ITH Poker Forum

[Damien]

I've played in a few live MTTs in Vegas and in other places before, and I think the biggest problem I have is keeping track of how many chips are in the pot. I guess the best method is to just pay attention to the action and add it up in your head... and then if you forget, you can always physically count them. There was a situation in Vegas where I had an above avg chip stack in the middle stages of a tournament, I raised with QJs from MP and SB pushed. I was embarressed to ask how much he had, although I'm pretty sure he had me covered and I eventually ended up folding. But I find it difficult transitioning from online poker where the pot is magically added up for you to B&M. Are there any suggestions?

This is another reason why I'm considering playing on the "electronic" table when I go to the Casino in Montreal in a couple weeks. I'll take a look when I get there, but i think these tables probably add up the pot for you and display it and it sounds like an easier transition from online playing. I do however enjoy playing with a dealer, and the feel of the cards, and the table banter and all of that stuff, so if I could figure out how to get better at looking at a pile of chips and being able to tell how much it is, I'd definitely stick with the "real" tables.

Also, I really just want to play in a MTT or SNG or two, and I doubt that the "electronic" tables will be set up that way. I have a feeling that they will be cash games.

[toronexti]

If the dealer is good he should be announcing how many players are in the hand after action is done. So if someone raises to say $25 and gets 5 callers you just need to multiply $25 x 5 to approximate how much is in the pot.

In your example you're actually just talking about knowing how much your opponents have. That takes some practice to eyeball it, but there's nothing wrong asking people how much they have. This is particularly true when there's a potential that they have big denomination chips that are not easily visible. It also gives you a bit more time to think.

I remember the first live MTT that I played I was asking the players their chip stacks about once an orbit at the FT. They got really annoyed at me and thought I was trying to intimidate them or something. Truly I just couldn't keep track of how the stacks were changing cause I had no experience doing that.

[chrisjp]

When a person pushes all in, or even when they have bet and you are considering your options, saying, "About how much is that" is completely appropriate. Yes if you are a torolivenewbie it can be overdone. Like anything.

If a person pushes and you are contemplating a call I like to use this little guide which I've discussed before. First, if you have raised and they push then ask that the "calling" part of their push, as well as your bet, be pushed into the pot. Some dealers will do this automatically but if they haven't then request it. Now there will be a pot of chips in the middle, and villain's all in will be sitting out from him.

If they are about the same size then you know you are getting 2-1 pot odds. If his is larger then it's less than 2-1 and you can try to estimate it from there. If his push looks twice as big as the pot then you are getting 3-2. If it's half as big then you're getting 3-1.

It's likely a no brainer call at 2-1 so that can help.

I had a fun one at the WSOP a couple of years ago. I was recently moved to the table and I made a bet preflop with AJs. The guy on my left pushed. The dealer moved the appropriate chips to the center and his push was sitting there. His push and the pot looked similar so I was getting 2-1; it was an easy call. He showed QTo and the flop was KQT monotone giving him 2 pair. But it gave me a Royal Flush.

Chris

[Damien]

Thanks guys. I'm probably just psyching myself out. I'm sure I'll be fine, I just get nervous playing in live tournaments. So much of my play relies on bet sizing, and stack sizes that I'm always afraid that I'm flipping with a shorty or something with a marginal hand only to find out that he had a couple large denomination chips at the bottom of his stack and he's not short at all! I do enjoy playing live though.

Maybe the biggest problem I have with live play is the buy-in difference. Online, I play $1-$2 SNGs and MTTs. In B&M casinos, its very very hard to find a tourney with a Buy-in less than $50. So I find myself playing a little bit differently than I do on the internet. Less aggressive, I guess, which the better players pick up on and start taking advantage of. Hopefully, I will not let that happen this time around.

[Zenjo]

Maybe the biggest problem I have with live play is the buy-in difference. Online, I play $1-$2 SNGs and MTTs. In B&M casinos, its very very hard to find a tourney with a Buy-in less than $50. So I find myself playing a little bit differently than I do on the internet. Less aggressive, I guess, which the better players pick up on and start taking advantage of. Hopefully, I will not let that happen this time around.

You'll often find the standard of play is similar between micro stakes online and reletively low stakes live tournaments.

[Damien]

I agree with that Zenjo, as I have played some live low buy-in tourneys. I'd play a lot more of them if my BR allowed it!