Advice for a first Live MTT appearance

BentleyBoy · Apr 15, 2015

I have recently won a ticket to a live tournament. I have never played live poker before (in fact I can only recall ever going to a casino once in my life and that was a long time ago).

Could I trouble you guys for any tips or advice that you think would help me with my first appearance.

Many thanks

BB

akyurukov · Apr 15, 2015

Live game is kinda different,when you get big hands your heart will be beating faster then you are used to at home...try to stay calm and focused.Another thing for live MTT's is that you are going to be dealt 1 hand in every 3 to 5 minutes sometimes even more,so arm yourself with patience and focus on every hand.Don't do stupid things,whenever you play a hand play it aggressive try to almost never limp in the early stages.
Before the start you mustn't be hungry.Take a bottle of water with you on the table,sit there and crush souls!

Xmaster · Apr 15, 2015

Get familiar with the rules in the casino. There are a lot of rules that are not important for online poker: for expample string bets, raising with only one chip (that's a call if you say nothing),...

blitzenfish · Apr 15, 2015

If you can afford to, go a day early and walk around, acclimate yourself. Maybe join a 1/2 ring game and play 2-3 hours so you get a feel for live play. Good advise in the above comments.

teepack · Apr 15, 2015

Yes, be aware of the one motion rule (in other words, all your chips have to go into the pot at once. You can't put a stack in, and then put more in, and then more, etc.). And you need to be aware of the oversized chip rule. If the bet to you is 200 and you put in a 1k chip, that is just a call. If you intend to raise, announce raise and the amount you intend to raise to before you put any chips in. And for the love of God, don't say, "I call, and I raise!" The first thing you declare is your action.

Be patient, take your time and most importantly have fun.

KUN_AGUERO_KROOS · Apr 15, 2015

Bring food.

BentleyBoy · Apr 16, 2015

Wow..... Thanks guys for some really useful and practical tips, some of which I hadnt and wouldn't have considered, but of course will now.

ccocco · Apr 16, 2015

if you're a poker player online, you will not be difficult to adapt to live poker so say those who know. you have to have patience and study some gesture or some bodily track villains that help you know when you have good hands or not .. luck !!

lilnewtdog · Apr 16, 2015

Make sure you understand the blind times they seem to go up quick live.

Juanes1913 · Apr 18, 2015

Just do your best and get familiar with all the casino rules (live poker is different) and be confident of yourself

Farseer · Apr 18, 2015

Take a good night's sleep before tournament, and make sure you get enough to eat and drink during tournament. Those day usually last longer than 10 hours, so better be prepared for it.

bradfordzilla · Apr 18, 2015

don't play cards that suck. try and pickup as many small pots early.

almanik · Apr 19, 2015

Be yourselfe. Breathe free. Think about good things. Dont worry about result.
Good luck to you! )

BentleyBoy · Apr 19, 2015

Thanks guys, the anticipation is growing, but controlled. Keep em coming!

Exmatrix · Apr 19, 2015

Understanding There will be more tells LIVE than online. YoU will be able to see people clearly getting ready to fold WAY before it is their TURN to act. Giving yoU the position to raise.

SnowedIn · Apr 19, 2015

enjoy it by talking to others at the table, remember you could have 45 minute breaks in the middle of the session. GL

veronica · Apr 19, 2015

I never had the chance to play a live mtt be due to lack of confidence and I see shame of not knowing how to handle me at a table with people who surely if is there is because he knows what he's doing , to see myself thinking and that people who now know what makes also began as one everyone has a first time and probably the same fears and doubts even I
I do not feel the urge co introduce in any but surely and will reach far and so share with you himself .

lcid86 · Apr 19, 2015

relax. game is much slower, so don't feel like you need to force the action.

good luck, and have fun.

Karozi615 · Apr 26, 2015

Ha, I remember when I made this exact same post. Now I've played hundreds of live tournaments.

My tips:

Eat a good meal, stay hydrated. No coffee, no nicotine, etc. If you can exercise before you go, good. It will help you focus.

you get AA, you see 4 limps. They each post 100. WOOOOT. You throw in a 500 chip. All the sudden 2 other players throw in 100 and the flop comes out. "but I raised!" WRONGGGGG. You have to verbally declare a raise, otherwise throwing in ONE big chip is ALWAYS a call. The very first hand I played live I made this mistake. I had AQ. (KJT flop, naturally) I think my heart was ready to jump out of my body.

hffjd2000 · Apr 26, 2015

Look for tells and hide yours.

Play more on players and less on cards.

teepack · Apr 27, 2015

And be sure to tell us how you did!!

bnasp2 · Apr 27, 2015

Karozi615 said:
. The very first hand I played live I made this mistake. I had AQ. (KJT flop, naturally) I think my heart was ready to jump out of my body.

Then I think you were extra lucky with your call. Nothing better then to hit straight on flop with 3-4 limpers in the pot. You think you would make more by raise, stealing blinds or 1 caller?

Carl Trooper · Apr 27, 2015

Run like god.

Target the weak people who are looking to min cash/ avoid the bubble. Pounce on their blinds.

10058765 · Apr 28, 2015

Karozi615 said:
Ha, I remember when I made this exact same post. Now I've played hundreds of live tournaments.

My tips:

Eat a good meal, stay hydrated. No coffee, no nicotine, etc. If you can exercise before you go, good. It will help you focus.

you get AA, you see 4 limps. They each post 100. WOOOOT. You throw in a 500 chip. All the sudden 2 other players throw in 100 and the flop comes out. "but I raised!" WRONGGGGG. You have to verbally declare a raise, otherwise throwing in ONE big chip is ALWAYS a call. The very first hand I played live I made this mistake. I had AQ. (KJT flop, naturally) I think my heart was ready to jump out of my body.

About the bolded....I know about that one big chip rule, but what if I don't throw in just one big chip, but instead, without announcing anything, I throw in a pile of 5 chips of 100 ?

Figaroo2 · Apr 28, 2015

At my first big live event I kept forgetting to say raise or call before putting in my chips. I also wasted a ton of mental energy scrutinizing everyone looking for tells don't worry about this. Even if you see something unusual you often won't know what it means .
Don't look at your cards until it's your turn to act or you will give off tells about whether you are playing or folding. For the same reason look to the players on your left to see if any have looked at their cards and are no longer paying attention to the action, it's a sign they are likely to fold and you can steal more often.. lastly watch some Mike Caro videos

Advice for a first Live MTT appearance

BentleyBoy

Legend

akyurukov

Rock Star

Xmaster

Rock Star

blitzenfish

Rock Star

teepack

Legend

KUN_AGUERO_KROOS

Legend

BentleyBoy

Legend

ccocco

Rock Star

lilnewtdog

Rock Star

Juanes1913

Visionary

Farseer

Rock Star

bradfordzilla

Rock Star

almanik

Rock Star

BentleyBoy

Legend

Exmatrix

Rising Star

SnowedIn

Rock Star

veronica

Visionary

lcid86

Legend

Karozi615

Visionary

hffjd2000

Legend

teepack

Legend

bnasp2

Visionary

Carl Trooper

Degenerate Idiot

10058765

Legend

Figaroo2

Legend

About CardsChat

Our Community

Our Site