LiveHands Blog

Strategy guides, hand tracking tips, and insights for serious live poker players.

guides19 min read

The Live Tournament Player's Guide: Everything You Need Before, During, and After the Event

A comprehensive guide covering tournament selection, bankroll management, logistics, and building routines that keep you performing at your best through long tournament days.

March 14, 2026Tom Sullivan
guides11 min read

Bankroll Management for Live Tournament Players

How many buy-ins do you need for live tournaments? Practical bankroll rules, variance reality, festival budgeting, staking, and when to move up or down.

March 25, 2026Tom Sullivan
guides6 min read

Card Room Phone Policies: Where Can You Use Your Phone at the Poker Table?

Card room phone policies vary widely. Learn the rules for using your phone at the poker table — from local card rooms to WSOP tournaments — so you can log hands without issues.

April 12, 2026Tom Sullivan
guides8 min read

Card Room Etiquette: The Unwritten Rules Every Live Player Should Know

Learn the unwritten rules of live poker card rooms — from protecting your hand to tipping dealers. A practical etiquette guide for players new to live tournaments.

April 3, 2026Tom Sullivan
guides8 min read

Money Movement for Live Poker: BravoLive, LuxonPay, and How to Fund Your Buy-Ins

Poker tournament buy-in payment options explained. BravoLive, LuxonPay, cage procedures, wire transfers, and security tips for funding your live events.

April 2, 2026Tom Sullivan
opinion12 min read

What Are You Really Buying Into?

Joe McKeehen argues rising rake is quietly breaking the economics of small buy-in tournaments. The math backs him up — and points to a structural fix that benefits the players it affects most.

April 23, 2026Tom Sullivan