Anyone suffer from hosting-induced tilt? (1 Viewer)

daschuck77

Two Pair
Joined
Nov 4, 2014
Messages
346
Reaction score
770
Location
Hampton Roads
I do love hosting and playing with our core group of guys/gals but I find that all the subtle potential annoyances of hosting (being treasurer, cashing in/out, greeting players, getting pissed when they are not on time, getting my dog to stop barking at the players as they initially enter the house, assuaging players that are afraid of dogs, trying to keep house relatively clean as play progresses, reminding players of good table etiquette, and trying to be as accommodating as possible tends to compound and really hurt my mood and mindset. My graph, win rate, and stats don't lie when breaking it down to my games at my house. I am barely above even.

And Brains, If you read this, I can't imagine what kind of nuclear meltdown may have happened when you jam 30 clowns into your home!!! This is total pissy pants whining in comparison to all of your hard work.

pokerfight.jpg
 
Last edited:
I don't get too stressed out about it, but I do tend to drink a good bit more when I don't have to drive home at the end of the night. That's not the best thing for the win rate.
 
How often do you host? Tourney's or Cash?

When I host tourney's it is definitely more of a hassle. Cash games not so much. I don't provide food/drink for cash games. I put chips out, maybe a 12 pack soda.

If I'm planning on over indulging I just have someone else run the bank (one of the guys that I know will be there until close).
 
The game I play with friends is the only one that tilts me. It is meant to be a poker night but, every once in a while, usually with too much refreshment, the evening turns into a loud gab-fest. If my lovely wife over-indulges, she will invariably crank up the tunes, which further adds to the distractions for the evening.

The thing that pisses me off the most about the whole thing is that I sound like the stereotypical Vegas senior . . . "are we here to play poker, or what?"

But I am getting better . . . slowly . . . glacially.
 
Maybe it's the booze...lol. If you looked at that graph you would see a higher than normal uptick of Canadian Whiskey ingestion. I have hosted tourneys but it is usually run by our league commissioner. It's usually just cash games once a month. I guess I am just a little more paranoid and focused less on poker and more on folks not accidentally breaking anything and even more so with new players in my house I have never met.

But with that said, no one is likely to host a Thanksgiving Eve game so this week, I am more than happy to do it.
 
I have a really hard time turning my "be a good host and make sure people have a great time" switch off - or at least down a few notches. I'd be lying if I said it didn't have an impact on my ability to concentrate/focus (maybe the crown and gingers have something to do with that, too....???). I need to learn how to find a balance.
 
There's a skill to it. For a long time my results were abysmal while hosting but they have greatly improved in the last year.
 
Definitely impacts my play, even game flow. Return to the table and donk off a buy-in because the mixed game changed? Oh yeah. Many other distractions also. If it gets really bad I become some parody of a Snickers commercial: "I wanna play too guys, is that ok?!"
 
So much easier to host cash games. We have a good group and there is usually 4 players at least ready to go at the start time. We play short handed as they trickle in. Since most of our guys are long term players a trust has developed so they just let themselves in. I have some basic snacks etc. The beauty is these guys are like me and the poker is the main attraction. I have nice cards chips table etc. but we are all poker enthusiasts!
 
The game is announced via a meetup group so when the new/novice players come in, it can potentially be awkward and painful. Some are benign, come in, swat flies for a few hours, and leave once they bust. Once we had a new guy show up, ask how much the buy-in was, ask where the nearest ATM was and leave. That creeped everyone out and the next thing I know one of the players who I deeply trust said he will be right back..."getting my gun...just in case". The guy did come back...alone thankfully and wound up a being a big sweety pie, losing 2 buy-ins in the most courteous and polite way possible.

Yeah...didn't book a win that night.
 
Last edited:
So much easier to host cash games. We have a good group and there is usually 4 players at least ready to go at the start time. We play short handed as they trickle in. Since most of our guys are long term players a trust has developed so they just let themselves in. I have some basic snacks etc. The beauty is these guys are like me and the poker is the main attraction. I have nice cards chips table etc. but we are all poker enthusiasts!

Your game is usually more profitable for me than when I host (not you, your to damn tough)
 
When I used to host a regular tournament, it generally affected my play, because no one else could be relied upon for regulating anything (from rebuys to blinds to rulings.) I was so distracted by trying to cover all the tables while playing that my game was really poor. I can surely say that now when I host a rare cash game, I don't have many issues...because I keep it to one table, and amongst people who are pretty self regulated as far as rules go.
 
We do a tourney followed by cash game. I get stressed when I am in the tourney and the cash game is starting. Different chips need to count the stacks (I do this early) but, always count again. So doing this for 4 - 6 players and playing in the tourney my a game is not present. Or if only enough for 1 table and I am in the money then want to get the event over to start the cash. This is hyper aggressive time so not a game either. Other then those times I love hosting and getting together.
 
There are definite holes in my game when hosting, especially when the tournament is spread out to multiple tables or worse - to multiple rooms. On the plus side, I drink less on those nights because I have to try to manage so much. I have been known to fold AQ though, just to handle something in the next room. I just tell myself it's for the best.
 
There are definite holes in my game when hosting, especially when the tournament is spread out to multiple tables or worse - to multiple rooms. On the plus side, I drink less on those nights because I have to try to manage so much. I have been known to fold AQ though, just to handle something in the next room. I just tell myself it's for the best.

I've said it before, and I'm not necessarily sure I'm joking. I think hosting may have helped my performance at S@P last year. I was pretty dry the first several hours but I was so busy I never tried to force anything.
 
At my home game I find myself a little bit tilting here and there when the players start stacking Frak chips in $4.75 and betting with it......other than that its pretty safe for me..:D

The Fundraiser Tourney I host (and Play) does not efect me much at all, I just make sure everyone is enjoying them selves, so I am too busy to tilt, now I don't play as well as I should but hey I get to play..
 
mistake

- - - - - - - - - Updated - - - - - - - - -

We do a tourney followed by cash game. I get stressed when I am in the tourney and the cash game is starting. Different chips need to count the stacks (I do this early) but, always count again. So doing this for 4 - 6 players and playing in the tourney my a game is not present. Or if only enough for 1 table and I am in the money then want to get the event over to start the cash. This is hyper aggressive time so not a game either. Other then those times I love hosting and getting together.

I deal with this by making starting stacks a couple days in advance in a couple different amounts. Our cash game buy ins are generally 100, and sometime 50, so I make 10-12 bags of 100, and 5-6 of 50. I use sandwich bags that have labels. It makes things MUCH easier. Even if someone wants, say $60, I keep a rack of reds nearby. I hand them the $50 bag and two redbirds. I use the bags when the table starts, as well as for rebuys until they run out.
 
mistake

- - - - - - - - - Updated - - - - - - - - -



I deal with this by making starting stacks a couple days in advance in a couple different amounts. Our cash game buy ins are generally 100, and sometime 50, so I make 10-12 bags of 100, and 5-6 of 50. I use sandwich bags that have labels. It makes things MUCH easier. Even if someone wants, say $60, I keep a rack of reds nearby. I hand them the $50 bag and two redbirds. I use the bags when the table starts, as well as for rebuys until they run out.


That is a great idea. Thanks I will give this a try next game.
 
Great to know I am not the only one :)

It happens that I go crazy when i host (more tourneys than cash) especially when players start with their small requests (phone charger, more ice, half decaf coffees, etc...). It culminates when i am all in with AK suited and an idiot follows with J7o, and the 7 comes at the river :mad:
 
mistake

- - - - - - - - - Updated - - - - - - - - -



I deal with this by making starting stacks a couple days in advance in a couple different amounts. Our cash game buy ins are generally 100, and sometime 50, so I make 10-12 bags of 100, and 5-6 of 50. I use sandwich bags that have labels. It makes things MUCH easier. Even if someone wants, say $60, I keep a rack of reds nearby. I hand them the $50 bag and two redbirds. I use the bags when the table starts, as well as for rebuys until they run out.

I do this! I organize starting stacks of $100 involving .25s, $1s, and $5s. Then I have $5s and $25s set aside for guys buying up to $200.
 
The only issue I have with hosting and playing is that sometimes I wait too late to set up, then wear myself out getting it done before players arrive. I've had many nights where I was off my game because I'd just barely gotten everything ready before players started arriving.

My games are usually 1-2 tables of low maintenance players, so I'm rarely distracted during the game. Exceptions are when a bustout cash game starts and I'm still in the tourney, or when Mrs. S starts to loose it with the kids and I have to go talk her off the ledge. :)
 

Create an account or login to comment

You must be a member in order to leave a comment

Create account

Create an account and join our community. It's easy!

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Back
Top Bottom