Entry Level Poker Availability-small stakes
Thanks,
-Alan
Quote: AlanWondering if there's a place around downtown Vegas for someone to get their feet wet playing poker.
Thanks,
-Alan
Start playing in the Venetian's fountains.
Just to make note Iv'e never been vegas so PLEASE take this as a joke and not an attack =P
The two most common games offered are $2/$4 limit hold 'em and $1/$2 no limit hold 'em. Some will offer $1/$3 No limit instead of $1/$2. Larger poker rooms will also offer other games, as well as these games at higher stakes, but they too will offer these at these low stakes.
All you gotta do is check to see if they have a poker room. If so, they'll have the low stakes games.
That said, I know downtown, Binion's and Golden Nugget have poker rooms. I don't know about the others only because I haven't checked.
On the strip, nearly every casino has a poker room.
O'Shea's advertises "Strip Poker" because it placed their poker tables practically in the doorways, one te sidewalk next to the strip.
Quote: AlanWondering if there's a place around downtown Vegas for someone to get their feet wet playing poker.
Thanks,
-Alan
I would say that The Golden Nugget has a lot of recreational players and they have a 3/6 cash game as well as a tournament with a $60 buy in I think.
*edit* oops you asked about downtown..sorry about that.
Quote: s2dbakerI suggest a "tournament". You pay a fixed fee which includes the tip to the dealers, that's all you can lose. By the time you've been eliminated, you will have learned something about poker and had some fun as well.
+1
Binion's runs a $60 NLHE tournament every day. Even if you folded every hand, you would still get more than $60 in value from the experience. The buy in at the cash game is a minimum of $100, even at the small 1/2 or 1/3.
No matter which you choose, tournament or cash game, I recommend studying before buying in. Maybe not with Doyle Brunson's "Super System" yet, but Phil Gordon's "Little Green Book" would be a great place to start for a brand new player.
When you get to the poker room, you can watch from the rail for free. Observe the table etiquette (or lack thereof), placing of the blinds, handling of the cards, betting order, rules on checking, calling and raising, etc. For new players, these are the most intimidating hurdles, but once you get a feel for it, it becomes second nature.
Also, I highly recommend playing in the free online games offered by many sites. It is a great way to get a sense of the strength of hands, without spending any real dough.
Quote: slytherThe daily TI tourneys ($50 buyin if i recall correctly) may suit you. They typically only draw around 20-30 players and are structured to be over in a few hours.
*edit* oops you asked about downtown..sorry about that.
No problem...I just try to stay downtown when I'm in town. The strip is just too crowded with tourists(I am a tourist too).
Thanks
Quote: Ayecarumba+1
Binion's runs a $60 NLHE tournament every day. Even if you folded every hand, you would still get more than $60 in value from the experience. The buy in at the cash game is a minimum of $100, even at the small 1/2 or 1/3.
No matter which you choose, tournament or cash game, I recommend studying before buying in. Maybe not with Doyle Brunson's "Super System" yet, but Phil Gordon's "Little Green Book" would be a great place to start for a brand new player.
When you get to the poker room, you can watch from the rail for free. Observe the table etiquette (or lack thereof), placing of the blinds, handling of the cards, betting order, rules on checking, calling and raising, etc. For new players, these are the most intimidating hurdles, but once you get a feel for it, it becomes second nature.
Also, I highly recommend playing in the free online games offered by many sites. It is a great way to get a sense of the strength of hands, without spending any real dough.
I've been playing on my blackberry, but the cards are hard to see(over 40 eyes). I've seen a few games offered online, pogo comes to mind. I agree I need to learn the etiquette and other aspects of the game before playing. Maybe I should watch more ESPN.
I appreciate everyone's input and participation.
-Alan
Quote: AlanMaybe I should watch more ESPN.
Actually, this is one thing I would not recommend to a new player. The footage is edited to only show the action hands. Real games consist of many, many hands inbetween where everyone folds to the big blind. Patience is one of the keys to success in this game, and it receives very little attribution on T.V.
There are threads here which have a lot of detail about procedure and ettiquite. Good info. Do a search.
In addition, find a poker league in your area. Even if you play only once or twice before your Vegas trip, the experience will be invaluable. Also, when not in a hand, you can ask questions and be reasonably sure of getting good answers.
Quote: DJTeddyBearI didn't realize that you were THAT new to the game...
There are threads here which have a lot of detail about procedure and etiquette. Good info. Do a search.
In addition, find a poker league in your area. Even if you play only once or twice before your Vegas trip, the experience will be invaluable. Also, when not in a hand, you can ask questions and be reasonably sure of getting good answers.
A green virgin, that's how new.
Free advice: any two face cards (10-J or better), pairs 66 or better, and suited 89 or better. GL
N&B
Quote: AlanWondering if there's a place around downtown Vegas for someone to get their feet wet playing poker.
The folks who say try a tournament are correct. I did that and actually made the money. Only time I ever have in a tourney. At another tournament some girl was not only first time in a poker room I think it was her first time in a casino for her 21st B-day. She lost quick. To avoid this you need to look at the first tourney as a sort of "investment." Don't bet really wild, use the time to sit at the table and see how things are done.
Most casinos have a poker magazine near the card room free of charge. Pick one up in the evening and you wil find a tourney list. Relax and see where you want to play. My advice is find something cheap and early in the day. You will be playing with more senior citizens who just do it as hobby and fewer sunglasses-and-ballcap maniacs who sleep unti noon.
For cash games most rooms have $1/2 or $1/3 tables at all times. $100-200 is needed to realistically play there.All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others
Quote: Ayecarumba+1
Binion's runs a $60 NLHE tournament every day. Even if you folded every hand, you would still get more than $60 in value from the experience.
That's brings up an interesting scenario. Suppose you did fold every hand, except those in which you were BB and everyone folded to you so you took down the SB (and antes if any). Two questions: (a) for the average buy-in and blinds schedule, how long would you last? And (b) what are your chances of finishing in the money?
Quote: MathExtremistThat's brings up an interesting scenario. Suppose you did fold every hand, except those in which you were BB and everyone folded to you so you took down the SB (and antes if any). Two questions: (a) for the average buy-in and blinds schedule, how long would you last? And (b) what are your chances of finishing in the money?
The average blind structure for the average tournament is somewhere between "fast" and "ludicrous", so you wouldn't last long. And unless they pay half the field or more, your ITM chances are zero.
Saturday night tournament at Fairchilds would fill 8 tables, 10 players each. Was not unusual for a player to pay the day before or have a friend put him in till he got there. $ levels before the break and a blinded player not yet there was still alive. Twice after the break the missing player was all-in the big blind. 3 callers once and 2 callers the next time. He actually made the final tables for 3 hands before tapping out. Sure as hell would have been embarrassing if he had won. LOL
