Live game help and recommendations

[The Wall]

Hey All,

Ive been lurking for a while and have decided that now is the time to start posting! First off I would like to say what a great site / message board combination blondepoker is! (Love the torney updates).

All Im after is a bit of advice on the following please;

After playing online for a couple of years Ive decided to play my first live game and since I live in Birmingham there are a few games on offer and I cant decide which would be the best for me?? Here are the options:

1)   50 NLH rebuys and add ons @ the Broadway casino (Sunday night)
2)   20 NLH rebuys and add ons @ the Broadway casino (Monday night)
3)   100 NLH freezout @ The Grovesnor Walsall (Sunday Night)
4)   50 freezout @ The Grovesnor Walsall (Tuesday Night)

The buy in amount isnt really an issue as there all within losing budget but there are a couple of factors / questions:

The Broadway is easier for me to get to but I dont really understand rebuys and add ons (live newb), I think the 100 game might be too large for my first time and Im not really too keen on playing midweek (Monday and Tuesday) as I have to be up for work at 7am!

Ha ha I guess that rules all of those games out any advice or suggestions would be most appreciated!

[Bongo]

What about the 10 beginners comp @ Walsall Grovesnor on a saturday afternoon?

It allows one rebuy or addon so it should be a good introduction to playing live and rebuys etc. There's another 10 rebuy comp later in the evening aswell.

[The Wall]

Thanks bongo maybe that is the best choice for me right now! Is it self deal?? and arnt these beginner comps a bit of a free for all?

[AdamM]

if you decide on the 20 have a look at
http://www.blondepoker.com/PokerStoriesfirsttourny.htm

I think I'd go for the 50 if it were my 1st game. low buy in rebuys are beatable but for a 1st time it'll be a bit hectic.

[Bongo]

I wouldn't worry about winning or it being a free-for-all at your first live tournament, I'd just concentrate on getting comfortable with playing live.

[ifm]

The sunday 100 freezeout is now i believe a 25 jobbie with addons.
Broadway is a nice place but with a strict dress code so beware, the players are however mixed (very good and absolutely clueless) both more than capable of making you wanna cry!
Bongo has already told you your best option but believe me there ain't many rookies in that comp but it is the cheapest introduction.
There is also a 5 PL rebuy chip slinging contest on Friday nights, a lot of new players in a field of between 120 and 140, though it really is like a wild west brawl. Over 400 rebuys average!!!!! You do get value if you do well though (i once won 1,050 from 5, wassat 200 to 1?)
Don't worry too much about rebuys/addons as we're a friendly bunch at Walsall and anyone will help you out cuz we can smell the newbies
Ian

[RED-DOG]

One more thing Wall, welcome to the forum, nice to have you

When you do play your first live comp, dont be rushed, and if you dont know something, ask the dealer

Ie, who's turn is it, how much is it to me, or anything else you want to know. Dont do anything untill the player to your right has acted, and before you raise or bet, announce your intention verbaly, say "Im raising" and then say the amount

Dont worry if you feel like a rabbit in the headlights, Its the same for everyone

Im sorry if you know this basic stuff already, but I wish someone had told me when I first started

Most of all, enjoy it

Good luck

Tom

[The Wall]

Thanks Tom, Ian, Adam & bongo!

Some good advice there, I think I am going to go with the rookie afternoon just to climitise myself to live play and If I do ok or feel confident enough with my game then I will step it up to the bigger buy in events.

Many thanks again and I will let you know how my first experience goes!

[tikay]

First Live expeience? Wow, frightening, I remember mine......

My advice is to befriend the guy sat to your right, explain it's your first time, & he will prompt you as to when to post your small/big blind, & correct you as to "etiquette errors" (betting/passing out of turn), what you can & cannot say in a hand etc.

Try to avoid Self-Deal for your first tourney, unless it's the same dealer throughout - i.e., one person is nominated to do all the dealing, thats no different to a House Dealer as far as you are concerned.

Nothing I can say will prevent it being an ordeal first time - it just WILL be, but remember you are there to have fun - so just try & enjoy it!

I suggest you sit nice & quiet for the first 20 minutes, to just suss out how it all works.

We would love to hear how you got on, too, so please let us know - the blondeites are a great bunch, & will want you to do well.

Read Adam's "My first tourney" article - well worth a look.

And welcome to blonde!

[Ironside]

wall did you used to play at PSO?

[The Wall]

Hi Ironside PSO? nope never played there, I use to play at truepoker but Im going to start playing at william hill when I get my internet connection sorted out (just moved house, im posting from work )

Just read Adams article, thats some fine reading! I expect that I will play super tight first time round which isnt my normal game.....

Im going to try and get someone to come with me tomorrow! that should stop the butterflies....... well maybe only a little bit!

Oh and thanks for the welcome Reddog, from your posts I see that you also play at Wasall quite a bit? 

[AdamM]

people seem to think the way to beat a super loose aggressive game is to play loose aggressive and take plenty of money. I placed 6th at Nottingham last night in a 20 rebuy and won 280 for only my original 20 stake. player two to my right would have about broken even with my finish (Tikay, you know who that was, I'm not sure I rate him you know) I'd usually need one or two buy ins but if I hadn't run into Aces on the final table I could have placed higher still winning up to 2040 for 20.

[The Wall]

What would you say then Adam are the main differences between live and online play? Online I see people going all in with K-6 just because a K hit the flop (and other such moves) and never-ending chasing of straights and flushs.  Do people play this loose in a real game during a re-buy period?

Oh and thanks tikay for the welcome and good luck wishes 

[AdamM]

I find that online and rebuy periods play similarly but live freeze out is different. the main difference if the fear of loosing. when you play on line, if you get knocked out you can be in a new game 30 seconds later. when in a rebuy stage if you lose a big hand you can just shout "chips" and you're back in the game. in the freeze out stage you face the possibility that if you make the wrong decision you're in the car and kicking yourself all the way home. Although you don't want to choke when facing the big decisions, a healthy fear of getting knocked out helps me stay focused. I find it hard to play against entire fields where no-one has this fear (although having a couple of fearless gamblers at the table is inevitable).

[tikay]

Cant remember who was sat two to your right Adam. I remember shaking his hand, & telling him you were a maniac, but the rest is a blank.....