How long did it take for your home game to actually take? (7 Viewers)

[Salmonblaster]

Feeling a little depressed at the moment as it appears the home game I've spent the better part of a month planning is in shambles and will likely be cancelled. My hope was to get a bunch of my friends together for a regular monthly (or twice monthly) game and I'm worried that won't ever be a reality.

I'm sure some of this is just me feeling down because something I had been working towards and looking forward to is likely not happening, but I feel like I threw myself into the deep end too soon maybe with the chips and table toppers and everything. I guess I hoped that if I made the game great people would want to play more.

My question as stated in the thread title is how long did it take for your home game to actually take and feel like it was going to happen regularly? I have tried to get the friends that are into poker to invite their friends that are into it as well to try to broaden my player pool and hopefully get to the end goal that way and that's seemingly hit a dead end as well.

Sorry for the long post and generally morose tone. I have had so much fun in my couple of months here and I'm wanting to keep playing and get the chance to host but I'm worried it won't happen. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[grantc54]

Keep recruiting, always be recruiting, when you have a healthy player pool keep recruiting. Only way to build and keep a game going.

Play in other games as well, while there, recruit.

It takes a lot of time to get a good player base, but once you do it gets easier... to recruit more players.

 

[jja412]

Always
Be
Recruiting.

It takes a while to get the first few. It takes even longer to get a consistent crew. And you are always looking for new people to fill those extra seats.

 

[Salmonblaster]

Keep recruiting, always be recruiting, when you have a healthy player pool keep recruiting. Only way to build and keep a game going.

Play in other games as well, while there, recruit.

It takes a lot of time to get a good player base, but once you do it gets easier... to recruit more players.

Problem is I don't really know anyone that plays in any other games so I feel like I'm stuck a bit unless I just want to start asking randos at the grocery store or something.

 

[jja412]

Keep recruiting, always be recruiting, when you have a healthy player pool keep recruiting. Only way to build and keep a game going.

Play in other games as well, while there, recruit.

It takes a lot of time to get a good player base, but once you do it gets easier... to recruit more players.

Heh- beat me to it...but so true!

 

[jja412]

The first few games are the hardest. You may not have the player pool to host as often as you want.

Make the game good, so once people come, they will want to come back! Make it consistent. And continually be on the look for more players. Once you get a few regulars, get them to recruit as well.

 

[CraigT78]

My game started as a bunch of neighborhood dads playing a $40 tournament. We picked up playing $.25/$.50 NLHE after the tournament.

Then my game went to two tables for the tournament and a solid cash game afterwards.

Then cash became the primary, but still having a monthly tournament.

I still have the tournament, but we play cash at least once a month. Most of the first year players are no longer with us. They either didn't win much or their time was better used somewhere else.

I'm still recruiting.

 

[Dodger]

Easier said than done - but keep your head up. The first game can be the toughest. But once it happens, it becomes easier to schedule the next one. And the one after that. Then, momentum takes over.

Yes - invite your friends. But also, chat up the neighbors, make friends with the parents on your kids’ sports teams, ask a co-worker. Before you know it, you are not just creating a poker game, but you are helping people network through your game.

It will happen.

You got this!

 

[grantc54]

Once you get a good game going also watch out for certain milestones if you play with the same friend group. Players will get into steady relationships, then marriage, then kids, etc.

For a good ongoing game its a good idea to broaden your age groups. Get older players (bonus if they are retired, they have less family blockers), younger players, etc. It will also make the game more fun!

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Normal problem, no worries. My advice is start at low, approachable stakes and work your way up. Played a small 1/2 game, moved, and now host 5c/10c most of our poker nights. I have a few asking to raise the stakes after a few months but I have more players slowly learning the game.

If you make it a night of free food and drink, people come and be social during it. Good luck!

 

[Salmonblaster]

The first few games are the hardest. You may not have the player pool to host as often as you want.

Make the game good, so once people come, they will want to come back! Make it consistent. And continually be on the look for more players. Once you get a few regulars, get them to recruit as well.

I had hoped that by getting a good setup and people generally having a good time at things that I end up hosting that it would possibly get people excited and interested about coming.

It seems like once the inital ice is broken it gets easier from there and I'm hoping that's the case.

 

[Salmonblaster]

Easier said than done - but keep your head up. The first game can be the toughest. But once it happens, it becomes easier to schedule the next one. And the one after that. Then, momentum takes over.

Yes - invite your friends. But also, chat up the neighbors, make friends with the parents on your kids’ sports teams, ask a co-worker. Before you know it, you are not just creating a poker game, but you are helping people network through your game.

It will happen.

You got this!

I appreciate the advice, thank you

 

[Sneakygreek]

I’ve had to change it from weekdays to weekends. Weekdays I was getting 5-8 at most. Weekends I’ve had 20+. Never the same group twice but just sent mass invites to my friends and my parents friends.

 

[Sneakygreek]

I’ve had to change it from weekdays to weekends. Weekdays I was getting 5-8 at most. Weekends I’ve had 20+. Never the same group twice but just sent mass invites to my friends and my parents friends.

I also bribe my friends with free booze and food. Without that I’d probably have much less.

 

[Eriks]

I had hoped that by getting a good setup and people generally having a good time at things that I end up hosting that it would possibly get people excited and interested about coming.

It seems like once the inital ice is broken it gets easier from there and I'm hoping that's the case.

Always be recruiting and remember that no one will like your setup, chips and cards as much as you do. Most of us buy the stuff for ourselves as most players won’t know to appreciate it. Unless you have PCFers that can join the game of course. Your location is a bit confusing to me but there are PCF members practically everywhere. I’m lucky enough to have two regulars from here.

 

[TheOffalo]

What part of California are you in? Check Facebook for local poker groups, try to get into some games to see what groups or players you click with (don’t just invite randos to your game).

See if any bars near you host a pub league or regular games. Often they’re on weeknights to get more customers in.

 

[MrRossKeys]

I’ve had to change it from weekdays to weekends. Weekdays I was getting 5-8 at most. Weekends I’ve had 20+. Never the same group twice but just sent mass invites to my friends and my parents friends.

My experience is the opposite. I went from weekends to weekdays... In my area that are regular games on Fridays and Saturdays, but there used to be a Wednesday game that could get up to 3 tables sometimes! I decided to pick up every other Wednesday and I regularly fill 18 spots with both cash and sit-n-go tournaments.

Like others have said, definitely attend other games in the area if possible and recruit from those games to your game. As long as you don't compete with other games in terms of days of the month/week you'll get players to start coming to your game... and those players will invite others if your game is fun, well planned, and doesn't have any negative players in it.

I hate when I plan a party and people flake so I get the down feelings. Keep at it and you'll slowly get a roster of regulars. Good luck!

 

[TheRealTeddyKGB]

Where u @ in Cali? Lots of us here...

A wise man once said it's easier to make a poker player your friend than it is to make your friend a poker player.

 

[Ainton]

I had some struggles in the start, but when I got to around 20 people on my invite list we usually got a game going with 7+ people every time, just keep recruiting!

 

[Taghkanic]

To find additonal players, you might try to see whether any of the social halls near you (VFW, American Legiom, firehouses, etc.) host poker tournaments. These are often a good place to find people who want to play poker more regularly. And games in these venues allow you to evaluate more safely who you might actually want to invite in your home.

 

[davesilver88]

I feel your pain. But don’t worry. I bet once you get the first game and everyone sees your setup they will want to return.

 

[dp68094]

This was how my home game got started just over 8 years ago.

Thread 'Peninsula Poker Club'
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/peninsula-poker-club.5460/

In about a year I had well over 50 solid players and ran two tables regularly. I got tired of hosting large games and, after that I canceled meetup, kept the players.

Nowadays I still have about 25 or so regulars, i can fill a table almost anytime and made some great friends in the process. Highly reccomend...

 

[Taghkanic]

FWIW, I found it easier to build a game roster than to maintain it long-term, though I had a leg up when a popular weekly home tourney in my area closed (divorce) and many of its players came to my place when I volunteered to host 2x/month.

For the first five years, I had two tourney tables, with one table of cash after. A few players came and and went, but I was able to find new ones to replace them. My invitation list was about 25 regs to get 14-18 players.

Then we had two solid regs die, another retire from poker due to age (85!), another due to loss of eyesight, one due to bankruptcy, a breakup that shed half the couple, a move away due to work, and a pregnancy. Another took a part-time gig ant nights and can only play very occasionally now.

Plus during the pandemic I shut the game down for two years. Yet another solid rig, with 95% attendance pre-pandemic, has become extremely cautious about group events, and is still essentially isolating to the same extent that he did during the height of the pandemic.

Some of us played together online, but that petered out. But one reg did stop playing live and now only plays online (two young kids).

Concurrently in the few years before the pandemic, three casinos opened within 45-90 minutes of my location—previously there were none.

When we reconvened, I had to make the game monthly instead of twice monthly, and reduce it to a single cash table (no tourney). Still fun, but not what it once was.

Our stakes have escalated to $2/$5, so actually there is more money in play than before. But it also means a few of my old regs (who just wanted a $100 tourney, and don’t often play higher than 1/2) rarely play.

I have great chips, a bar, a big room with a fire, a 120” projected TV, no rake, etc. Frankly I don’t know any other game of this quality in the area. But we have a low population (60,000 in the whole county) and the general pool of players isn’t growing.

I’m starting to get out to social hall games again, and have my eye out for new games. As a host myself I don’t poach players, but do look for people who want more action than just their existing games, who would fit with our group. It’s gonna take time.

I also need to poll the group (always tricky) about what day of the week would result in the highest attendance. Weekends don’t work for most due to family/relationship stuff. I used to do Monday night tourneys but now find Thursday night works better for cash somehow.

 

[SteveEH]

Problem is I don't really know anyone that plays in any other games so I feel like I'm stuck a bit unless I just want to start asking randos at the grocery store or something.

I am probably a bit of a minority here as I don't want to always be recruiting, and I designed my game for friends/co workers that mostly aren't poker players/enthusiasts. Here's how my game became successful:

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/sustainable-game-with-friends-that-arent-poker-players.94681/

 

[ThrowBack]

I’m lucky that wI am lucky that were a group of are a group of three who just decided to start hosting as a way to keep seeing each other on the schedule. We all individually try to rotate you guys in when we can. A family member, or a friend we bumped into. We are talking about hosting a tournament and putting it as kind of open invitation to get a few more people.

 

[Salmonblaster]

I also bribe my friends with free booze and food. Without that I’d probably have much less.

I'm always willing to go over the top to provide things like that for any other event I host so this is a given..thank you for your response

 

[Salmonblaster]

This was how my home game got started just over 8 years ago.

Thread 'Peninsula Poker Club'
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/peninsula-poker-club.5460/

In about a year I had well over 50 solid players and ran two tables regularly. I got tired of hosting large games and, after that I canceled meetup, kept the players.

Nowadays I still have about 25 or so regulars, i can fill a table almost anytime and made some great friends in the process. Highly reccomend...

I am probably a bit of a minority here as I don't want to always be recruiting, and I designed my game for friends/co workers that mostly aren't poker players/enthusiasts. Here's how my game became successful:

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/sustainable-game-with-friends-that-arent-poker-players.94681/

Thank you both for sharing these threads! A lot of good information and ideas that I will either be using straight away or tweaking for my group and implementing. Greatly appreciated!

 

[Irish]

Keep recruiting, always be recruiting, when you have a healthy player pool keep recruiting. Only way to build and keep a game going.

Play in other games as well, while there, recruit.

It takes a lot of time to get a good player base, but once you do it gets easier... to recruit more players.

Always
Be
Recruiting.

It takes a while to get the first few. It takes even longer to get a consistent crew. And you are always looking for new people to fill those extra seats.

^THIS^

Problem is I don't really know anyone that plays in any other games so I feel like I'm stuck a bit unless I just want to start asking randos at the grocery store or something.

Start small and encourage those who do end up playing to bring friends, family, co-workers. Some will come once or twice, others may become life long players, you really just never know. I've been hosting for 15 years, my "regulars" have changed a good deal over the years (probably 3 or 4 that are still around from the early days), and I've had stretches where half my games were getting canceled due to lack of interest. People move/divorce/die/have kids/get busy with life, if you want to host regularly you always need to have that in mind and be open to looking for potential players.

 

[jja412]

Start small and encourage those who do end up playing to bring friends, family, co-workers. Some will come once or twice, others may become life long players, you really just never know. I've been hosting for 15 years, my "regulars" have changed a good deal over the years (probably 3 or 4 that are still around from the early days), and I've had stretches where half my games were getting canceled due to lack of interest. People move/divorce/die/have kids/get busy with life, if you want to host regularly you always need to have that in mind and be open to looking for potential players.

The original group I played with is all but gone now. We had 5-6 regulars, and now there are only 3 of us OGs left, 2 that come all the time.
But, now we have a core of 8 guys who basically can be counted on to show up every week, and we have a separate invite after we see how many seats will be open after the regulars have their say. The secondary list is 20 or so people, and it usually fills in less than a minute after it is sent out.

All that to say, we had a time when we struggled to get a game together more than once or twice a month. People go through seasons in life, and you just have to keep looking for those who want to participate.

 

[Salmonblaster]

Where u @ in Cali? Lots of us here...

A wise man once said it's easier to make a poker player your friend than it is to make your friend a poker player.

I'm in the IE...