How to go from Online Poker to Face-to-Face Tournament poker? Tips from the Pokerstars pros
Today I want to share with you some tips from the Professional Pokerstars on how to take your online poker game, to face-to-face tournaments. I've had the good fortune of being involved in such live tournaments, as well as being an online enthusiast. The biggest fear I had going from online to face-to-face was getting over my imposter syndrome. In the company of such skilled and experienced players, I truly believed it would be just a matter of time before I would be exposed as the amateur (in comparison) I was.
I'll be littering this article with quotes from the professionals, segued between my own thoughts and advice.
“You can start out conservatively in the early exchanges of a tournament since your chips are not worth as much as they would be at the later stages. It’s all about survival. A poker tournament is not a race to see who can accumulate the most chips the fastest, so stay patient and protect your stack.”
“New to tournaments? Pay attention to all the key details of the tournament, the chips you start with, how long the levels are, how many players are at your table, how long is late registration, when the breaks are etc. Making sure you get the lay of the land for how the tournament is going to progress is a good base to work from.
Once you know those details it’s about playing your game, trying to focus on making the best decisions you can. Tournament Poker is alot of fun, so make sure you’re enjoying the game too! ”
One thing you can do is get talking to people in the event. Trying to incept the room like James Bond, having someone to talk to will be a healthy distraction and will calm your nerves. Master some small talk with the drinks servers, compliment someone’s jacket and talk clothes, talk weather, talk football. I got chatting to a gentleman about the World Cup and where we're going to watch the England games. When I got to my table I had felt my shoulders had dropped and I was not the on-edge super spy that I wanted to be.
“Transitioning from online to live is somewhat straightforward but there are a few adjustments you may have to make. Besides the obvious physical chips and cards, you have to be aware that you will be playing far fewer hands live as opposed to online, so don’t be playing a hand you shouldn’t be just because you’re bored. Another adjustment is that you will be seeing a lot more players to a flop and fewer fold to 3-bets pre-flop- something you should consider when developing your strategy. ”
Overall, like many things in life you have to feel confident in your own abilities. You might not have the same amount of experience, but you're at that table for a reason. You have the benefit of being an unknown quantity. Poker players, especially professional ones, love to know the level of quality of the opposition. How can one tell if you're being overzealous with a hand because you're a rookie? Or you're holding in poker terms is called 'the nuts'. The unbeatable hand.
“I think the thing I found most difficult is honestly counting the chips! Both in my stack, bet sizes and being aware of how much is in the pot. It’s easy online where it tells you everything and can click a button to bet 35% of pot etc... This is something that comes with practice of course and stacking your chips in a way that helps you count them can also be useful.
Live poker is also slower paced and people can watch your every move! One thing I try to do is only look at my cards when it’s my turn so as not to give away what I want to do before it’s my action. Some people make sure they have the same routine every hand to limit what tells they might give away. I think a lot of live is just practice and the more you play the more comfortable you’ll feel at the table. Also if in doubt about any of the rules or what you can and can’t do, you can always ask the dealer, they are very good at what they do and can help if you need it. Other than that I’d say enjoy the atmosphere and have some fun, Poker can be really social and you never know who you might get to meet or chat too!”
Founder of this eponymous blog, focusing on men's fashion & lifestyle.
