.25/.25 vs .25 OTB (1 Viewer)

[BonScot]

We currently play .25/.25 in our cash game (which usually starts around midnight and follows on from a tourney). I saw a video on YouTube about a variant called “On The Button” where the dealer is the only one who posts a blind.
Was looking for opinions from anyone who has played this or thoughts on whether or not this would be a better option than playing with two equal blinds (e.g. .25/.25).
What do you think?

 

[Tom]

Hi, i like the idea- similar to Button straddle- that also in the First round the Button has the last action...

 

[trever]

Blinds force the two people with the worst position (who are therefore least likely to play) to enter a pot, but gives them the advantage of acting last preflop.
A button-blind makes them act first preflop and lets them fold for free.
In a wild, no/pot limit game, I doubt that the blinds really matter much, but in a nitty or limit game, a button blind will kill the action.

 

[JustinInMN]

I would try it.

I don't think the button would get to "fold for free" too often, as with blinds after the button, late position will have incentive to raise, and the player acting before the button should probably raise about 50% of hands of one else has come in, having only one blind to fold out.

 

[ChaosRock]

Blinds force the two people with the worst position (who are therefore least likely to play) to enter a pot, but gives them the advantage of acting last preflop.
A button-blind makes them act first preflop and lets them fold for free.
In a wild, no/pot limit game, I doubt that the blinds really matter much, but in a nitty or limit game, a button blind will kill the action.

THIS ^

 

[BonScot]

I would try it.

I don't think the button would get to "fold for free" too often, as with blinds after the button, late position will have incentive to raise, and the player acting before the button should probably raise about 50% of hands of one else has come in, having only one blind to fold out.

I won’t know unless I try OTB so probably will at my next game and see how it goes. My game is pretty loose and aggressive so I doubt it’ll have that much effect on pot sizes.

 

[JustinInMN]

It will be interesting to see if the dynamic changes with one hand to fold out instead of two. Might mean more pf action. It really depends on how much players protect the button blind.

 

[BonScot]

Blinds force the two people with the worst position (who are therefore least likely to play) to enter a pot, but gives them the advantage of acting last preflop.
A button-blind makes them act first preflop and lets them fold for free.
In a wild, no/pot limit game, I doubt that the blinds really matter much, but in a nitty or limit game, a button blind will kill the action.

Yeah I get that and if the SB and BB are the same value you’ll see a lot more flops but would there be a lot more hands using this OTB? It might not work at all but I’m not a big fan of having two blinds of the same value. The obvious answer is to go .25/.50 but my players much prefer tournaments and I don’t want to put them off.

 

[BonScot]

It will be interesting to see if the dynamic changes with one hand to fold out instead of two. Might mean more pf action. It really depends on how much players protect the button blind.

I’ll report back on how it goes but my next game isn’t until 10th May so if anyone else tries it beforehand let me know.

 

[tallsbutler]

I’ve been thinking about doing this. I want to raise the stakes slowly with my group. It’s been a .05/.10 game ever since I can remember. Which is fine, but I am tired of always trying to have a nickel chip. I was thinking about doing a .25 OTB game thinking that it might not feel too intimidating to the group.

 

[BonScot]

I’ve been thinking about doing this. I want to raise the stakes slowly with my group. It’s been a .05/.10 game ever since I can remember. Which is fine, but I am tired of always trying to have a nickel chip. I was thinking about doing a .25 OTB game thinking that it might not feel too intimidating to the group.

That’s what happened with us. The guys will easily spring £80 for a tourney but getting even £10 out of them for cash games was hard work. I just left the 5p chips in the box and put out .25 and £1 chips and nobody seemed to mind.
We started off 15 years ago playing £1/£2 games but some guys took a serious beating and stopped coming back and that’s when we switched to tourneys. I think that fear of losing a fortune in cash games is still lurking at the back of the mind for some of the guys.

 

[Rhodeman77]

Some of my players have been wanting me to have a Hold’em only cash game, but I don’t really have any desire to play a $1/2 $300 max game. At the same time I don’t know how many would play a $2/5 game either. So I was thinking of trying a $5 Button only as an alternative. Buy-ins of $300-$500. If it happens I’ll post how it goes.

 

[BonScot]

Some of my players have been wanting me to have a Hold’em only cash game, but I don’t really have any desire to play a $1/2 $300 max game. At the same time I don’t know how many would play a $2/5 game either. So I was thinking of trying a $5 Button only as an alternative. Buy-ins of $300-$500. If it happens I’ll post how it goes.

That would be good to hear how it goes. I’m about to introduce Omaha to my guys. Between that and OTB they’ll be traumatised

 

[JustinInMN]

Some of my players have been wanting me to have a Hold’em only cash game, but I don’t really have any desire to play a $1/2 $300 max game.

Maybe 1/3 with 500 max is the medium?

 

[1A25R]

I’m about to introduce Omaha to my guys. Between that and OTB they’ll be traumatised

one change at a time ..

 

[BonScot]

one change at a time ..

Baby steps...

 

[Alex Lundstrum]

Resurrecting this thread as I'm interested to hear if anyone has tried OTB and how it went?

 

[Legend5555]

I've played plenty in games with button straddles, which is close enough to what is proposed. My 2 cents:

In tight games, it's horrible as the early players have basically no incentive to play anything. Being about to act last on all rounds, AND be getting a discount on calling raises is just too strong for the button.

In games with competent players, it's horrible. Good players know that position is super important, and for the same reason above are not going to be playing many hands from out of position. Being in a normal blind gives you a reason to defend against late position opens as you have a discount against a wide range. That no longer exists in a button blind game.

In games where a few players are better than the majority of the table, and the table is loose, it's fantastic to be a button blind. You get a discount and get to play with position the entire hand. And you really get to punish anyone that shows willingness to enter the pot light.

So in general, it's bad for the game as it encourages less action.

 

[BonScot]

Yeah it was pretty dull. We scrapped it after a couple of rounds. My game is pretty loose and aggressive and this killed it.