What do you do at the tables?

SammyG-SD · #1 10-03-2007, 05:45 PM

So I have been playing live games fairly regularly, and my poker buddy is always amazed that I don't listen to music (IPOD/MP3 player), while I am playing. I also don't wear sunglasses and will use a standard table chip as my card protector. My chips are evenly stacked in 20. I will try to constantly drink water, and take frequent bathroom breaks once I am pass the CO. (once an hour)
What are your habits at the table?
Any good advice on what you should do during a long session?
Sunglasses?
Ipod?
Eating?
Drinking?
Card Protector?
Chop every time, or sometimes play for bad-beat?
Chit-chat?

otter · #2 10-03-2007, 05:52 PM

Try the beginner forum.

lots of water. I bring some snacks to eat. I chop. I wear sunglasses. No ipod, no stupid card protector. Chatting helps the time go by, but the most important thing to do is pay attention

Lee_C · #3 10-04-2007, 10:21 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Try the beginner forum.

lots of water. I bring some snacks to eat. I chop. I wear sunglasses. No ipod, no stupid card protector. Chatting helps the time go by, but the most important thing to do is pay attention

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes!

KurtSF · #4 10-03-2007, 05:52 PM

My habits are much the same except I try to get in a cigarette with each bathroom break.

I also try to chat it up at the table as much as possible, though I have to admit, this is hard to do when I'm stuck.

MrGladstone · #5 10-03-2007, 06:29 PM

I have to smile, someone else who also plays position not only with his cards, but with bathroom breaks. I tend to play my breaks from middle position...but I don't drink at the table and can get back relatively quickly. Also: no iPod, no glasses, use chip as card protector, chop to be friendly, and I do chit-chat. Oh yes, stacks of 20, standard.

flytrap · #6 10-03-2007, 06:49 PM

We're not allowed to have i-pods in Detroit so that's out. I do chat a fair amount, although I'm trying to cut that down. I'm not superstitious, but I think my chip from the Aviation Club in Paris looks cool and is a good conversation piece so I bring that. Never eat at the table, unless you wash your hands first and play with one hand while eating with the others. Those chips are so germ infested. I also bring two protein bars, so in a ten hour session I can have one meal and 2 protein bars and not be hungry. I don't wear sunglasses, but I wear a hat so I can just stare at my chips when I'm in a big pot. Chopping is fine, and although it's not really in your immediate best interest if you're better than the other blind, people will treat you better and you may get a free showdown, etc if you are a friendly guy that chops. As for not chopping with a jackpot hand, I would mention it before you play, and maybe say that each person will get their money back after you check it down. If you have this agreement, simply say 'do you want to play or chop?' if you have a jackpot hand, and if they also have one, they will play.

pfapfap · #7 10-03-2007, 06:53 PM

Any hand that's not 32o is a jackpot hand. Chop every time, unless you're playing short handed in a time collection game (many make the cutoff at 5 or 6).

Rottersod · #8 10-03-2007, 07:19 PM

I pay attention and try to guess the hands the others are playing, keep my eye out for tells such as betting patterns, and if I order food I try and order something that can be picked (like a hot dog or potato skins) so I can face the table.

I should add that I also watch the dealers and make a mental note of things to be careful of such as a dealer who doesn't announce someone's call or raise, or who fiddles with the pot and is not paying attention or one who makes change for the SB before their turn to act.

NicksDad1970 · #9 10-04-2007, 02:19 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Any hand that's not 32o is a jackpot hand. Chop every time, unless you're playing short handed in a time collection game (many make the cutoff at 5 or 6).

[/ QUOTE ]

I played at The Grand in Tuncia for more than 12 hours a week or so ago. We chopped 2x in that whole time, both times in my BB. I always chop so I turned em over instantly. One time I had KK and the other time I had QQ. I think that was a sign of the apocalypse or something.

sternroolz · #10 10-04-2007, 02:56 PM

Caveat...I play limit holdem. I would do things differently if I played NL.

Ok, so poker gear is tennis shoes or comfortable black shoes, jeans, t-shirt, and blue hoodie. I plop down at the table and set down sunglasses, cell, and one of various silver strike tokens for a card holder. I get chips(normally 2-3 racks worth) and immediately stack them into a super duper castle which everyone unnecessarily marvels at. The sunglasses are basically unnecessary as I only use them if I am really tired to hide my bloodshot eyes. Since I never play tired, I don't really need the sunglasses. Anywho, at this point I get into the game at Commerce, curse Hawaiian Gardens for having Guiness thereby forcing me to order some(Guiness is so yummy [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]), and in Vegas search for the nearest hottie cocktail waitress I can oogle and order free alcohol from.

During the course of the session I typically shuffle chips until my hands are tired. I alternate between obsessing on games on my cell phone, playing with my chip stack while imagining I'm Scrooge McDuck on a pile of gold, and getting the table happy/exited/tilted by pointing out how much I hate money and suck at poker.