New clock, new currency
A live table deals about thirty hands an hour — a third of the online pace. Fewer spots means each one deserves your full attention: patience is now a skill you spend on purpose. The chips themselves are currency — learn to read stack and pot sizes by eye, and ask the dealer when you need an exact number. Your word is binding: say 'raise' and the raise is made, whatever your hands do next. Bets must come in one motion, because reaching back for more chips is a string bet and the second grab doesn't count. Expect bigger opens — four to five big blinds here is normal, not aggressive. And remember the table can watch you too: your face, your hands, your pace are all on display.