If you are one of those poker players who have been playing the game locally or online for some time, but have never ventured into a casino poker room before, here are a few things you can expect the first time at the table.

While it may be nervous the first time in a new, usually noisy and flashy environment, poker is poker. In a poker poker room, there are people in charge of seating players at various tables. Approach them, and you can ask them what game they’re up against and if there are seats available. They’ll put your name on a waiting list, and let you know when a seat is available, or, if you’re lucky, they’ll put you right away .

If there is a chip cage in the room, you may be directed to buy chips from there before heading to the table. Alternatively, you may be directed to buy chips directly from the dealer. Either way, the floor person will guide you in the right direction. they will also tell you the minimum and maximum purchase for the table.

Once seated, you may have to post a blind bet to enter the action. Some rooms require this, others don’t. Also, you may have to wait until the dealer button passes you before you deal with the game. Again, some rooms follow this procedure, others don’t. Either way, the dealer will be happy to guide you on this matter.

Now that you’re dealt with, here’s some common poker etiquette.

Act in turn. Even if you know you’re folding, wait until it’s your turn to act before doing anything. Acting first gives some players an unfair advantage at the table. The dealer will tell you it’s your turn to act by looking directly at you, or gently asking you.

When it’s your action, you can check it by tapping or gently tapping the table. This is a sign for the dealer, and allows you to avoid talking and giving information to your opponents.

State your raise. If you put in enough chips to call the bet, the dealer may think you just called and move the action to the next player. When raising, you can state how much you want to raise, and then move your chips into the pot, or simply move your chips in one fell swoop. You can’t keep going back and forth between stacks and pots moving on more and more chips. It’s called a string bet, and it’s not allowed.

If a player does not have chips small enough to place a bet, they may move in the smallest chip they have, and the dealer will make them change. This is another reason to declare your raise. Moving over the cost of calling doesn’t necessarily mean someone is making a raise.

Casino casino is played for table bets. If the money is not on the table at the start of the hand, you cannot bet. So if your chipstack is low, buy back before the cards are dealt. Don’t wait until you find pocket Aces and then try to buy more chips.

In online poker you don’t have to worry about cards. In the casino, you have to protect your cards. That’s why you see people putting objects or chips on their cards. It keeps your hand from accidentally getting mixed up with other cards. So protect your hand by placing chips on your cards.

Dirt is poison. If you hold your hand, you cannot take your cards. If you mistakenly think that you have no opponent left at the end of the hand, and you mess up your cards during a fight, they become dead cards. This can cost you the pot.