A player is now scared to play no limit due to last session. Has this ever happened to anyone else? (1 Viewer)

[mburnznj]

The title basically says it all. A good friend of mine no longer wants to play no limit based on our last session. He just sent a group text asking to change to a limit type game.

The last time we played, a few weeks back, we needed two guys so one of our regulars reached out to two friends of his who showed up to play. The two guys that came were not aggressive in the sense of being tight aggressive players nor were they necessarily good, it's just that their bet sizing all night was  way off! This in turned created some crazy pots even at the .25/.50 game we were playing that night. Pots were jumping from $3 to $20-$30 in the blink of an eye.

In turn my one good friend is now scared to play no limit. Since I bring the chips, my sets are geared for no limit not limit....I don't have the chip setup for that type of game.

I'd prefer to keep it no limit but I also get that this is for a fun time for all and it's not a casino.

Has this ever happened to anyone else and how was this resolved? I guess I need to expand my set for limit now? Thanks.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Totally understand. What about Pot limit? Kind of a mix between the two, forces that pot buildup but doesn't require a rack of a denom per player. Personally no, I would not play pure limit because of the one player. Sounds like you run a No-Limit game and enjoy running it that way, hopefully your friend can adjust a bit.

Talk to the random new guys. Were they getting stacked and buying in a lot? How did they play so loose? Maybe limit number of times you can buyin, or the $$$ max buyin. I know that in theory its very exploitable but it can scare casual players.


EDIT: Get some "rebuy" or "reload" chips and each person gets 2 or 3. More than enough for the usual players but may curb being too insane with a much bigger bankroll. Plus its an excuse to buy more chips, a blessing. I've done it this way before and made it almost like an elimination cash game for the crazies while nothing much changed for the normal players. A few of ours were very cash flush while some others weren't, and this allowed them both to enjoy it. Rich gals were able to gun for eachother's buyin chips, effectively tournament style, on the same table as normal 5c/10c cash players. Not perfect but worked for microstakes casual game.

 

[Rieguy]

It's pretty hard to curb maniacal betting when some players are set on it, but I'm sure there are a lot of people here with better solutions than myself. Maybe running a tournament followed by a cash game after or for those who busted could be explored?

 

[FDLmold]

Suggest playing with a cap. Once players have put in the cap (100BB is low but it is what I use), there is no more betting and it is the most you can lose on a hand. So in your .25/.50 game, you could suggest a cap of $75 or $50 or $100. I like a cap because it promotes action, and you don't have to limit buyins. Buy in for $10,000, I don't care, but the cap is still $100 lol.

 

[kmccormick100]

Pot limit Holdem doesn’t play great, but spread limit might work, maybe try instituting a $5 max bet or something. Switching to straight limit is a massive change to how a game plays.

Out of curiosity, what’s your usual buy in range? A $20-30 pot sounds pretty small to standard with say 100bb starting stacks. When we play $.25/.50 we’ve played with $100 / 200bb cap and you still get pots well into the $100-300 range….

 

[Szczesnk]

Did he lose a bunch of money or was he just scared to play in general after seeing the size of the pots? I'm assuming had he been winning he wouldnt have the same thoughts...? When you try to please everyone you please no one.

 

[Meddler2]

Suggest playing with a cap. Once players have put in the cap (100BB is low but it is what I use), there is no more betting and it is the most you can lose on a hand. So in your .25/.50 game, you could suggest a cap of $75 or $50 or $100. I like a cap because it promotes action, and you don't have to limit buyins. Buy in for $10,000, I don't care, but the cap is still $100 lol.

Can you elaborate? i.e if 5 players all have capped a hand, pot is $500 plus blinds?

 

[warma]

A great cheap set you can experiment with

Thread 'California Club CARDS mold limit set(s)'
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/california-club-cards-mold-limit-set-s.98871/

 

[FDLmold]

Can you elaborate? i.e if 5 players all have capped a hand, pot is $500 plus blinds?

Correct. The cap is the most ANY player can put into the pot in one hand. A multi-way capped pot will still be very large. If your cap is 150 big blinds, and five players hit the cap, the pot is going to be 750 big blinds.

 

[mburnznj]

We do $50 buy ins at the .25/.50 range. I've helped to establish some of the ground rules because my good buddy, who's now scared, really wants to learn the game and he's the one who helped get this game off the ground initially when I started playing with these guys.

He's been asking me to teach him and help his game so one day he can feel confident at the casino. I've also had to curb my play as I know this is just for fun (I usually play 1/2 and 2/5). I tried to explain to him the dynamics of a table can change with just 1 player but I don't know if he gets it.

@Rieguy you're right, a maniacal player can be hard to curb if you don't know how to play back at them.

 

[mburnznj]

Did he lose a bunch of money or was he just scared to play in general after seeing the size of the pots? I'm assuming had he been winning he wouldnt have the same thoughts...? When you try to please everyone you please no one.

Both....

He lost a lot because he was scared and didn't know how to react.

 

[Rhodeman77]

Teach your friend how to play against these types of players. If they are blowing up every pot they are obviously doing it with crap cards. Teach your friend to be patient and wait for strong hands to play back at them with. He can’t just be a loose calling station that fold every flop he misses when he calls a 10x preflop raise.

 

[upNdown]

I don’t think I’ve ever tried it, but I’m pretty sure you can play fixed limit with a “regular” chipset, no problem. Don’t let the chips dissuade you.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Correct. The cap is the most ANY player can put into the pot in one hand. A multi-way capped pot will still be very large. If your cap is 150 big blinds, and five players hit the cap, the pot is going to be 750 big blinds.

Ah, so like an "all-in". But instead of all my chips, that all-in/cap is 100bb. Okay, I like that. Then my hand is live but can take no more action once called. I guess no one else can either if they called. Huh!

 

[bernielomax]

I don't understand why your friend want's to change the game to limit. Everyone here knows that NLH can vary from night to night depending on the players and atmosphere. Exposure to varying types of players and odd/off betting should help better prepare your friend to play at a casino.

 

[upNdown]

I dunno, I’d 100% rather play fixed limit than playing spread limit or no limit with a cap - I’d rather play a different game than some weird compromise. Of course, I’ve never tried spread limit or no limit with a cap, but they just seem like terrible compromises.

 

[mburnznj]

Teach your friend how to play against these types of players. If they are blowing up every pot they are obviously doing it with crap cards. Teach your friend to be patient and wait for strong hands to play back at them with. He can’t just be a loose calling station that fold every flop he misses when he calls a 10x preflop raise.

I've been having these convos with him lately. Thing is, unless you're a "poker player" it takes a while to sink in.

I don't understand why your friend want's to change the game to limit. Everyone here knows that NLH can vary from night to night depending on the players and atmosphere. Exposure to varying types of players and odd/off betting should help better prepare your friend to play at a casino.

I agree 100%! Problem is if this is you're first exposure to it, I can understand being gun shy.

 

[Szczesnk]

Both....

He lost a lot because he was scared and didn't know how to react.

Ok, so no need for a sudden change because of one players loss. I assume you have been hosting for a while, has this ever been an issue before?

 

[mburnznj]

When I talk with my friend about this, his response:
In a casino you can get up and walk away or go to another table. At home you're forced to stay at that table....then what, twiddle your thumbs all night while people bet insane amounts?

 

[mburnznj]

Ok, so no need for a sudden change because of one players loss. I assume you have been hosting for a while, has this ever been an issue before?

Nope...this one time. We were short two regs and no one else was available so we went to the well. One guy said he had two friends who would like to play and this is how they showed up.

Tried explaining to my friend this wouldn't normally happen. Guess it's poker PTSD.

 

[Szczesnk]

When I talk with my friend about this, his response:
In a casino you can get up and walk away or go to another table. At home you're forced to stay at that table....then what, twiddle your thumbs all night while people bet insane amounts?

20-30 dollar pots at a casino is a small pot.....I don't think he would fare well there.

 

[bernielomax]

When I talk with my friend about this, his response:
In a casino you can get up and walk away or go to another table. At home you're forced to stay at that table....then what, twiddle your thumbs all night while people bet insane amounts?

I don't think you can really go from table to table that easy at a casino. Most I have played at have wait lists.

 

[mburnznj]

20-30 dollar pots at a casino is a small pot.....I don't think he would fare well there.

You're right, I think he's just comparing it to buy ins and sizes.

When we played .50/1.00 one time there were no complaints, I think that's because:
1. It was expected
2. We had our normal guys which played well (ie. No maniacs)

 

[Thomacetti]

degens gonna degen, at every stake and every game type

He needs a table with OMC and nits

 

[hex]

The title basically says it all. A good friend of mine no longer wants to play no limit based on our last session. He just sent a group text asking to change to a limit type game.

The last time we played, a few weeks back, we needed two guys so one of our regulars reached out to two friends of his who showed up to play. The two guys that came were not aggressive in the sense of being tight aggressive players nor were they necessarily good, it's just that their bet sizing all night was  way off! This in turned created some crazy pots even at the .25/.50 game we were playing that night. Pots were jumping from $3 to $20-$30 in the blink of an eye.

In turn my one good friend is now scared to play no limit. Since I bring the chips, my sets are geared for no limit not limit....I don't have the chip setup for that type of game.

I'd prefer to keep it no limit but I also get that this is for a fun time for all and it's not a casino.

Has this ever happened to anyone else and how was this resolved? I guess I need to expand my set for limit now? Thanks.

long time ago when I played in home games, we had a guy who would play with the group once in awhile and would just sky rocket all bets, the game went from a friendly group game into something else, a few players didnt care of it, but they adapted and won a bunch of money off that person and eventually didnt care.

I think the issue your friend is really having is experience in playing and now the game is changing a bit he doesnt either have the confidence and doesnt like it, this will create another problem, going from NL to Limit is a much different game and you might find other players not liking it as well.

Good luck.

 

[TheOffalo]

When I talk with my friend about this, his response:
In a casino you can get up and walk away or go to another table. At home you're forced to stay at that table....then what, twiddle your thumbs all night while people bet insane amounts?

Since it’s not a regular occurrence, but at the same time if your friend wants to play at casinos, he needs to get used to a variety of playing styles and at higher stakes than your home game, exposure “therapy” is the probably the best course of action.

So yes there will be nights where you’re folding every hand but the top of your range to maniacs. That’s not fun at a casino and even less fun at a friendly home game, but it will (hopefully) get easier for your friend to deal with as they encounter it.

If they really are stuck fearing this and it doesn’t get better then casino NL games are probably not for him unfortunately until he can get himself over this hump.

(I didn’t have the same problem as your friend but it took me a half dozen or more times going to a casino to play poker before my heart stopped pounding. It’s just so different from home games.)

 

[TheYeti]

I would never let a single player's opinion determine the game structure. It would have to be the opinion of at least a majority of the regular players, if not unanimous.

 

[surfik]

Plenty.... I am literally craping myself every time playing NLH
Funny thing PLO makes me relaxed

 

[TheOffalo]

Funny thing PLO makes me relaxed

That’s twisted!

I trek feel the same way.

Edit: Stupid autocorrect!

 

[toothpic]

This is something I have run into as well.

Long time ago we used to start with just $20 or $40 tournaments to keep things very tame. Once in a while we would play 0.25/0.50 NLHE with $40 buyins and when someone looses $100 or $200 that was a really rough night. This was back when most of us were new to NLHE so there were very few 3 or 4 bet pots.

Now that many of us have been playing for a while now and have learned to turn on the aggression, a limped pot is very rare, 2x pots are common and 3x pot happen frequently as well. As the game becomes more aggressive due to people evolving with the game and turning on the aggression it's defintely left a handful of players behind. They are the ones who want to buyin for the same $40 and will rarely raise a pot. I don't think there's anything I can do to help these guys while still keeping the game lively and active so I've had to find new players to replace that that are more in tune with what the majroity want.

We added circus games last year and while that made the game a lot more fun, the swings are pretty wild as well. I think it only added to the aggressive betting and could potentially leave some more players behind.