LAS VEGAS HOTELS - Newbie's First Outing

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Newbie's First Outing

There are many people who feel intimidated in the fact that when they enter a public cardroom for the first time, they are going to encounter a hostile environment. Even people whose feelings are usually neutral fear the unknown; when they walk into a club, they are uncertain about what to expect. Perhaps a guard will shake them down, or the club is private and they need to have special status; or perhaps the managers and players won't welcome them; or they'll be forced to play when they don't have enough money or ... Who knows all the fears first-time visitors feel?

In truth, however, when you walk into a public cardroom, you encounter friendly, smiling faces.

In the cardroom "factories" of California and the big cardrooms of Nevada, Connecticut, and New Jersey, nobody knows whether you are a "regular." These are big clubs, some with upwards of 200 tables. With so many people coming and going, no one knows whether this is your hundredth visit or your first.

Yes, some of the very high-limit games can be intimidating, but you won't be seeking them out on your first visit. In general, the small and midlevel games contain friendly players.

Even in the medium-sized clubs, no one can keep track of all the players. Even among the so-called "regulars" there are people who play only once a week, and then only for a few hours; who knows whether you are one of these players?

And in the smaller clubs, they're not just selling card games; they're selling friendliness. The little clubs are mostly found in small towns, and they're just like small-town America everywhere. I include among these the riverboats, many of which are docked in relatively small towns, even though near to large urban areas.

Nowhere are you forced to play a game. You can simply watch the games. Do so as long as you wish. And don't think that you'll be conspicuous as an onlooker, that being a spectator will somehow identify you as a beginner or stranger. Plenty of people do nothing but watch for hours. Some spectators are spouses or friends of players, some are players who ran out of money, and some people just like to hang around for hours to watch the action. (More comments on this subject will appear in the forthcoming "Railbirds, Hangers On, and Other Brokers.")

A cardroom is really more than you imagine. For those who live in areas without public poker clubs, the image of a comfortable, well-managed cardroom may be difficult to understand. But you will probably feel comfortable and welcome in a club. Clubs are completely open to the public. The management is delighted when you walk through the door, and they'll make it as easy possible for you to play. And there will probably be a restaurant for you to enjoy, oftentimes affording the opportunity to dine while you play, and frequently at reduced prices.

Sure, it's only natural that you'll be somewhat nervous the first time you play. But the other players do not have to know, if you don't want them to, that you're a beginner. If you've watched the game for a bit, you'll know what to do. If you don't know something, don't be ashamed or afraid to ask. One of the players or the dealer will be sure to supply an answer. You don't have to embarrass yourself by something so obvious as asking "How much can I raise?" if you were watching ahead of time. In a limit game, if you raise, you can and must raise by exactly the amount of the previous bet or raise. If you don't want to get stung by the "no string raises" rule, just say the magic word "raise" when it's your turn. The rule states that if you don't say that magic word, you must have in your hand an amount of chips sufficient to constitute a raise, but no matter how many chips you have, you can always raise if you say the magic word before releasing your bet.

You will get used to the flow of the game very quickly, and soon be playing with all the comfort of those who have been playing for years. And since you have the advantage of wanting to know all about the games by reading these pages and keeping up with all the poker literature, you may well become something those seasoned old-timers are not, a winner!