Playing Live

SetOverSet

First post, so s'pose I'd better introduce myself... My names Stephen, playing properly for less than a year, mostly 25NL 6-max (hopefully movin' up soon!) and a wee bit of OL Omaha. Anyhow, I just wanted to ask, what's the best place in Dublin to start playing live? I've played veerrrry little live cash games, unless you count crappy home games, and, from reading some of the posts on here it seems a lot of you know each other and are regs in the SE or Jackpot or wherever, so I would be a bit apprehensive just walking in and sitting down. Would a new face be seen a live one until proven otherwise? How did you all start out?

Ste.

BigCityBanker

most of us started cos we are sick.

roll in, pull up a chair and join the party. no need to be aprehensive.

Rb

I don't play live often.

Cool Hand Lukes are running regular live 50nl games on Wednesday nights. PM Bohsman for information on that.
Just go in to CHLS or the Jackpot, both very welcoming clubs and play really.

ditpoker

welcome to boards.
if you're under 21 then the SE is out of the question.
given that you're playing 25nl i'm guessing jumping into dublin 1-2 games will be a jump (in bankroll, not standard).
if you wanna get a bit of experience playing live the SE sunday 50 tournament is good, or if you wanna keep it cheap as chips the €20 Jackpot thursday game.
don;t worry about standard, it;ll be poor no matter

Glowingmind

BigCityBanker wrote: »

most of us started cos we are sick.

Speak for yourself. I started playing poker because i'm a sucker for punishment.

I think a lot of the players who post here, including myself would have been in exactly the same spot at you at some point. I started playing live a few years ago, playing sporadically in the merrion when it was running before stopping for about 4 months due to exams/holidays. Whe i came back i started back by playing the €30 freezeout in the fitz on sunday afternoons fairly regularly, before settling in the SE where i'd play most of my live poker now.
Playing some of the smaller tournamets is a good way to start out because lots of people will be in the same boat, and generally others will help you get used to how live games flow. That said, the Jackpot, SE, Fitz and Cool Hand Lukes all have good dealers in all their games who's help you out and let you know if you've made an error.

5starpool

I'd say the best thing to do is just to go in to one of these places, ask for a game and sit in. The smallest nightly games are 1/2 pot limit. In most places you will get a few assholes, but most people are quite friendly. If you wish to just scope out a place first, then the Fitz for example does food as well, so maybe go in, order food, watch the game for a few minutes while waiting. If you don't feel comfortable, then you can leave with no fuss, if you think it looks ok, get your name on the list. The main thing to do to not mark you out as a newbie (if you wish not to be marked out as one) is to watch how others bet (i.e. not string betting) and take your lead from there.

Everyone has their own preferences for palying in certin places, none is right, none is wrong, each to their own etc. Try each of the places and see which one suits you best, or move between either as a lot of others do.

Good luck, and welcome to boards.

TommyGunne

As rb_ie mentioned, try out the 50NL game in CHL. Its a good friendly atmosphere and its good fun! Great place for an introduction. Also don't think that live games are something exclusive. Most people don't know each other. You get to know people fast and there is generally friendly banter between anyone and everyone! And if you don't feel the need, banter is optional!

As an aside though, the standard in the 50NL game is probably just as good as in the 1/2 games live. They are just horrendous. There are more thinking players in the 50NL game from the little I've seen, and far less spewboxes.

Rb

5starpool wrote: »

If you wish to just scope out a place first, then the Fitz for example does food as well, so maybe go in, order food, watch the game for a few minutes while waiting.

Their toasted ham and cheese sambos are quite good in fairness to them.

jbravado

If you have limited funds then jackpot is good palce to start-games are relatively small and you can change table if not comfartable.Bit rowdy but great crack and youll be welcomed by all!Good Luck,

If you do hit the Jackpot and see any relatively young degenerate looking young lads chatting loudly (PARTICUALRLY this saturday night) and tell them you are on boards and who you are, sure they are all a friendly bunch of chaps. :D:D:D

Oh, and note the following: Moneymaker will put you on life tilt so avoid.

El Stuntman

don't forget to tip the dealer if you win a big pot

LuckyLloyd

This post has been deleted.

belgo27

mininum buyin in jackpot is 60 right? what is the maximum?

LuckyLloyd

This post has been deleted.

GrangeUtd

30euro freezeout sundays in the fitz at 16.30 great cheap place to start
its on in the afternoon so u dont have to be out late. Get you used to a casino.
standard is poor. I started there about 2 years ago i remember folding AK prelop to a raise and 2 callers lol. Good fold imo....

best of luck where ever you choose.

califano

5starpool wrote: »

so maybe go in, order food, watch the game for a few minutes while waiting.

Are you out of your mind. No first timer is ever going to be as brash as to order food on their first visit. I doubt there has been a first timer in the history of Irish cardroom poker that has ordered food on their first visit. You'd want to be one cool cookie to be relaxed enough to go so far as order food in your first visit.

Good advice otherwise.

Dub13

Welcome.

CourierCollie

Since no-one else has mentioned it, just remember that live poker is a lot slower than on line. So don't be too surprised if it takes a while to be dealt a decent hand.
Having said that my first ever hand in the Jackpot, ( all of 6 months ago) was AA which held up against 3 callers. Only downside was having bought in for the min €50.

SetOverSet

Thanks for all the replies and advice lads... very helpful. I'm sure you'll see me spewing cash in some of Dublins establishments in the near future!

Daithio

Oh and if any muppets try to take the piss out of you or needle you for obviously not having played live much before, you can rest assured that they are massive losing players IMO.

I remember when I started playing there were a few clowns that would always go out of their way to make the noobs feel really uncomfortable. I realised pretty quick that they were all doing their conkers.

belgo27

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

no maximum.

are you sure? One time I played and A walshe had a considerable amount of chips, I mean like 800-1000. I know he's a good player, but could he have built up such a stack. Actually, just remembered, I saw a guy buy in for 200. This is at around 1230 1 in the morning. Am I wrong?

And i just realised that you said there is NO maximum. sorry i am drunk, thought you said no that is the maximum. very drunk STUPID STUPID STUPID

belgo27

belgo27 wrote: »

are you sure? One time I played and A walshe had a considerable amount of chips, I mean like 800-1000. I know he's a good player, but could he have built up such a stack. Actually, just remembered, I saw a guy buy in for 200. This is at around 1230 1 in the morning. Am I wrong?

And i just realised that you said there is NO maximum. sorry i am drunk, thought you said no that is the maximum. very drunk

I must be misreading this. Players regularly buy in over 1k. Even in a 1/1 PLHE game. You know who you are...

EDIT: You edited while I was writing. All is now well...

LuckyLloyd

This post has been deleted.

Rossibaby

don't be daunted at all.when you have been there 4 or 5 times and played it will be second nature...don't worry bout the 'experts' giving any hassle,as said above these are usually rubbish players.

i thin you should walk in and get the food first for the craic!sure me and my 2 brothers walked into a casino i only played in once a year ago,my bro never did and my other one twice over 6 months.we wanted tea when we walked in as it was pissing rain and freezing during the walk to it.so my bro just went into the kitchen himself to get it!:-)

Daithio

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

This is so very, very true.

Yeah I think it's pretty obvious why really. Winning players see noobs as a new source of cash and so are nice to them. Losing players on the other hand see noobs as just another person that's going to be taking their hard earned taxi fares from them on a nightly basis.