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What to do before and during play at a casino.

Most poker rooms allow smoking. Be prepared, you may suffer headaches, congestion, or itchy eyes. Smoke can also “odor” your clothes, leaving a thick smell that’s hard to wash out. Avoid wearing favorite, one-of-a-kind items. There’s also the chance of spilled drinks and food stains. Always bring a comfortable jacket, or sweater, even if it’s hot where you live. It’s almost always colder in a casino since most employ air conditioners and fans to circulate the air twenty-four hours a day. Come unprepared and you might freeze. Bring your necessities. Guys, make sure you have pockets. Ladies, a small handbag is acceptable.

1. Aspirin/Pain Reliever- Bright lights, noise, smoke, lack or food or sleep can all cause a nasty headache.
2. Antacids- In case your meal doesn’t agree with you after a tense situation at the tables.
3. Cough Drops/Hard Candy- Preferable to having a lot of drinks and making multiple trips to the restroom.
4. Handkerchief/Pocket Kleenex- Just in case.
5. Small Pocket Notebook/Pen or Pencil-Make notes of your play for review later. If you plan on playing in the same location, it’s crucial that you remember everything you can about your opponents. As you play and grow in skill, you will often find yourself playing against the same people frequently. Get to know how they play. Then learn how to use it against them.
6. Toothbrush and Paste- Drugstores carry the travel size of both.
7. Lotion/Lip Balm- Washing your hands when you take a break is vital! You don’t want to know where I’ve seen people pull chips out of. It’s a good thing the soap in most casinos is strong and antibiotic. What’s bad is how its repeated use can dry out your skin. If your skin gets too dry, use lotion sparingly. It’s frowned on if your cards are exposed because they stuck to your greasy fingers. Never use it at the table. You won’t have enough time between hands for it to dry.
8. Your Needs- Any necessary medication or dietary needs should be considered. It freaks us dealers out when our guests die at our table because their so wrapped up in the game they forgot to take their insulin or some other life-saving medication. (True story-really happens!) Always remember to take care of your health needs. The game will always be here- 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Neglect your needs, and you might not be.
9. Money- A proper bankroll for a beginner should be 100x the small bet. In a 3-6 game, buy-in for at least $300. This should allow you to sustain a lot of betting and raising when you have a good hand, or allow you to take a bad beating on a hand and still be in the game to play another one. (Plus, having a lot of chips in front of you can intimidate weaker players!)

* Be careful when you muck (discard) your hand. Never fling your cards at the dealer, or expose your cards to either a single player or the whole table. Doing otherwise marks you as either new or unprofessional.
* Try to keep your area neat and tidy, and avoid having food, drinks or cigarette ashes on the table or near the cards.
* Always tip the dealer when you win a hand. Most dealers make little over minimum wage and rely on your gratuity to make ends meet. $1 is the norm, but feel free to give a few when your pot is gigantic!
* Leave your cell phone. When you play poker, eliminate the chance for distractions.. You can’t play your best game if you’re worried about work or the wife calling.
* Never, ever play when you are upset, hungry, tired or intoxicated. If you can’t play in control, relaxed, and having a good time, just don’t play. Otherwise, you could “tell” or give away the strength of your hands to the other players.
* Don’t gloat. Don’t swear. Don’t curse at anyone. Take all beatings with respect for the better hand. Know that even as a beginner, when you use proper strategy, it is hard to beat you. The proper way to accept any defeat is gracefully. The better hand deserves it now, as you will deserve it when you win.
* Never let them see you sweat. Study the players in the televised tournaments. Notice what they do when faced with a tough decision. Some shuffle or stack the chips, some the cards. Each has their own “move”. Discover one for yourself and practice it. When you’re faced with a tough call, focus on using only your move while you think it through. It will help you keep a “poker face”, and limit the other players from reading the strength of your hand. Or you could just nervously flit about. It’s up to you.
* And finally, NEVER tell them you’re new! Experienced poker players have no problem using their knowledge against new players. Just follow the guides and make the best choices you can. Use silence to cover awkwardness or inexperience. Don’t worry if your first time is disastrous. Learn. And have fun!