$.25/$.50 or $.25/$.25? (1 Viewer)

[SteveHNo96]

Since my friends have been so good at helping me with the chips (my order finalization begins tomorrow), I figured I would ask about the game itself.

Currently the game is a $25 buy-in with blinds of $.50/$1, done largely bc my sister-in-law has dice chips with hot stamps on them from a fictional casino. The chip denominations are 50c/$1/$5/$10/$25 only.

I personally think that the game would do better if we cut the blinds and my chip sets mirror that with denominations as low as 25c. I do not think a nickel chip would be necessary, but in the future I may consider it.

Now the question... do you think that a $.25 game would work better with two BB's or just halve the existing blinds down to $.25/$.50?

As always, ideas are welcome. I formed a better colored set because of advice from this board and I think I want to go the whole nine yards and get advice on blinds.

 

[Psypher1000]

I'm going to assume the game is NLHE.

If the buy-in is $25, I would argue for 25c/25c blinds. This does a couple things - it keeps the buyins at a level folks are already comfortable with, and it affords you 100BB to start with. That's pretty comparable to many home and casino games where initial buyins often range from 80-200BB's, but VERY rarely as low as 25BB.

Nickles and dimes aren't necessary. A lot of folks will have a tendancy to want to go to 10c/25c, and I understand that/empathize with that. In truth, 25c/25c doesn't play all that differently than 10c/25c. But 25c/25c plays noticeably different than 25c/50c, IMO, and certainly different than 50c/$1.

So yeah, I'd advocate w/going to 25c/25c and then adjust things from there.

 

[SteveHNo96]

I'm going to assume the game is NLHE.

Correct. my apologies for not mentioning it earlier. the game is NLHE. I have never played Pot Limit or Limit. I'm lukewarm on Omaha .

 

[12thMan]

.25/.25 would be my preference.

 

[Trihonda]

I like $.25/.50 for a definitive sb and bb, but given the limited $25 buyin, go .25/.25. If you raise stakes, then up the blinds.

 

[BGinGA]

To illustrate what @Psypher1000 is referencing with blind sizes and stack sizes, look at how average/typical pre-flop opening raise of 5xBB works with the various blinds given a $25 buy-in, and how the blind choices affect how 'big' the game plays (and how deep or short that $25 stack can be):

50c/$1 blinds, $5 raise = 20% of the $25 stack
25c/50c blinds, $2.50 raise = 10% of the $25 stack
25c/25c blinds, $1.25 raise = 5% of the $25 stack
10c/25c blinds, $1.25 raise = 5% of the $25 stack
5c/10c blinds, 50c raise = 2% of the $25 stack

Putting 20% of your stack in the pot (50c/$1 blinds) with an opening raise (or calling such a raise) almost guarantees that the stacks will be in the middle on the flop or turn. You are essentially pot-committed before even seeing any board cards. A three-bet pre-flop will usually either take it down or get everybody all-in before any cards are dealt.

Alternately, there is a lot of room to play real poker with multiple strategies when making or calling an opening raise is only 2% of your stack (5c/10c blinds). A pre-flop re-raise to $2 is still only 8% of your stack (with plenty of room to play and get away from the hand if needed), whereas a pre-flop three-bet pot even at 25c/25c means committing 20% of your stack and likely going to war.

If sticking with $25 buy-ins, 5c/10c is definitely the way to go to encourage good poker and player growth.

 

[DrStrange]

Judging by the players I know - the average Joe will not see an difference between a $0.25/$0.25 and a $0.25/$0.50 blind structure. (and might not change their preflop bet sizing even from $0.50/$1.00) If they raise to $3.00 playing $0.25/$0.50, they likely will raise to $3.00 playing $0.25/$0.25.

Many years ago, I hosted a $0.10/$0.10 game [once only] thinking I would get a deep stacked game with a $50 buy-in. That didn't happen at all. Instead, the players ignored the tiny blinds and still stuck with the same preflop bet sizing of $1.50 to $4.00 that they would use in a $0.25/$0.50 game. It didn't seem to make any difference that the raises were now 15 to 40 BB. This did create an error for Hero to exploit in that Hero could choose to play ultra tight and only open with the top few percent of hands, but there isn't much joy exploiting people for a dime or two every hour.

Screw "real poker", do what is fun -=- DrStrange

 

[Adam Crowley]

I play in a game that varies between .25/.25 and .25/.50. The difference is negligible as half the players don't really know the pot size. The preflop raise is determined by the number of caller and it slowly increases throughout the night.

The difference it does make is at .25/.50 more money gets on the table as the standard buyin changes from $20 to $40.

Typically .25/.25 would be the better choice but you may not find it changes the game at all because people will still bet just as much.

I would base the decision on your players. If you want a game that allows you to make more difficult decisions and play more poker keep it at .25/.25 increase the buyins to $20 - $50.

If there is not enough money at risk then make it .25/.50. Let your players know your buying in larger and buyin for $50 - $100 and play a few games. Eventually people will probably bring more money

 

[upNdown]

Judging by the players I know - the average Joe will not see an difference between a $0.25/$0.25 and a $0.25/$0.50 blind structure. (and might not change their preflop bet sizing even from $0.50/$1.00) If they raise to $3.00 playing $0.25/$0.50, they likely will raise to $3.00 playing $0.25/$0.25.

I agree that this is a likely outcome at least at first. Over time, they might figure it out. Hopefully they will.
I say go with .25/.25 - people can play bigger if they want to, but like i said, hopefully they'll figure it out.

 

[detroitdad]

Agree with most of what was said.

We run a .25/.50 with a 100 max buy in. On occasion we'll do a 1/1 game but it doesn't play that much different.

Good Luck sir.

 

[mummel]

25/25 for sure. This is how we play all my home games. Everyone gets 20x25c + 20x$1 starting stacks. So easy to manage and gameplay is smooth with two denoms. Use $5s for rebuys.

I recently hosted a 5/10 game with $10 buyins and it was a blast. Everyone got 20/20/4 and it was nice to have 3 denoms on the table. I've got to do this again soon.

 

[chipjoker]

I have a .25/.25 with a Min $40 and Max $100,

.25/.25 would work well in your situation.

A $40 buy in would consist of:

12 - $.25
12 - $1
5 - $5

A $100 buy in is:

12 - $.25
12 - $1
13 - $5
1 - $20

 

[SteveHNo96]

In response to all the great comments:

5c/10c and 10c/25c will likely not be an option because I would have to buy a rack of nickel chips. Not that I may not eventually do that, but right now the smallest chip I have is a quarter.

Right now @Psypher1000 has the most logical and greatest idea with the chips I have. The 25/25 game seems like it will be the way to go. I may add more orange (bonus) chips and nickel chips at a later date but barring that, the plurality of people have suggested a quarter/quarter game and that seems like the most sound advice.

Again, thank you.

 

[Dennis Stapleton]

I always find it better to start out with 100 bets. We play 25/25 with a $25 but in, as people are eliminated the bets seem to taper at $1 playing limit, and progressive blinds with no limit.