blonde poker forum

I'm taking my wife to play at the casino for the first time tonight. she's dea nervous and however much I tell her she has a strong enough game to do really well she's still going to be nervous for the whole night. I still love playing poker but it's a long time since I got the buzz that I remember getting from the first half dozen tourneys I played. I'm hoping the first time I play a big festival event or if I qualify for something televised I'll rediscover that rush.

Do you remember how you felt before and during your first live game and do you still get nervous now?

I shake like a leaf, whatever the size if the comp, I have to bet with my left hand because my right one won't pick the chips up

After I've been involved in a couple of pots, I'm fine, I think it's just adrenalin

So yes, I still get the rush, I love it, I'm a sick man

To be honest i cant really remember my first time playing live as it was all a bit of a blur. I remember it was a wednesday night at a £10 rebuy at the grosvenor riverside casino in Salford. I'd been playing online for a while but it was my first live tourney and i was worried about how to handle the chips and not give anything away. The only thing i remember from the night itself is that i lasted longer than the person who i worked with who had told me about the tourney which pleased me :)

I do remember however when i got home that there was no way on this earth that i was getting to sleep as every time i closed my eyes i had a million and one thoughts rushing through my head about how i should have played and what i should have done in each specific hand. After lying in bed for 3 hours i just got up and got ready for work early, spending most of the following day half asleep!!

I remember my second visit in a bit more detail - but that may have something to do with the fact that i ended up making the final table, upsetting one of the regulars for reraising preflop when a player had gone all in at the final table and then ended up doing a deal when we were down to the last 4 :)

... oh yeah, and how did people get on too.

I'm pleased to say I made £1670 from a three way chip count. I fancy MrsM to final tonight

i still havent played a lot live so i`m still novicey
although i`d played a few home games with friends i`d never played live with "real players".

played at local hotel for a freezeout tournament of about 50 odd folk...i remember looking round thinking that all these folks must be gung ho poker players and it would be a nightmare and i would make an arse of meself.
sat down feeling intimidated - no one wanted to deal so it went round the table...which relaxed me because it immediately told me that i wasnt the only nervous person or beginner there.
I think most folk realised that as well and everyone lightened up. It became obvious who had played before and they helped those that hadnt with the etiquette. there were no bullies and it was playd in good spirits
as for the game i had two decent hands won them both but didnt bluff too much and tended to be a bit rock like -and went out at the latter stages of the table.

enjoyed the experience but felt a lot had passed me by but i also soaked up information and learnt from the experience..I also learnt that you gotta start somewhere and everyone at the table gets up in the morning and gets dressed same as me...so no horned heads and no shouting matches.
Now i am still nervous before i play but once i have sat down and played a hand or 2 or clocked the table characters then its fine

to be recommended..and to be enjoyed...it aint the dentists

My first visit to a casino was a £10R at Luton. I finished 10th, bubble boy! I played so tight I can't believe they were still calling my bets, it was like they hadn't observed me at all.
I shook like a man on a rape charge all the way through the game. It was so hectic that i found it best to just only play monsters and then spend the rest of the time concentrating on the other players actions/talk/mannerisms. oh and then of course is the blind terror of shuffling/dealing. Practice those first, I didnt and regretted it.

The first time anyone plays live for the first time, their greatest concern is not playing badly, or being intimidated, or getting caught bluffing.

It's generally 'I hope they don't laugh at my shuffling' - I know it was for me the first time I played in a self-deal game.

your choice of phrase sometimes   :o

Had my first ever live game last Friday! Have to say it was a great experience.

Was very nervous before the game - it was a 3 table, 1 hour rebuy then freezout - and I can vividly remember shaking as I moved my chips in for the first time. I think the most nerving aspect of it all was worrying about betting out of turn or just making basic mistakes. The adreniline rush was awsome though! After an hour or two and doing well I settled into the game and made the final table, finishing 9th/29 which was better than I had expected and which I was quite chuffed about.

My first live game was a day after I'd been to the texas hold'em tutor night at the Casino but I'd known how to play for about a month and practised with play money online. I was petrified, everyone on my table looked evil but Leons dad was on my table so I felt ok. I can't remember how well I did but I remember really shaking, especially after I won my first pot!

Nice to see you still get it, i did for the first few times i played live, now i just dont, i thought i would in the EPT, but no.


I guess thats a good thing though, if i dont feel nerveous in an EPT then i can still play my A game.

I get it everytime.

just win a pot or just play one and i'm fine.

I even get a rush sitting down for a big online tourney... i love it.

£10 Rebuy on a thursday night in Walsall, picked up AA 3rd hand and lost a 3 way all-in pot vs KJ and J8 when the remaining two jacks came on the flop. Get the same rush playing live or online as I use to at university when I was performing in the theatre. I don't play much live because you can find a better comp online, but after speaking to Bongo at the BB, I keep meaning to go to the Gala for the £30 FO, but I keep putting it off. Ok, maybe this weekend...

Wasn't that long ago for me.  I was dead nervous and managed to grab some mates along to keep me company.  Four of us went and we turned up an hour early which just added to my nervousness.   They all got drew on the same table leaving me by myself, which was actually a good thing as I could just get on with things rather than looking to see how they were doing.

Cards dealt and I'm in position 6. First hand and I get KK. I was almost in shock. To be honest, I was too nervous but it was only my first game. Everyone called to me, and I raised 100. I get a few callers and the flop came A K T (misc suits no flush available). At this point I tried just to stay calm. Calls to me and I bet another 100. Few callers and card on the turn doesnt help. Everyone checks and the river card shows an ace. First hand and I have a full house. Checks to me and I bet 300. Couple of callers and I double up or so easily.

Looking back, I should have bet more - someone would have called - most we rebuying every ten minutes or so.

After the break, I never really kicked off again.  I had a healthy chip count but they went down slowly until I was down to 1800 chips and in BB (now at 300/600) when I got moved tables. Moved to one before BB and just passed the hand. Next hand (my BB) and I'm dealt KK (again) Pot is raised to 2100, then raised again to whatever it could be (about 5k I think) and I know it's my only chance really to get back in it. I had to put someone on aces, but in the back of my mind there was also AK suited, QQ or JJ. I had to call.

The initial raiser thought hard about it and folded. I showed my Kings, the other chap showed his aces. The other guy who folded showed Jacks! Anyway, the aces held up and that was me.

It was a shame to be out as I bloody loved it.   People ask whether or not you prefer playing live or playing on the net and it has to be live for me.  Even though I didn't cash, it was just great fun.  My tablemates were really good fun and made the three live newbies on our table  feel at ease and welcome and the whole 'being there' was just excellent.   I really enjoy playing online too don't get me wrong, but playing live was excellent.

I'd love to do it all the time but unfortunatly until I get a sponsor (:D) I have to stick to the cheaper £2 and £5 mtt's online.

Anyway, have a great time, you'll love it :)

i was shitting my pants, but had JP,Jen and flushie waiting with me, and that calmed me infact when the called us foward for seat draw i think i was 1st up.

I was shaking until i pushed Tikay off a pot with a reraise,(yes i drew tikay and JP)"do you know who i am?" :D

then i was okay, i got too many good hands early on and just got carried away.

My next one will be totally different.

I get bored in home games now need the pressure to enjoy the live game.

All the bits newbies worry bout like chip handling and the like, it takes care of itself, mind you we had great dealers.

The weds £20 with 1 rebuy is also a good comp (I, like most, treat it as a £40 double chance FO).

It's no smoking aswell, which will either be very good or very bad depending on your opinion. Usually a contingent of blondes there too (well me and Adam), although I can't make it this week.


My first time was a £20 PL rebuy at the gala on a friday many moons ago (4 years maybe?).

I remember I was quite nervous - mainly because I had no idea what Pot Limit was  :D

It's quite odd to see how much poker has grown since then - when I started there were only about 30 players, it gradually increased to 40 and then sort of exploded to the huge amounts playing now.

I can't remember how I did, I know I didn't make the money - it was like a completely different world to what I was used to. I had fun though.

I don't remember any arguments or bad feeling or anything - my overiding memory is one of being made to feel really welcome.

My first time, we did it three times........ ::)

My 1st time was a £20rb at Bradford.... how many times could i string bet... sigh... Now i'm the monster who pulls up newbies for string betting. lol :D

I wouldn't worry about string betting - no less a poker luminary than Scotty Nguyen got pulled up for it in my Will Hill Grand Prix heat.

My first time was in Las Vegas.

I'd ummed and ahhed about playing for 8 days, and never been brave enough.

So on my last full day in vegas I bit the bullet, signed up to the 11 oclock $60 buck tourney (one rebuy or add on).

Was scared as crap, had aces cracked, but carried on.

4and a bit hours later I cashed in 5th!

Ayyyaaarrrr me!

My first time well it was not that long ago, I went in to the Riverboat for the £5 rebuy fest, I turned up smartly dressesd a I had read about table image, and I made the cardinal sin of wearing sunglasses. :blonde:

Well the sunglasses lasted about 2 minutes, the abuse was overwhelming and they quickly went in to the pocket. I then proceeded to call all in with pocket  9h 9d, and saw some incredible straight made with junk.

I was'nt nervous, I just had no real concept of what good poker was at the time. I managed to fold a nut flush when it was the nuts after some bloke goes all in with junk.

After I was out I was asked to join the cash game, because they knew I was a big fish with no idea what i was doing, Thankfully common sense prevailed and I declined the invitations.

The second time out, I managed to give a better showing, after reading a couple of poker books.

Anyways that was my first time.

My first time. 

A 20 Litas re-buy in Lithuania.  I finalled and finished 3rd after taking the add-on, winning about 400 Litas I think (80 quid).  Nobody spoke English apart from an Aussie who was taking care of me.  I remember that tournament very fondly, probably more than the bigger cashes I've had.

I was at Grosvenor Luton on the casino games, just on the off chance the guy next to me mentioned that tonight was rookie night. Had played a little online and took the plunge.

Remember every person on my table, some of whom are now good friends and the look of puzzlement on the faces of a couple when I played in an unorethodox manner

Hit the final and monstrously overplayed  Ad 8h...it was an Ace you see...any Ace would have done that night!

Loved it so much that I went back on the Friday night and played a £250 freezeout! Finalled there too!

Proceeded to not win a bean for four months but that was it.....began studying and learning and improved soon enough

I hated shuffling and was so bad that one regular who shall remain nameless insisted on shuffling for me...i was so embarrassed!

she played a blinder as predicted. she got AA in the rebuy period and got paid off by an AQ, got blinded down far enough to take a top up and a rebuy after an hour then had to dance for all her chips, having to make continuation bets with missed AQs and the like. 100 runners, 11th-20th got £30 consolation. we both made the money but both narrowly missed out on final table. she out lasted and out played 85 runners. dead proud

Glasgow Riverboat, £10 rebuy night, some night between xmas and hogmanay, 2004. Me and a workmate went along. Got drawn to deal, and just about managed, despite dropping a few cards on the floor once. Thankfully didn't have to count down any 5-way all-in affairs. Finished 11th out of 70-odd!

Like reddog, I still get "jittery" before live games start, but it's mainly excitement ... a couple of hands later, I'm fine.

First time I ever played poker in a casino was in a cash game (5 10 limit - blinds at 2 and 5) in Halifax Nova Scotia back home in Canada when I just turned 19 (legal age in Canada)

I bought in for the minimum of 100 dollars which was a fortune to me, but I had played online for years (only freerolls lol) and knew I could play decent poker. The first hand I played I had intended on folding but I got the  Qh Jh on the button and limped in for 5 dollars. The flop was  Kh Kc 5h. In my fearless freeroll mentality I bet 5 dollars. It was folded around to a guy who says "First hand and he hits 3 of a kind...I call" I knew he had the king yet when the turn brought the  7s I bet 10 again. He raises. I pray to god for a heart on the river and call. Then the most beautiful  8h I have ever seen came on the river. I checked in case he hit a full house, and called his 10 dollar bet. He flipped over  Ks Tc for 3 of a kind. I turned over my cards and he laughed and said something like 'silly kid...real silly' and then the dealer pushed the chips to him. I was so confused and nervous so I looked at the cards making sure I had the flush. Then as I was about to speak some old guy bless his heart flew off 'Thats the kid's pot he has the flush yer 3 kings are nothing' I could have kissed him. The dealer looked again and apologized to me and gave me the chips. The guy looked upset but thats poker. I left an hour later up 200 dollars and thought I was ready for the WSOP.

Well done MrsM!

Does this mean we'll be seeing her down the gala with you more often?

I remember my first proper live game.  I'd played a few home games round my mates before but this was my first MTT game.

It was a £5 PL rebuy beginners night on a Tuesday evening down the Gutshot back in July 04.  This was also my first ever experience of Pot Limit.

I was extremely nervous.  This did however work out to my benefit though when the table bully mistook my nerves for putting all my chips in with a bluff only to lose to my floped nut straight.  There was 140 entrants (my memory isn't that good - Gutshot publish all there results online so I could look it up).

I finished 6th!  It was about 3am at the time and I remember thinking how dead I'm going to be at work tomorrow.  I still had well over an hours journey home and I didn't know how get out of London at the time.

I remember sitting on the right of Barry 'The Bully' Martin and him giving me a talking to as I folded away my blind for most of my small stack in the blinds.  "Any two cards" I remember him saying.  I understand what he was saying now, there is now way I was going to take the tourney down without being extremely lucky or getting a few double ups. 

From his point of view it's the correct thing to do.  But for me it was about the experience and winning as much as possible.  I knew if I folded there was a strong chance a few of the other small stacks might drop before me.  I did play a hand or two in the end with one double up I think but I was right about the other small stacks and 3 players dropped over the  next round or two and I made 6th rather than 9th and made £132.  I was over the moon!

I still get nervous in big pots, especially if it's on the bubble of a bigger buyin when I now realise I need to play my short stack to avoid being blinded out.  I'm still and advocote of survival over gambling near the bubble though.  I've turned round several final tables (live and online) from arriving as the small stack.  Generally speaking with blinds at that stage a couple of double ups will put you back up with  the average stack.

I will say that everybody was very friendly and understanding towards new players.  I don't think you can help the nerves.  Just enjoy the experience and catch the bug that is live poker.

Stu

sadly not. kids and school nights make it tricky. school holibobs and some sunday aftenoon games I should think.