Absolute beginner\'s primer for Foxwoods
 

The situation (tl;dr):
My girlfriend is currently in the States visiting family and wants to go to Foxwoods to experience live 1/2 for a couple of hours. Her only real experience of poker is a few hundred hands of .01/.02 on Stars, she wanted to learn, so I told here to r/rr AA-QQ and limp all other PPs and not much else, while watching how others played. She obviously made a little at that level and does now understand the basics; she may even have a feel for how people bet, and by some reports Foxwoods 1/2 may not be that dissimilar to .01/.02 online. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Anyway, I've sat down to write down some quick notes for her and it's become quite complex, I'm having a very hard time whittling it down. So, I'm hoping for a little help from the experts!

The question:
If you could tell someone with no live experience and very little poker experience the 5 most crucial key points to enjoying a couple of hours at Foxwoods 1/2, what would they be?

Re: Absolute beginner\'s primer for Foxwoods
 

I am far from an expert but I will tell you what I was told as a beginner also

1) learn the basic pot odds/outs
2) limp early mid with suited connectors and small pairs
3) don't drink and play
4) don't give someone odds to call on his draws
5) sit out a few hands or take a walk if you just had a bad beat

Re: Absolute beginner\'s primer for Foxwoods
 

5) lord loves a working man
6) dont trust whitey
7) see a doctor and get rid of it

sorry [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

ok serious internet time:

6) try to figure out how the people around you are playing. always be watching. describe them to yourself.

7) dont slowplay or try to get cute. however, dont try to price a gambler out of a draw on the flop unless you want them all in.

8) switch up your game. limp in early position with a premium hand every so often, then push if someone in later position raises.

9) dont care about the money.

10) never let it get personal. if someone or something at the table is getting you aggrivated, move to a different table. youre there to have fun, never forget that.

Re: Absolute beginner\'s primer for Foxwoods
 

Cheers guys, some good ones there, I will add them to the list.

Re: Absolute beginner\'s primer for Foxwoods
 

[ QUOTE ]

The question:
If you could tell someone with no live experience and very little poker experience the 5 most crucial key points to <u>enjoying a couple of hours</u> at Foxwoods 1/2, what would they be?

[/ QUOTE ]

1. Play tight, but aggressive.
2. Be chatty and friendly with those at the table.
3. Eat, drink, and be merry.
4. Don't worry about money - you brought it to lose it, a win is just gravy.
5. And most of all, HAVE FUN!

The point was to have fun for a few hours? Seriously, don't sweat the major strategy stuff. If she's got half a clue that's enough to play, so just enjoy it. If it gets to be a regular thing you can worry more about educating her on the finer points, but if its a couple hours, meh, let her blow a few Benjamins and have a blast.

Re: Absolute beginner\'s primer for Foxwoods
 

1.) Wear your Redsox or Yankees hat
2.) Wear your Oakley sunglasses
3.) Listen to your iPod Nano
4.) Hollywood every time you look at your cards, even when folding 72o
5.) Play bad, pre- and post-flop

That's pretty much the standard at Foxwoods.

Re: Absolute beginner\'s primer for Foxwoods
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

The question:
If you could tell someone with no live experience and very little poker experience the 5 most crucial key points to <u>enjoying a couple of hours</u> at Foxwoods 1/2, what would they be?

[/ QUOTE ]

1. Play tight, but aggressive.
2. Be chatty and friendly with those at the table.
3. Eat, drink, and be merry.
4. Don't worry about money - you brought it to lose it, a win is just gravy.
5. And most of all, HAVE FUN!

The point was to have fun for a few hours? Seriously, don't sweat the major strategy stuff. If she's got half a clue that's enough to play, so just enjoy it. If it gets to be a regular thing you can worry more about educating her on the finer points, but if its a couple hours, meh, let her blow a few Benjamins and have a blast.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed...first time playing live, just have fun with it. Play tight and enjoy the atmosphere.

Re: Absolute beginner\'s primer for Foxwoods
 

[ QUOTE ]

1. Play tight, but aggressive.
2. Be chatty and friendly with those at the table.
3. Eat, drink, and be merry.
4. Don't worry about money - you brought it to lose it, a win is just gravy.
5. And most of all, HAVE FUN!


[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you, the highlighted one in particular is gold...

[ QUOTE ]
1.) Wear your Redsox or Yankees hat
2.) Wear your Oakley sunglasses
3.) Listen to your iPod Nano
4.) Hollywood every time you look at your cards, even when folding 72o
5.) Play bad, pre- and post-flop

That's pretty much the standard at Foxwoods.

[/ QUOTE ]

...but it sounds like the most important piece of advice might be - Try not to hit anyone! [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Re: Absolute beginner\'s primer for Foxwoods
 

a. Be very tight but aggressive.

b. When in doubt, fold.

c. Do not stare anyone down, this is not TV.

d. Remember, there will be another game next time she comes.

Re: Absolute beginner\'s primer for Foxwoods
 

Do not go broke with only a pair.
do not call a big bet with a weak hand
Do not over bet a second best hand
do not call pre-flop raise with weak A's or small pairs

Re: Absolute beginner\'s primer for Foxwoods
 

Play tight for a bit and observe. Come up with a plan and execute.

-stare downs are funny
- be different, take 1 minute and buy chips at the window

Re: Absolute beginner\'s primer for Foxwoods
 

[ QUOTE ]
1.) Wear your Redsox or Yankees hat
2.) Wear your Oakley sunglasses
3.) Listen to your iPod Nano
4.) Hollywood every time you look at your cards, even when folding 72o
5.) Play bad, pre- and post-flop

That's pretty much the standard at Foxwoods.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly, I put in a twelve hour session at 1/2 and played a $120 SNG last Tuesday. First time to play at Foxwoods and people there were horrendous. Had a guy call off a 125 BB overpush on a straight draw. There were also two really bad players sitting at a table behind me that had built up stacks of $2500 in 6 hours just playing badly.

Pretty much the basic advice you gave would be more than enough to help your girlfriend. One reccommendation of mine is that raises need to be significantly higher than 3x-4x BB. There will routinely be two limpers willing to call when you raise to $15. If she really only plays premium hands, makes people pay PF, and then milks the idiots when hitting a set, flush, straight, etc., she will have no problem making money.

Re: Absolute beginner\'s primer for Foxwoods
 

[ QUOTE ]
1.) Wear your Redsox or Yankees hat
2.) Wear your Oakley sunglasses
3.) Listen to your iPod Nano
4.) Hollywood every time you look at your cards, even when folding 72o
5.) Play bad, pre- and post-flop

That's pretty much the standard at Foxwoods.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hilarious! I'd add one thing to this list: Bitch and moan when a river card slays your hand.

Re: Absolute beginner\'s primer for Foxwoods
 

Have fun
Play tight
Nothing to lose
Flat calling a raise is usually a mistake
Avoid conflicts with big stacks
Don't raise reraisers
Not calling a raise is only a small mistake

Guaranteed to win millions

Re: Absolute beginner\'s primer for Foxwoods
 

[ QUOTE ]
1.) Wear your Redsox or Yankees hat
2.) Wear your Oakley sunglasses
3.) Listen to your iPod Nano
4.) Hollywood every time you look at your cards, even when folding 72o
5.) Play bad, pre- and post-flop

That's pretty much the standard at Foxwoods.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is pretty much the only Foxwoods specific advice in the thread. I would also suggest 6) try and play at a table by the floor to ceiling window in the afternoon (the natural light is probably FW's best feature) and 7) do not look at the waitresses because they are hideous.

Re: Absolute beginner\'s primer for Foxwoods
 

[ QUOTE ]
7) do not look at the waitresses because they are hideous.

[/ QUOTE ]

Does that include the sexy dudes serving drinks?


That's right, they have men doing a woman's job at the 'Woods. I think this thread has killed my urge to play live tonight.

Re: Absolute beginner\'s primer for Foxwoods
 

[ QUOTE ]
Does that include the sexy dudes serving drinks?
That's right, they have men doing a woman's job at the 'Woods.

[/ QUOTE ]

Those guys at least get the drink orders right.

There's probably 2 or 3 hot waitresses and the others are busto.

I gotta get back into the NL game...so tired of limit.

Re: Absolute beginner\'s primer for Foxwoods
 

Thanks for the additional answers. She went, she had a blast, she lost ~half buyin. The standard of play described left me tempted to move there. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]