Live Poker gatekeeping/initiation?

[TheMidasTouch]

Hey I'm a recently newer play and have always felt like when I play cash games at my local casino I'm being singled out by the table. Upon going semi frequently I noticed a lot of the same people. So I got to thinking... They must all know eachother from years of playing together. Me being the outsider it would naturally make it a them vs me. with no collusion needed. Has anyone else felt this way. What would the best way be to change this without losing $$$ on the tables.

 

[SpanRmonka]

I think its more to do with your mindset here. I could be wrong of course.

I know from when I play at new places live, I'm def more nervous, until I settle in. Then if you feel like its a them vs you, that maybe increases that feeling and thought process.

In the end if they are playing overly aggressively towards you, you have to adjust and be confident. If players are targetting you specifically, rather than just playing optimally, then that means they are playing too wide a range and and you can adjust to this.

Without being there, I wondering if you getting constantly raised meant you started calling wider, but then missing and folding. Unfortunately this will produce other experienced players to target you.

I think you likely need to play back hard, but with a good solid tight range, to shift the focus from you being easy chips.

 

[on94hacking]

I totally understand how you feel — I recently moved to the UK and started playing £1/£2 at a local casino, and I’ve faced the exact same situation.

That said, I don’t think this should affect your(our) overall strategy at the table. At the end of the day, what matters most is observing the behavior of different players and adjusting our approach accordingly. As long as you're consistently making +EV decisions in the long run, you should be able to profit over time.

 

[WrongUsername]

just play online against the sites bots way better.

 

[LILSALAH]

Hey I'm a recently newer play and have always felt like when I play cash games at my local casino I'm being singled out by the table. Upon going semi frequently I noticed a lot of the same people. So I got to thinking... They must all know eachother from years of playing together. Me being the outsider it would naturally make it a them vs me. with no collusion needed. Has anyone else felt this way. What would the best way be to change this without losing $$$ on the tables.

I can totally relate to that feeling. Sometimes when you're new to a regular table, it can feel like everyone else is on the same page and you're the odd one out.

I think the best way to deal with it is to stay patient, play solid and respectful poker, and over time they'll start to respect your game. Also, maybe try chatting a bit during downtime – even small talk can help break that "outsider" vibe.

You're not alone in feeling that way. Thanks for bringing it up!

 

[BetterThanAvgButNotByMuch]

You would have to learn enough about whatever game youre playing (Ill assume NLH) to assess their skill level and be honest about your level and whether you should play.

Same folks showing up when you show up is meaningless.

At my old casino it was low limit stud or stud 8 5/10 or less in the morning with elderly folks with a few limit holdem and like 2 nl low limit tables going and its the same group or same ppl playing.

Im grinding lo limit nlh all friday night and come early Saturday morning the army of wheel chairs are coming in as Im leaving or sitting down to play. And guss what, they would be there on Monday or a Wednesday or. . .etc but always in the morning.

I could never find a low limit stud variant unless in the morning. Night was 20/40 stud or kids with sunglasses playing low limkt nlh, now theyre chatting about gto or somethjng and dont know starting hands, lol.

If youre in a casino enough and know enough about whatever game then youll know who to take seriously and whether you should play at the table though.

The best advice i could give you is to find out how you stack up against them then find a routine to get into.

This is really seems like a topic on table selection and having the discipline to not play if the players are above you or theyre doing crazy wacky things where its going to cause a good/descent player to have huge variance which would be a disaster for someone showing up with 1 or 2 buyins.

And if you dont like the table, then get up and ask for another seat or bail early on the session and do something else.

GL