So you have been playing online poker online for a while now, you have been doing pretty well and you think it is time to take things to the next level. So you head down to the casino, next thing you know you’re on your way home after donating all of your hard earned money to the sharks at the casino. This happens to people all the time, but you can prevent it happening to you.

There are a few things that you need to know before you head down to the casino. Playing live poker is a lot different from playing online. First of all you are going to see a lot less hands per hour. That means you could sit there for hours on end and never see a big pair or any other premium hand.

The biggest things you need to consider are:

• Your position at the table
• The strength of your hand
• Your image at the table
• The other player’s image at the table
• Your stack size

The first thing that you need to know is that low stakes casino cash games are very loose. It is not unusual for the whole table to limp into a pot. This does not mean that you should just follow along. Just because you haven’t seen a good hand for a while does not mean that you should play 5 7o Under The Gun. I would advise if you are new to casino poker that you only play your premium hands and only from late position. Always enter these pots for a raise too, this will reduce the amount of players to the flop and make it much easier for you to win the pot with a continuation bet on the flop even if you have nothing.

Late position means the Dealer Button, the cut-off (the seat directly to the right of the dealer) and the cut-off +1 (the seat directly to the right of the cut-off.) Offcourse the very best hands AA, KK, QQ and AK suited can usually be played profitably from any position.

This does not mean that you should just wait for pocket aces and going all in pre flop. That does not work, it is stupid and just a waste of a good hand. Generally the best thing to do is observe the standard pre flop raise for the table and then just do that. So many times I have seen someone who has been raising to $10 in a 2-3 game for example, suddenly raise to $25-$30. They are basically telling you their hand then and there. So I would recommend making a standard raise to $10-$12 and then betting then full pot on most un-coordinated flops. Obviously if the flop is 9 10 J of hearts and you have two black aces, you don’t have a very big chance of winning the hand and check folding is probably a better option. Remember pocket aces are not an auto win hand you do not have to lose all your money just because you have aces.

You also need to keep in mind how you play look to the other players at the table. If you have been raising a lot of pots in late position with premium hands and then taking the pot down on the flop with a continuation bet, in your mind you are playing tight. But the other players at the table don’t know what you have and you just look like a lunatic who raises every time you have the button. Alternatively if you haven’t played a hand for three hours and you suddenly raise from under the gun (the seat directly to the left of the big blind) you are not going to get a lot of callers. So you always need to keep in mind how the other players at the table perceive your play before you think about attempting bluffs or anything like that.

The same is true for the other players at the table. If someone hasn’t played a had for three hours and then raises, it is pretty likely that they have a big hand and you don’t want to go up against them without an equally big hand. Offcourse if someone is playing every hand it is more likely that they are bluffing and you can sometimes call them with a hand that you would usually fold.

Another good strategy that I always do but so many new players never do is buying in for the maximum amount. The more you have on the table the more you stand to win. If you just keep buying in for the minimum amount, when you do finally win a big hand you still haven’t really made any money. Also it is almost impossible to pull off a successful bluff with a minimum buy in because you simply don’t have enough chips and people are too likely to call you “just to see what you had.” In saying that I wouldn’t recommend attempting too many bluffs when you are new to casino poker.

In summary the best strategy is to wait for premium hands in good position and play them aggressively that way you stand to win as much money as possible. Remember to think about how the other players at the table may perceive your play. Also make sure you take into account how everyone else at the table has been playing and act accordingly. Buy in for the maximum amount, because the more you have on the table the more you stand to win.

Good luck at the tables!