Help building a home game (1 Viewer)

Words to live by for any poker degenerate!

Even more than the degeneracy aspect, you need something on the line for it to resemble poker. Other wise people call when they shouldn’t, etc bc it is a free roll.
 
If your game isn't growing, it's dying. People move, get divorced, even die. Some quit for other reasons beyond your control while others quit because of stuff you can control but you cannot please everybody.

This is key.

Even with a very regular crew, which I have for my game, there is always attrition. I try to try out a few new players, based on people I meet in other games or suggestions of my regs, every season.

One very solid regular (a very healthy 80-something guy who still goes to the gym 4+ times per week) finally gave it up because of his age—he said he can no longer stay awake long enough to make the money. Another younger friend who is an excellent player but works a low-wage job had a bunch of unexpected life expenses (like a furnace which failed in winter) and had to dig into his poker roll... He’ll be back once he’s back on his feet, especially since poker is modestly profitable for him. Another took a job which prevents her from playing on our gameday. Another now only makes about 40% of games because his flaky daughter, who still lives at home, doesn't have a car and often fails to arrange a ride to her night shift job.

There are occasional flops among the try-outs, but you find ways to disinvite them politely, or not, as the case may be. The better fits stick. But you have to keep at it constantly, or eventually you find it is only a few diehards pushing chips back and forth.
 
Probably can only buy beer at certain hours too, I assume?
Technically, Tennessee is a dry state. They however defer to the individual counties to allow then to be "wet" if they desire. The county we live in is also a dry county, but allows individual cities (cities have incorporated roughly 1/2 the county) to become "wet" if they desire.

Last month, the county put it to a vote to allow restaurants outside of city limits to sell alcohol by the glass. It passed with 76% in favor.

Finally, we can get Mexican restaurant that won't go under in 3 months because they couldn't sell beer or margaritas.
 
Could you please explain how your spread limit works?

Spread limit means you can bet any valid amount within a range. In this case it would be .25-5.00. Since he is offering "overs" players electing this option can use the range .25-10.00 on pots between "overs" players only.

In Minnesota, public cardrooms offer spread limit because the gaming commission imposes a limit per bet of 100. So they play 2-100 spread with 1-2 blinds.
 
Going to someone else's house games it's also a way to meet new players.
Once you have asked to friends, co-workers, teammates (if you do some sport) and family the only way to expand it's outside the comfort zone.
 
In Minnesota, public cardrooms offer spread limit because the gaming commission imposes a limit per bet of 100. So they play 2-100 spread with 1-2 blinds.

I love how some states try to protect us from each other imposing ridiculous betting limit rules. Many have dropped them after a while once they realize they are costing themselves tax revenue.
 
Also low stakes is a must if you are bringing in very new players.
^^This for new players or rusty players. Tournaments are nice too, because it is a fixed loss, such as $20. You can justify it by saying, "Comparable to going to the movies, but potentially a longer hang out time with friends.
Step 1 - get a hot dog roller.
Gotta keep the masses fed.
PCF is a great resource. There are several CO members here
Is it important to have the game at your place? or just be part of a live community playing poker?
I think you’ll have an easy time getting guys who aren’t that into poker to come play a $10 or $20 tourney. Set amount they can lose so they should feel comfortable. Then once things start rolling talk about cash. Or a low stakes cash game after the tourney. Provide a good atmosphere and they will come back. Also your ffb league is prime for poker send an email that you are having a game and see what happens.
Yes, I hosted a poker game with several NFL games on for the people playing FFB, they enjoyed watching football while playing. They got a little distracted with fantasy points, but that's ok because some poker is better than no poker.
In Minnesota, public cardrooms offer spread limit because the gaming commission imposes a limit per bet of 100. So they play 2-100 spread with 1-2 blinds.
CO also does this. I find it a strange concept, but for 1/2 it doesn't change the dynamic too much. For higher blinds I imagine it handicaps all in or big bets to where they wouldn't make as much sense - 2/5, 5/10.
 
No, I don’t think you have to host. But being part of a live community helps immensely!
Oh I meant that as a question to the OP, not to you!

Was his intent to host more or to be part of a live community? I was re-emphasizing your comment that there are a lot of great and active chippers here in Denver, so is he just wants to play, that is an entirely different thing and can be arranged!
 
I love how some states try to protect us from each other imposing ridiculous betting limit rules. Many have dropped them after a while once they realize they are costing themselves tax revenue.

Up until about 10 years ago the limit was only 60, so 30/60 limit was the biggest game in the state. There was a little 2-60 but it wasn't so popular.


CO also does this. I find it a strange concept, but for 1/2 it doesn't change the dynamic too much. For higher blinds I imagine it handicaps all in or big bets to where they wouldn't make as much sense - 2/5, 5/10.

Yeah we only have that worth 1-2 blinds. The work around is a "survival tournament.". You sign up for 3 hours, pay a tournament fee up front (345 for T300 in chips for example, and the blinds are T1-T3), as opposed to a rake per hand, and then if you survive with an chips you get paid 1 for every T1.

They have these up to 1000 to enter.
 
Our home game is in the same boat as the OP and others that have posted. Over the last few years, we’ve lost more players than we’ve gained and we didn’t have a huge pool of players to start with. Some move away, many are flaky and not serious at all. I think other two organizers and I really took for granted that it’s a constant task to keep recruiting players even when not needed...because eventually it will be needed.

I’m leery too or inviting people from CL or meetup to the house but thought I might be able to post a meetup group and go out and pre-meet and vet some of the replies before inviting them to the house. I live in TN where poker is illegal so that’s another thing agains the meetup strategy. I think I might try to recruit from our neighborhoods first as you suggested.

We had some bar poker tournaments around that I really hated playing in but I now wish I would have put in some more effort to meet people to build some poker relationships. The nearby bar leagues stopped unfortunately...
 
It’s always a struggle. Over the winter, attendance at my home game dipped from an average of 15-16 to more like 12-13. We lost a couple guys to financial struggles, another moved away, another “retired” from nighttime poker (80 year old former judge), etc.

I worked hard to keep the game alive, scrounged around for new players, and in the past few sessions we’ve had a resurgeance... A couple guys coming back, and a few new prospects panning out.

Sometimes it’s just a matter of grinding it out, as it were, as a host and trusting that work will pay off.
 
(My least favorite loss to the game was one of our only female players dropping out because her new boyfriend “didn’t like her staying out late playing poker.” I suggested that she bring him to the game to see what it’s all about—no luck with that. Yet.)
 
(My least favorite loss to the game was one of our only female players dropping out because her new boyfriend “didn’t like her staying out late playing poker.” I suggested that she bring him to the game to see what it’s all about—no luck with that. Yet.)
Wow. Speechless on that one. How dare her...
 
(My least favorite loss to the game was one of our only female players dropping out because her new boyfriend “didn’t like her staying out late playing poker.” I suggested that she bring him to the game to see what it’s all about—no luck with that. Yet.)

Don't expect to see him there anytime soon. Surprised to see a female player pop-up at the weekly tournament last year. The host convinced his brother to come play, which led him to extend an invite to his buddy and GF. The GF was quite good and experienced. He on the other hand, not so much. You could tell he didn't like be on the losing end while she was running strong. He sat off in the corner staring at the walls while waiting for the cash game to start. He would be on his third by-in and she would still be playing in the tournament. If I remember correctly, she bubbled the first week. The results were roughly the same the following week, except that she had to lend him money so he could continue losing at cash. The third and last time they played, her BF was extra surly after busting out early. Sensing her BF's impatience, she seemed to give away her chips when she had a real shot at the money just so he could go home.

The rest is history.
 
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I guess I'll write a little update.
Picked up some new players for my home game. The stars aligned. Ran into a guy a haven't seen in forever, while at the casino. Invited him and his brother to the game. Picked up a few others through just asking around. Networking. Last game we had 2 tables just cash that ended up combining and running until like 3 am. Now I'm moving, but have everybody itching for the first weekend I move into my new place. Running strong currently.
 
I guess I'll write a little update.
Picked up some new players for my home game. The stars aligned. Ran into a guy a haven't seen in forever, while at the casino. Invited him and his brother to the game. Picked up a few others through just asking around. Networking. Last game we had 2 tables just cash that ended up combining and running until like 3 am. Now I'm moving, but have everybody itching for the first weekend I move into my new place. Running strong currently.
That's great to hear! Congrats to you.

I think toughest thing is that I don't live in a state with casinos or poker rooms. Everything has to be by relationships made and basically "boots on the ground" work to get new players. When I'm at the poker rooms in Indiana there are numerous players from Tennessee (where I live) but the game we are playing in there is way different than the home game I'd be inviting them to. Add that to not knowing them for long and the dynamics at the poker table where we're both trying to take each others money and finding advantage situation, doesn't seem to lead to a good home game invitation.
 
My area has a pretty extensive bar league that runs tourneys at bars all over the place, where prizes are bar credits, etc. I'm thinking of attending a few games and scouting some potential players. It'll take some time to find the right type of players, but its worth a shot? Anybody try this?
 
Oh don't get me wrong, only one actually played poker prior and we've gone to casinos and Vegas together. I recruited and worked hard to get my list together.

Knowing no one played except one guy, I run a .25/.25 spread limit to $5 with $10 overs. It helps new guys limit losses and doesn't let experienced guys completely crush.
Could you please explain how your spread limit works?

This link may provide an answer to your question: https://poker.fandom.com/wiki/Overs
 

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