Texas Hold 'em Players Step Inside

I have watched the game on TV often but have never played in a casino.

Looks like I am gonna give it a try for the first time and see how it goes.

Any tips for a beginner? I play to WIN. I don't care about making friends. Please keep that in mind. :D

You are my friend,aren't you Yo?

Played in college in the 60's when we called it Hold 'em Scold 'em.

Played only once in a casino in Palm Springs 15 or so years ago. That table saw me coming because they relieved me of $200 in less than 30 minutes...Guess I'm the kind of guy you'd like to play with:D:D.

You are my friend,aren't you Yo?

 

Played in college in the 60's when we called it Hold 'em Scold 'em.

 

Played only once in a casino in Palm Springs 15 or so years ago. That table saw me coming because they relieved me of $200 in less than 30 minutes...Guess I'm the kind of guy you'd like to play with:D:D.

Since this isn't a game of BJ we would be friends. :p

Yo;

Well, the game is pretty much like you see it on TV, but there are some things about playing in a casino that they don’t really cover.

If you're unfamiliar with play at a public card room, be sure that you become familiar with the concept of "table stakes." It's OK to ask the floorperson before you sit down as to what the ramifications are.

In short, you must have all of the money that you are going to play for on the table in front of you for the whole game. You won't be able to go into your pocket for more money should you use up all your chips during a hand and want to continue to play. If this happens, you will be declared "all in" and will be eligible to win any amount that was in the pot before you bet your last chip. The other players will continue to play each other with their remaining stakes.

So, if you're used to going for more money or playing "on the rim" in your home games, this won't be allowed in a public casino.

You can go into your pocket between hands for more bills...just not during a hand. You also won't be allowed to remove chips from the table at all during the game. You'll have to cash out and leave your seat to do so.

The point for the player in all of this is to make it so that players can't raise the pot so high as to where another player is unable to call, and thus loose out on the pot. Every player is in contention in each hand to the maximum of his bankroll.

In the event that you should bet all of your chips and be "all in," DON'T FOLD YOUR HAND. Just protect your cards and wait for the dealer to tell you to turn them over. He will declare the winner and pay the winner his or her share. Be patient and don't get rattled.

You'll also want to ask, at each casino, if "money plays." Some places will allow you to play with bills that you have on the table, some with only $100 bills, and at some you must exchange all of your bills for checks. It varies, so ask. Also, some places make you take the chip racks off of the table, and others don't.

It sounds complicated and confusing, but if you ask the floorman in advance, you'll be much more comfortable and will be playing like a regular in short order.

These are the main differences between poker at home and on TV and play in a casino.

Good Luck, and Best Wishes,

Yo;

 

Well, the game is pretty much like you see it on TV, but there are some things about playing in a casino that they don’t really cover.

 

If you're unfamiliar with play at a public card room, be sure that you become familiar with the concept of "table stakes." It's OK to ask the floorperson before you sit down as to what the ramifications are.

 

In short, you must have all of the money that you are going to play for on the table in front of you for the whole game. You won't be able to go into your pocket for more money should you use up all your chips during a hand and want to continue to play. If this happens, you will be declared "all in" and will be eligible to win any amount that was in the pot before you bet your last chip. The other players will continue to play each other with their remaining stakes.

 

So, if you're used to going for more money or playing "on the rim" in your home games, this won't be allowed in a public casino.

 

You can go into your pocket between hands for more bills...just not during a hand. You also won't be allowed to remove chips from the table at all during the game. You'll have to cash out and leave your seat to do so.

 

The point for the player in all of this is to make it so that players can't raise the pot so high as to where another player is unable to call, and thus loose out on the pot. Every player is in contention in each hand to the maximum of his bankroll.

 

In the event that you should bet all of your chips and be "all in," DON'T FOLD YOUR HAND. Just protect your cards and wait for the dealer to tell you to turn them over. He will declare the winner and pay the winner his or her share. Be patient and don't get rattled.

 

You'll also want to ask, at each casino, if "money plays." Some places will allow you to play with bills that you have on the table, some with only $100 bills, and at some you must exchange all of your bills for checks. It varies, so ask. Also, some places make you take the chip racks off of the table, and others don't.

 

It sounds complicated and confusing, but if you ask the floorman in advance, you'll be much more comfortable and will be playing like a regular in short order.

 

These are the main differences between poker at home and on TV and play in a casino.

 

Good Luck, and Best Wishes,

Thanks for your head start here. Sounds good so far.....

Are there any good strategies to develop. How about bluffing. Is it common to have a handful of garbage and end up winning the pot when another player folds a two pair? :D

Tournament poker (and particularly tournament poker as seen on tv) is a very differently animal than a cash game...particularly at lower stakes.

As a beginner at low stakes, tight is right. Do not expect to bluff much (or at all) as you will usually be called down with light hands. An opening raise at a live, low limit, table will often have multiple callers. You can play a wide range of hands, as long as you recognize that you will likely need to develop a strong hand to actually win. Top pair is rarely a winner in a multi way pot.

Play ABC poker, at low stakes no one is paying attention to how you play. Fold 20 hands in row, then make a big opening raise, and you will still get multiple calls, even though its obvious you have a monster.

Obviously every table is different, and you will need to adjust based upon the other players. If you can't spot the sucker after 20 minutes, it's you.

Have fun.

and tip your dealers...about a buck whenever you win a pot, more if it's a monster.

Does anyone know if there is Texas Hold-em on the Noordam. Also is it a mechanical table or have a live dealer. Need to know soon. Leaving next week. Thanks

I don't know about the Noordam, but I do know all Carnival ships have the PokerPro electronic tables. I didn't think I was going to like it, but they really aren't that bad. It does take a little getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, you're good :).

Best way to learn is play online for free. Then if your want you can deposit real money usuing a CC or a visa gift card. There are lots of sites to use (ie, pokerstars.com and fulltilt.com.)

Be careful playing on cruiseship b/c its much different than a regular poker room/casino. Most casino's are full of regular players were as a cruise ship everyone is on vacation and have money to burn. It's much harder to bluff on a cruise ship b/c everyone plays very loose and will call with anything.

That being said I always do very good playing poker on cruise ship, and it's way more fun b/c everyone is usually drunk and playing with vacation money.

The downside to playing on a cruise is that the rake is SIGNIFICANTLY higher then you would pay on-line or at most land based casinos.

Best way to learn is play online for free. Then if your want you can deposit real money usuing a CC or a visa gift card. There are lots of sites to use (ie, pokerstars.com and fulltilt.com.)

 

 

Be careful playing on cruiseship b/c its much different than a regular poker room/casino. Most casino's are full of regular players were as a cruise ship everyone is on vacation and have money to burn. It's much harder to bluff on a cruise ship b/c everyone plays very loose and will call with anything.

 

That being said I always do very good playing poker on cruise ship, and it's way more fun b/c everyone is usually drunk and playing with vacation money.

Playing for free online is a good way to learn the flow of the game but since it is free expect people to make stupid bets, calls, raises etc since it costs nothing.

No Limit, Pot Limit, and limit games I have found require slightly different strategies. That being said, cash games versus tournaments usually require different methods as well. Everybody finds their on game depending on their personality and patients. I find patients to be a virtue in No limit games and try to take advantage of other people's bluffs and impatients.

I don't know about the Noordam, but I do know all Carnival ships have the PokerPro electronic tables. I didn't think I was going to like it, but they really aren't that bad. It does take a little getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, you're good :).

What is the rake at these tables? My nephew played on the Conquest and said it was like 18%.

What is the rake at these tables? My nephew played on the Conquest and said it was like 18%.

10% up to 10 dollars on RCCL a few months back.

Any idea what carnival's rake is? 10-18% is rediculous and I don't even get drinks while playing?

I know Carnival is the poker pro tables, what about RCCL? Specifically the Oasis? Do they have live dealers?

Yo Eleven - I <we> never got an update on how you did playing HoldEm' on the cruise ship! If you did make a post - I must not of seen it so my appology.

Reading quickly the posts, I think the tips giving are quite good. One of the hardest concepts to playing cards is what I term REPRESENTATION. It pretty much is a state of being when you are saying 'look I got the best hand so don't waste your time'. Betting large is part of this concept. Acting the part is another aspect to it. Reading the table is also very important. This is not child's play. You're not playing Go Fish. Money is at stake. Represent the winning hand - preflop; at the turn; on the river and you will be surprised on how quickly they run. Let us know how things went if you get a chance. HoldEm is a great game - a game of wits and strong willed minds. Don't jump in the pool unless you are willing to get naked along with the rest!

Buy a book, read book, play online for free, read book again.

Seriously.

Harrington on Hold'em, Brunson's super system (1 or 2) or Sklansky on Poker are all decent choices.

I am taking my 2nd cruise in October on the NCL Spirit. Luckily, we are driving down from Columbus, OH to NOLA. I say that because we (DW and I) decided to take 2 days after the cruise and stop in Tunica to do some sightseeing and play a little poker! (Me, not the DW!)

Anyway, On our first cruise on the Carnival Imagination, there was a poker tournament on the first day. I played, and the structure was awful, as one might expect. When I got home, I looked on the web, and of course found the Cardplayer Cruises poker cruise website.

http://*****.com/

I have always wanted to take one of these cruises, so if anyone has any info or experience, please share! Looks like alot of fun for a player!

and tip your dealers...about a buck whenever you win a pot, more if it's a monster.

The table is raking 10%.

On a cruise ship, they will not even give you a free drink. Maybe the dealer/house should tip the players.

What is the rake at these tables? My nephew played on the Conquest and said it was like 18%.

Cannot believe 18%.:eek:

Anyone that would play with that rake has more money than brains, probably have no brains at all.

Cannot believe 18%.:eek:

 

Anyone that would play with that rake has more money than brains, probably have no brains at all.

18% up to what amount, or 18% across the board? 18% up to say $10 or $15 is alot, but in the short term beatable. Its when you look at the amount of rake over say, a 1 month window of playing 40 hrs a week it gets atrocious.

You would have to be sitting at the table from open to close (Which I wish I could do) for every day of the cruise to really have a large bite taken out. Just the sheer number of hands (Dealt live, 20-40 an hour, on the high side) it wouldnt be too too bad, but still enough to grumble about.

...The rake on Carnival's ships is 10%, up to $7. Just sailed on the Carnival Destiny and can tell you first hand that this info is correct. I normally sail with Carnival once or twice a year and this rake figure has been the same for several years now. I can tell you that there was one minor change. There is no rake taken if there is no flop. There used to be a rake regardless, even if it was folded around to the small blind and he/she folded. Now, no flop, no rake.

...Regarding the size of the rake, IMHO it is a fair figure. The rakes here in South Florida card rooms tend to be 5% up to $7, but when you figure in a couple of dollars for a dealer tip, plus extra on a monster pot, (there obviously is no tip on the PokerPro tables) Carnival's rake seems fair to me.

Last year my daughter was on the Carnival Valor poker cruise. She won enough to pay for the cruise for herself and her husband.

This year she went to Vegas for the amateur WPT tourney. Made it to fourth place and won Carnival Valor poker cruise, air fare, transportation, hotel and seats at the tournament.

Methinks I will just take her out of my will. ;)