What do you do at the tables?

[sternroolz]

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I enjoy a chat now and again but the ipod is the way to go for me. I put the volume at just the right level to kill the background noise and can realy concentrate on the action.

This works best when I am not in the hand because that is when most chit chat will happen. If you only pay attention when you are in a hand you will miss 2/3 of what is happening.

I did even better last weekend when I bought the bose headset that goes over your ears. Not only is it great sound but you can crank it up so you can't hear the drunk next to you or the childish banter at the table when AA is cracked by 63o for a big pot. I hate unwanted poker lessons.

For those really long cold streaks you can even listen to a comedy album or book on cd. This is how I get passed having 72o for two hours without killing the dealer.

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You wouldn't like me, but I purposely bug/harass/engage anyone with an ipod or other noise blocking device. I hate sitting next to someone incapable of conversation, I know it irritates them to have to engage in conversation, ipod wearers are action killers which is death at limit holdem, and its funny as hell to see the pained expressions they make when they have to remove their earpieces every few minutes to listen to my inane banter.

[Lee_C]

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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

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Yes!

[iron81]

I usually space out or try to take a nap between hands. Not much for ipods and my room doesn't allow food at the table. I usually go to the bathroom in early position and time it to take my BB.

[allbad]

stacks of 20 in pyramid unless i'm down to less that 60 chips, then it's just two tall stacks until it's just one tall stack, then just a few lonely chips i hold in my hand. I'm at 1/2 w/ redbirds, so rarely am I building a pyramid.

Tried the sunglasses a couple of times, but felt too uncomfortable so they're not worn unless final table of a tourney.

I chit chat when others near me are friendly, change tables if there's no one worth talking to. This usually means the table is too aggressive for my taste anyway so no big loss.

I wish I was like some who can hold it for hours on end, but when the seal is broken, i'm leaving every other orbit. I try to do it in EP or MP.

I'll eat light and tend to stick to dogs and bars, with the occasional BM for a "snack in a glass". I like whiskeys, so I'll try anything the bar has that's not rot-gut. Sometimes that means taking a trip to a distant bar since the waitress can't seem to remember to say "Baker's" instead of "Jack"

[mrcunningham]

No time to read all the responses, but I am amazed that multiple people eat 'finger food' while playing. I guess I'm germ-cautious, as I bring the Target version of Purrell and apply that stuff to my hands before eating at the table. I always order something that I can eat with a fork or drink so that I don't ingest any of the table and chips viruses, bacteria, and parasites. I do, however, try to eat while facing the table (hold plate or bowl up to mouth while eating and watching). Didn't like Foxwoods cause I couldn't eat while playing. California rules when it comes to eating and playing....

[Mark1808]

Eye drops for contacts
Cell phone
Ipod
Small notebook and pen for notes
Tipping cash in right pocket, roll of 100's in left pocket
I stick my cards under my chip stack.

I rarely use ipod or sunglasses but love to use them when I want to draw within for awhile. I love to give subtle disinformation when talking to others. I also like to probe people in a disarming way to ascertain their style and tolerance for risk by asking them questions about hands that were played at the table by others. Things like, "Would you have called there?" I also like to look at other tables to see where their might be better action and see who is playing up or down in limits.

[Rick Nebiolo]

Since most of my meals are automatically comped here in LA I specialize in eating as much healthy but "pain in the ass to prepare at home" type meals as possible (except when playing at Hollywood Park of course).

To keep my blood sugars in balance I avoid food that is white. In other words if I'm going to eat fries I'll go to In and Out Burger.

To work off the calories I walk around when I take a break. And I never sit and wait for a game.

~ Rick

[SpleenLSD]

I have never worn a hat, an iPod or sunglasses.

I buy my chips at the cashier and always tip the brush or the runners when they help me with a table change or somesuch.

I drink a mix of coffee and booze and do the best I can to look completely bored at all times.

I act in turn.

[PokrLikeItsProse]

I bring my iPod but I never use it. I don't want to leave it in the car and I keep it as a contingency in case I ever sit next to people who never stop whining about bad beats to the point that I can't take it anymore. I don't wear sunglasses.

I engage in chit chat to pass the time because I fold a lot more than other people. Think of my talking style as a mix of Daniel Negreanu, Howard Lederer, Phil Laak, Todd Brunson, and Phil Gordon. Negreanu chat is probably my dominant mode to the point where I will tell people what they have and sometimes still call. I sometimes separate out a pre-flop raise in advance of the cards being dealt, just in case.

I also play with my chips a lot, but I stack them no higher than 15 because otherwise I keep knocking them over. I lack the manual dexterity to do even the simplest of chip tricks.

I don't like to eat at the table, but I will order a coke ever couple of hours. If it is a table with built-in holders, I like to keep a cup there because otherwise I keep knocking chips into it. If I do eat, I keep it simple. Something like a hot dog.

I use one chip as a card protector.

I take my bathroom breaks in middle position. I normally play no fold em small stakes limit hold em and middle position is probably the most difficult spot to play because it's most difficult to make bets and raises to either knock people out or build a pot and it's the worst relative position.

Since I am in loose games mostly, I'm rarely given an opportunity to chop. I usually agree to chop, but I have gotten a table to agree to no chopping short-handed.