal cardrooms with up to 15 tables that offer house-banked card games as well as multi player poker. Here's the list:
http://www.wsgc.wa.gov/docs/card_room/hb_cr.pdf

Be aware, though, that not all of the house-banked card rooms in Washington offer poker (although most do), and that there are some poker rooms open that don't offer house-banked games (and thus aren't on the great list MathExtremist gave). Best to call the casino first.

Also, there's no poker at either Emerald Queen location, so that might save someone a good chunk of parking-and-looking time.

That's right, I forgot about that part. Here's the link to the licensee lists for both kinds:

http://www.wsgc.wa.gov/gambling/license_activity.asp

Class 65 is the poker-only rooms, I believe.

And the caveat to that list: many (most?) of these locations are for recreational poker leagues, where you go to the bar every Saturday, play free poker tournaments for a multi-week "season", and get non-cash prizes at the end.

To be honest I was expecting a lot of responses, but everyone here has gone above and beyond even my highest expectations. Thank you very much, especially for the locals with opinions on different rooms.

Just a tip ahiromu, if you are just starting out playing limit, be patient and wait for stiff hands before getting involved in the betting. It is very difficult to bluff anyone off a hand when the raises are capped at $2 or $3. Players will chase all kinds of junk.

I don't think anyone mentioned that when reloading at a no-limit table, the amount of chips you can buy may be capped by the buy in limit. In other words, if the game is 1/2 with a $40 - $100 buy-in, the most you can re-load is $100 less your remaining stack.

I would actually recommend playing in a low stakes tournament to get a feel for live play. The $40 to $100 buy-in for a few hours, (or more, hopefully) of live play might provide more action than taking the same money and playing a cash game.

Another tip, it doesn't cost anything to watch (from a discrete distance).

Good luck, and have fun!