Waiting at the Table

tenor

Players new to poker are too eager to confer high hopes on their hole cards. They play too many hands, as a consequence, and run out of chips early in the game. (How do I know this? you ask.)

What do you do while you wait to play, especially if you get nothing worth playing in hand after hand? Any advice from the veteran players on how to cope with the wait?

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I like to try and evaluate my opponents while waiting to get playable hands. I take notes on my opponents for example “Are they playing loose or tight?” “Are they betting aggressively or just making minium bets?” and I try to note what hands they are playing if the hand their in gets to showdown.

If you get nothing worth playing you need to try and build up momentum yourself. Sometimes play hands you wouldn’t normally play and don’t be afraid to take educated risks. While your waiting to get playable hands try to keep your attention on the action at the table. It’s easy to start daydreaming and as a result you’ll potentially miss important information that can help you defeat an opponent later in the game.

-Marc

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I consider taking notes as almost cheating. So I use it often and have a simple letter system to use for most situations… Also usually play a freeroll or small game on side to keep My betting demon satisfied… When in any Multi-table game I play at a half muted sound level to warn Me of a table change… Usually listen to acoustic music from foreign lands to keep from dozing off- lol. That’s about half of the lil tweeks I use… Good cards n fun e1…

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I really like the image of keeping “my betting demon” satisfied.
Thanks for the good ideas.

That’s easy. I put some good dancing music on the turntable, and dance!!! Keeps me from spewing foul language, or even worse, going all in just to get out of the game.

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Eventually your going to have poor hands, if you find it happening all the time, thats ok, I just multitable. I know some players cant do that, if not I like gulf gators strategies

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and when get a hand like pocket kings better fold that too.

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Hahahah! Very true, pokerdude.

I usually separate M&Ms by color. I can get a whole giant bag finished per game, then I start all over on the next game lol :joy:

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cause this is what happens after many junk hands in a row and you get KK

Ouch!! I have had that exact same experience. And an even worse one: Pair of aces against pair of kings. My opponent got his 3rd king on the river. Oh poker gods, why do you hate me?! (lol)

I had aces against aces and lost to a flush

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After a bad beat or when I need to truly be alert I - take several+ deep breathes in thru nose out of the mouth. Noticed many people do this naturally. Wife won the battle of four of kinds at showdown once. Both at a loss of words & breath. lol

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lol–great advice, terrific story! Good luck at the tables and…breathing! lol

I would inevitably make the piles in my tummy. Just sayin’.

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How about the leaving side?

10 easy steps to leave a table!

Click STAND.
Click STAND again.
Click STAND again.
Click STAND again.
Click STAND again.
Click STAND again.
Click STAND again.
Click STAND again.
Click LEAVE.
Click LEAVE AGAIN!
You can LEAVE!

Yes–always an option, money table or free. Good reminder.

Hahahahahaha, absolutely Jan :+1:t2:

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I’ve had the opposite problem. Waiting for a SnG to fill up. waiting, waiting, go to the bathroom, refresh my beverage, …still waiting. refresh my screen… UH HUH? Its over. I lost all my chips and didn’t even play. Bummer.

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Oh, I feel your pain! I’ve done that too. It’s a challenge, Somehow your settings should alert you when the game starts. Is it an issue with your settings? Maybe wiser heads will have an answer. This, I agree, is way worse than growing old and dying from waiting!

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