Home Game Tourney/Cash Format Consult (4 Viewers)

[sjpj21w]

Hello everyone. I’m trying to figure out the best format for a home game. I plan to have a rack of 1s, 5s, 25s, and $100s and about 6 people. I want to do a tourney style first that runs about 1 hour to 1.5 hours followed by a 1-2 cash game. For the tourney, I’m trying to figure out what the blinds should start at, how often the blinds should increase, and what they should increase to given the chips I would have.

Thank you so much. Any and all tips would be appreciated.

 

[Tonystark137]

One Table? Just play Cash to be honest.

 

[sjpj21w]

Yeah just one table but just wanted to switch it up from the typical cash game.

 

[Beakertwang]

My thoughts:

• A 1.5 hr tourney is basically an ultra-turbo, and therefore a jamfest. I suppose it could be a fun warmup for some people, but if they’ll play a 1/2 cash game, it seems sort of pointless.
• If you do run tourneys, get a separate set for tournaments. Typically, tourney sets start with 25’s or 100’s. Just avoids confusion, and eliminates the risk of someone pocketing a chip or two and adding them to their cash stack.
• Don’t get a rack of each. If 400 chips is all you have budget or room for, do this: $1 x 80, $5 x 150, $25x 150, and $100 x 20. That’s more than $6000 in bank. But I’d actually get 600 chips (something 100/200/200/100) to make it more playable.

 

[sjpj21w]

My thoughts:

• A 1.5 hr tourney is basically an ultra-turbo, and therefore a jamfest. I suppose it could be a fun warmup for some people, but if they’ll play a 1/2 cash game, it seems sort of pointless.
• If you do run tourneys, get a separate set for tournaments. Typically, tourney sets start with 25’s or 100’s. Just avoids confusion, and eliminates the risk of someone pocketing a chip or two and adding them to their cash stack.
• Don’t get a rack of each. If 400 chips is all you have budget or room for, do this: $1 x 80, $5 x 150, $25x 150, and $100 x 20. That’s more than $6000 in bank. But I’d actually get 600 chips (something 100/200/200/100) to make it more playable.

Awesome thanks for all the info! Just to clarify you mean 100 1s, 200 5s, 200 25s, and 100 100s for the cash game chips?

 

[Labrat]

I plan to have a rack of 1s, 5s, 25s, and $100s

If you're talking 1/2 NL cash, the common max buy-in is $200 for 100 BBs, and IMO, even that is pretty short. Our game starts with 200 BB, but we play .25/.25 since it's more of a social game.

For 100BB buy-in, you could start with

10x $1 ($10)
18X $5 ($90)
4x $25 ($100)


A rack of each makes your set a little top-heavy, IMO. I would cut down on the $25s and the $100s and probably look at getting more $5s since those are going to be your workhorse for the most part.

 

[danopoker]

Consider doing the cash game, followed by the tournament.

One issue with tournaments is knowing for sure who is coming, and waiting on people. Cash game first solves that, plus when people bust out of the tournament they have already played a lot of poker that night.

 

[sjpj21w]

Consider doing the cash game, followed by the tournament.

One issue with tournaments is knowing for sure who is coming, and waiting on people. Cash game first solves that, plus when people bust out of the tournament they have already played a lot of poker that night.

This is exactly the type of tips I was looking for. Thanks so much!

 

[TheYeti]

Yeah, the problem with tournaments is as players bust out, will they hang around for the cash game or just leave? This is the reason I went strictly cash 15 years ago, players can come and go as they please.

 

[Beakertwang]

Awesome thanks for all the info! Just to clarify you mean 100 1s, 200 5s, 200 25s, and 100 100s for the cash game chips?

Correct

 

[Jimulacrum]

With only 6 people you, 100% want to go with just a cash game. People aren't going to love sitting around waiting for the tourney to finish after they bust

Down the line, if you have more people (like 2 full tables), tournament plus cash will work a lot better.

 

[4SUMERZ]

With only 6 people you, 100% want to go with just a cash game. People aren't going to love sitting around waiting for the tourney to finish after they bust

Down the line, if you have more people (like 2 full tables), tournament plus cash will work a lot better.

With only 6 people you, 100% want to go with just a cash game. People aren't going to love sitting around waiting for the tourney to finish after they bust

Down the line, if you have more people (like 2 full tables), tournament plus cash will work a lot better.

Good points made. When I first started having home games, we started with 10 people, tournament, but as mentioned, getting busted early really sucked as they had to wait around waiting for the game to finish before starting a new game.
We decided to go to 8 players and play a cash game. We haven't gone back to a tournament style since.

 

[sjpj21w]

Good points made. When I first started having home games, we started with 10 people, tournament, but as mentioned, getting busted early really sucked as they had to wait around waiting for the game to finish before starting a new game.
We decided to go to 8 players and play a cash game. We haven't gone back to a tournament style since.

How’d you decide which two blokes to bump

 

[4SUMERZ]

How’d you decide which two blokes to bump

Lol...some of guys worked shift work. I did at that time also had a few buddies that were interested in playing occasionally so they were on my spare list. I also reconfigured my table to only sit 8, so that made it easier.
It usually happened that whenever I organized a game, a few of my regular 10 were working. We've been playing since 2010. Most all are now retired, but we have lost a few to passing or bad health issues. The spare list replaced those.
Game this Friday with 8. One of my regs couldn't make it, so one of the spare is subbing in.

 

[Old State]

Tournaments shouldn’t even be a consideration in your situation. Add bomb pot every hour or something if you want to change things up