In this post, we are going to tackle the different animal that is Live Poker. Casino players or Live players tend to have some characteristics we might not see on the online felt, so we have come up with a hit list of tips to help you make more money when playing in your local live game.
Get aggressive on the Button
This is a big one that players don’t do enough in live games if we are against weak opponents and we are in position we are going to be making better decisions than them in the long run, therefore we can open up our ranges and play very wide against bad players.
Call in position often and take all the post-flop information on board.
So many times I have seen a bunch of passive post-flop players that flop nothing but yet no one reaches out to steal the pot, these are the types of players we want to be in there with and take stabs at pots when checked to in position.
Pick good games
If you rock up to the tables and there a bunch of hooded youthful aggressive players or the choice of playing against a few drunk guys that are getting lively then you should know which one will make you more money!
Choose to play at a good time for recreational players. So weekends are the best times. I have played in a tonne of soft games on Friday and Saturday nights, late after the punters have consumed a good amount of beer is the perfect time to get involved with some big pots!
Watch out for angle shots
The classic casino angle shoot is that a player will “accidentally” raise, it’s happened to me many times where a player has made a raise but acted like they just put the wrong chips in.
There are two points to this, they will never be balanced making this move, so it’s going to be Aces or Kings usually, as even pocket Queens probably wouldn’t make this move. So just look to continue with suited connectors or look to flop sets with low pairs and look to make tighter folds with off suit combinations like Ace highs etc.
Keep Quiet and Get Information
A good tip in general at the Poker table is to play but do so quietly, there is nothing wrong with talking about a sporting event etc, but try not to give away too much information about your poker game as this can only hurt you.
Look to never berate a player, too many players get themselves in awkward situations where players will have an argument about a hand… just look to avoid this a keep a cool calm composure, this will help you concentrate on your game.
Look out for tells
Some players will literally only speech play when they have a super-strong hand, I once witnessed someone check-raise all-in against an aggressive player and then proceed to say “you can’t call etc… you have nothing” once the hands were flipped over his talk was made a lot easier with middle set.
Quite often if someone makes a big bet and they are trying their best to look cool and calm, they are the opposite and in fact very nervous on the inside. I had a player move all-in on the river in a pot where I just had one pair, but the line didn’t make a lot of sense…. the player then proceeded to play with his iPad and take a drink, I ended up making the call based on the information on the line they took and the sizings but this live tell definitely came into it too.
Players just wouldn’t have any reason to act this cool if they wanted a call in this spot, they are giving off the image of “well I don’t care what happens, I have a good hand” but this is often a bluff.
The same is true for the opposite, some players will fake shaking and nervousness and put their heads down to get more action and get looked up on their value bets. Whereas would they do this if they were bluffing? Probably not…
Sum Up
So hopefully that list of tips will help you win more money next time you sit down at your local casino game! Here is our summary of our top tips:
- Get aggressive on the Button
- Watch out for angle shots
- Keep Quiet and Get Information
- Look out for tells
Freebie Time
We’ve teamed up with the awesome 7Casino to bring our readers somethings amazing!
Get 7 FREE SPINS with no NO DEPOSIT and NO WAGERING!!!
Offered on Twin Spin Deluxe, Berryburst, Starburst, or Pyramid: Quest for Immortality.
Plus get 77 Free Spins when you deposit! 1 Spin for every £ you deposit on the site!
New customers only. 7 Free Spins on registration. 1 Free Spin for every £1 of first deposit up to 77. Available on selected games only. No Neteller/Skrill. 3-day expiry on Free Spins. Min deposit £10. Deposit/Withdrawal fees apply. Full T&Cs apply.