poster:how to do,from:
how to do
First of all, let me explain what I mean by "casino poker". It's not the contrived poker games where you play against the casino like Pai Gow or Caribbean Stud. I'm taking about the real kind of poker where you play against the other players at a table in the poker rooms that some casinos have. The two most common casino poker games are 7-Card Stud and Hold 'Em (aka Texas Hold 'Em) and they are single-deck games. (Casinos make their money at these games by taking a small percentage of the winning pot. There is no house edge because you're playing against the other players at the table with you.)
I always recommend that anyone who wants to learn a new casino game take advantage of the free lessons offered by the casinos. During the lessons you are given a brief description of the game and the procedures involved in playing. Sitting in on a lesson will give you a chance to play the game using non value chips to practice the protocol and procedures you need to use in a real game. The instructor will point out if you make a mistake and advise you how to play correctly. Players can gain confidence before ever sitting down in a real game.
I wanted to sit in on a Texas Hold'em lesson before I ventured into the poker room. I visited Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. Foxwoods is the world's largest casino and has a first class poker room. They also are one of the casinos that offer free poker lessons. It was a Saturday morning and I sat down at the training table with five other people that were interested in learning Texas Hold'em. Our instructor was a fellow named Jerry who is a regular dealer in the poker room.
Jerry handed out a stack of play chips to everyone and then proceeded to describe how Texas Hold'em is played. He then went on to tell us a little about the betting procedure of the game. Casino poker is played for table stakes. This means the money you buy in with and have on the table is the money you play with. Your are not allowed to reach into your pocket in the middle of a hand for more money. If the bet is more money than what you have on the table you can go "All In" which means that you will be playing for the pot your money is in. The rest of the players can continue betting. This money is put in a side pot and will be given to the player with the winning hand of those involved in the side pot. Players may purchase additional chips in between hands.
After his explanation of the game he discussed a little strategy advising us to play only strong starting hands especially from the early positions. He told us that he sees too many players who sit down at the table and expect to bet every hand they are given. He said these are the players that go broke real quick.
Now it was time to play a few hands to get the feel of the game. One person was selected as the dealer and the players to the left of the dealer button posted the small and big blinds. Jerry explained that a new player sitting down to a game that is in progress has to either post a bet equal to the big blind or wait until the big blind gets around to his position before entering the game. He also explained that the big blind is a live bet. If other players call without raising the big blind has the option to check or raise. Too often a new player will inadvertently throw their hand in without realizing that they have already bet that round. We played a few rounds until everyone felt comfortable with the procedures involved in playing the game.
Not all casinos offer poker lessons. If you are planning on visiting a casino you can call ahead to the poker room and see if they have lessons available. I was recently in Las Vegas and sat in on a lesson at the Excalibur. Their lessons are offered each weekday at 10 am. If the casino you visit doesn't offer lessons you can get a feel of the game by watching from the rail and observing the players.
After the lesson was over Jerry suggested that we might want to practice by playing in the low limit tournament that is held weekly on Saturday morning. The entry fee was only $20 and it would be a great way to get the feel of the game. That sounded like a good idea and I will tell you all about it in an up coming feature
Before leaving, I asked Jerry if he could tell me some of the common mistakes most beginners make. He told me that most new players make several mistakes.
Here are a few of the common mistakes made by new players when the sit down to play casino poker for the first time.
1) Betting out of turn.
You must wait until the player to your right acts. If you bet out of turn this could give an unfair advantage to a player that did not act yet. If you raise out of turn a player that might had called could fold. Or if you fold out of turn you are giving an advantage to the player on your left who now knows you won't raise.
2) Not knowing what the bet is.
You have to know what the bet is when it is your turn. After the turn in a limit game the bets are double the amount they were before and after the flop. You must also be aware if the bet was raised.
3) Folding instead of checking.
Sometimes if the player does not like the flop or turn he will immediately fold when it is his turn. If you are first to act you can check. If everyone else checks, you get to see the next card for free. The same is true if everyone checks before it is your turn, you should also check. The free card may just make your hand.
4) Throwing chips into the pot.
Place your bet in front of you. This way the dealer sees that your bet is correct. He will scoop them into the pot.
5) Not protecting your cards.
Place your hands or a chip on top of your cards. If another player's cards mix with yours when they throw in their cards your hand will be declared dead.
6) Throwing a winning hand into the muck. (Discards)
The cards speak for themselves. Don't immediately throw in your cards if someone calls out a better hand. The dealer will declare the winner of the hand. If you missed a better hand than you thought you had you might just be the winner.
7) Not controlling your emotions.
Keep your emotions in check. The table is not the place for foul language or temper tantrums. It will not be tolerated. Besides it makes you look foolish. Veteran players as well as new comers occasionally make this mistake. It is one that should not be made by anyone!
