Home Game - Dos and Don'ts (2 Viewers)

[stargod05]

Looking to start a new no-rake home game (6-10 ppl, 1/2 or 2/5 cash) - what do you love about home games and what do you suggest avoiding? Anything from table/chairs to chips to extras/entertainment. Note we will have a single dealer/player self-delt game. Thanks!

Also note: guys playing prob all have kids - thinking weeknights Wed or Thrs

 

[Goldfish]

Hahahaha. Here we go……this should give you a good start.

Post in thread 'Asking for one time donations...'
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/asking-for-one-time-donations.73900/post-1497472

 

[stargod05]

Thanks! Also def won't be asking for donations - rofl

 

[JustinInMN]

Looking to start a new no-rake home game (6-10 ppl, 1/2 or 2/5 cash) - what do you love about home games and what do you suggest avoiding? Anything from table/chairs to chips to extras/entertainment. Note we will have a single dealer/player self-delt game. Thanks!

Also note: guys playing prob all have kids - thinking weeknights Wed or Thrs

Make sure your guys can play these stakes. I mean players need to be willing to lose $2000 in a night at 2-5. The blinds should be set where players will be comfortable losing 300-400BB in a night.

Also, if you are truly playing this high, at a minimum you should get semi-custom chips from @BR Pro Poker / @ABC Gifts and Awards. This way you know the chips are unique to your game.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Don't ask about swinging, way too awkward if everyone says no. Now your wife's just on the couch and you know the edible underwear gets uncomfortable. Ruins your focus for the rest of the game.


In all seriousness, those are decently high stakes for a home game to run. I don't know your situation, but as others have said you want comfort and fun above all else. If you can fill those games go for it! But its easier to start lower and raise the stakes rather than lowering them. If time is a big issue (and money isn't), a shuffler might be a great investment: more hands in the limited time you have before bedtime.

Invest in comfortable chips and table before the chips, people will fall in love with a nice setup before they care at all about the chips you're using.

 

[stargod05]

Good point on stakes - ya, will have to check. What is the best way to measure the max loss of the players/set the blinds. Like just ask everyone what is the most you would be willing to lose in a night and not care? Then divide by 400 for big blind?

 

[CraigT78]

Hot dog roller and a babysitter - ensures everyone gets a hall pass and even the kids get fed.

Good luck with your game!

 

[andrebttx]

Invest in comfortable chips and table before the chips,

Some might consider this just an innocent mistake, but on PCF I think this counts as a full blown Freudian slip

 

[BPTDirector]

Do get good comfortable chairs with back and butt support. Thank me later.

 

[stargod05]

Do get good comfortable chairs with back and butt support. Thank me later.

Any reccomendations here? What are your thoughts of the chairs that come with bbo tables?

 

[ekricket]

Keep it simple and seamless. Start out with just the basics, both equipment and play.
Comfortable chairs and table are better in the long run than flashy chips.
Good cards that don’t mark or tear easily, plastic is best.
Play poker first. Get the group going. You can introduce the fancy smanchy stuff later, but get a good group regular before you go throwing bomb pots or bounties or “2nd player to your left wins $5 if you lose two hands in a row” shit on them.
If you do bring in degen gambling, make sure you know how the various things work before experimenting with them on your group.
Get better chips as your game grows
Post pictures here

 

[buzzmonkey]

Good point on stakes - ya, will have to check. What is the best way to measure the max loss of the players/set the blinds. Like just ask everyone what is the most you would be willing to lose in a night and not care? Then divide by 400 for big blind?

Figure out what a buy-in for your stakes will be (100-300 big blinds is typically considered good for NLHE). Then consider how many times a player is likely to rebuy if they're not doing well (I think most folks figure 3-5 buy-ins).

So with 100bb x $5 x 3 = $1500 and 300bb x $5 x 5 = $7500, you've got a pretty big range of $1500 to $7500 to possibly lose in a night. Only your players will know what they're willing to put on the table.

 

[louBdub]

Great advice is already being said…

But I’ll add, research some of the home game threads on PCF. I love finding the wheel and modifying it to suit my needs, much easier than inventing a wheel.

Also, signal. Download, learn how to use & employ signal chat as the “poker commo” line. Trust me on this one, it’s an absolute game changer.

 

[JMC9389]

Yeah, it's sacrilegious being a poker chip forum, but the chips are the least important aspect of a poker game. Invest in nice chairs and an actual poker table first. Then plastic cards, then chips, in that order.

Queues for the most desired table makers can take months to even years before it's your turn. Look around your Facebook marketplace listing and see who has ads out for nice looking tables. Most often table builders will put listings up there to advertise their business. If you're willing to travel to New Jersey I know a guy. Just not sure he's taking on any new projects currently.

As others have said, if your stakes are high enough and the amount on the table is anything more than an average monthly mortgage payment, it's well worth the investment to get custom chips from @BR Pro Poker or Classic Poker Chips via @David Spragg for game security.

In terms of plastic playing cards (only way to go for a multiple hours long session), there are multiple threads here detailing the pros ans cons of each manufacturer of playing cards readily available.

Happy hunting!

 

[andrebttx]

Great advice is already being said…

But I’ll add, research some of the home game threads on PCF. I love finding the wheel and modifying it to suit my needs, much easier than inventing a wheel.

Also, signal. Download, learn how to use & employ signal chat as the “poker commo” line. Trust me on this one, it’s an absolute game changer.
View attachment 1183435

Seconding signal, it’s what we use for our home game.

 

[improviseallday]

Download, learn how to use & employ signal chat as the “poker commo” line.

Seconding signal.

Just curious, what do yall like about it over Whatsapp? They feel about the same to me but more of my friends are on WA.

 

[andrebttx]

Just curious, what do yall like about it over Whatsapp? They feel about the same to me but more of my friends are on WA.

Admittedly a part of it is going to be it is very common in my industry, so a lot of us were already on it. But for me, the choice was really Signal vs. Discord - WhatsApp is either regionally or generationally or some combination of the two, completely unused in any of my social circles. And while I like Discord, it has been tough in the past to get non-gamer folks to use it because of how much it leans into that. So Signal is left standing as a clean, easy to use, and trustworthy messenger.

 

[BGinGA]

Play 10/20 Limit. Allows meaningful stakes, along with exciting circus games.

 

[4SUMERZ]

How long are your session(s) going to be. Is this for serious poker, having a good time with friends, or a combination? $0.25-$.50 with 200 BB is a good starting point of $40.00 buy in for a less serious game., unles everyone is OK with higher stakes, then the blinds will dictate the buy in.
As ,mentioned, comfy chairs, a good Poker Table and decent 100% plastic cards is a must. A stocked fridge with drinks, and snacks is also an added bonus in a poker room.

Good Luck

 

[ekricket]

Probably the most important thing - be consistent with your schedule. People may not plan around it at first, but if they know every Thursday at 7:00 you have poker they will start to plan with it in mind.
Play heads up if you have to, or three handed or whatever. Just make it always there, always same time.

I know of three games that I haven’t played in in years, but if I go to the host’s house on Thursday there will be a game.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Some might consider this just an innocent mistake, but on PCF I think this counts as a full blown Freudian slip

Ha! Shit. Thats hilarious. I may become a chipper after all. Its staying there.

 

[RagingAZN]

I don’t mean to be rude but if you’re wanting to host a $2/$5 game and don’t have much idea, you’re asking for trouble considering the amounts involved.

Perhaps start off small with say 50c/50c games and go from there.

Do you have any equipment now? Chairs, tables, chips? Or are you going to buy everything? If so, what is your budget?

There’s not much point in us recommending a $5000 table if you can only afford a plastic table and chairs.

 

[BPTDirector]

Gasser chairs are really nice. I prefer chairs without arm rests. Pharoah chairs(The Dugout thread) are nice too. Plus there have been finds on Facebook marketplace searching for banquet chairs. Good luck.

 

[DuckFat]

Finally, someone talking about stakes I can relate to. A 1/3 game will have starting buyins around 300-500 with increasing rebuys or top ups as more chips hit the table in the 500-1000 range. I prefer to use bullets at 300 each because I view it as training for what Aria allows me to max buy on 1/3 tables, I carry at least 10 bullets, that allows me to switch to 500 bullets later in the night. You can cap buyins/topups but that makes it hard for stuck players to wiggle, caps are fine for Vegas but not home games.

Start the game at 1/3. I find 1/2 weird so 1/3 is my suggestion because straddles on 1/2 are $4 which requires 4 chips. Straddle on 1/3 is $6 which is only 2 chips, change is easier and we allow $10 straddle. When the game starts playing bigger later in the night, move to 2/5 or 5/5. Reason being, no one is limping $3 anymore, 5/5 is better than 2/5 because you can remove all $1 chips from play and moves the hands along faster. Your group might eventually choose to start at 5/5, $1 chips are annoying to deal with.

Setup for the space you have. If you have the space, get a permanent table with rolling chairs, no armrests, mesh back. If it will be set up and broken down each session, folding table and padded folding chairs, or regular folding chairs with seat cushions.

Supplies
Cards - recommend Copag or the Broken Arrow misprints for sale here to start
Dealer button - I have a cheap one but ordered more from @justincarothers in this group buy thread
Cut cards - if your decks don't come with one, Broken Arrow includes one
Chip racks - cheap on Amazon, I found good quality racks in the classifieds here
Chips and storage - sets from thepokerstore, brpropoker, or apache are all good quality from what I've seen/used (listed in no particular order)
Drink holders - if not built into the table
Small folding tables - to hold food and drinks away from the table
Accessory buttons - optional for bomb pots, all ins, etc.

Other things you need to make it a fun space, fridge with drinks, bathroom access, designated space for smokers to go, Spotify or other streaming music. At least one TV to stream things. I have 2 TV's in my place, one plays music videos on YouTube, the other streams whatever people want, usually runway models in bikinis or lingerie but with football season coming and my NFL Game Pass that will probably switch both TVs to any games they missed.

Additional considerations because chips are loud, people get loud too
Sound proofing panels
Door seals
Gym tile flooring

 

[louBdub]

Just curious, what do yall like about it over Whatsapp? They feel about the same to me but more of my friends are on WA.

WhatsApp is so trash in many ways, mainly security.

Signal is beyond secure, and extremely well thought out and designed. Perfect for club chats, admin privileges, adding/removing, etc. Great features and top shelf security.

 

[stargod05]

Just wanted to say thank you for all the super useful feedback - this forum rocks!

I am def a signal user, but had not thought to start the poker group there - will do now!

In terms of stakes, might start a bit smaller (like $50-$100 buyins) and work up to 1/2 or 2/5 as the group gets more comfortable. Or alternate low stakes/medium stakes depending on the week to serve both groups.

In terms of tables/chairs, looking for a good value with comfort and quality in mind. Budget is reasonably medium/high because I see this as a lifetime investment, etc. I like quality things.

Will def work on the consistency of the game too, so it becomes known as THE game in my neighborhood. Planning to also cycle in a board game night once a month too, so the table will get reps (getting a table top cover for the poker table)

 

[Gunnar]

Just an extra thought, I think playing .50-1$ game deep is more fun than short stacked bigger stakes

If you mind sharing your budget for things we can help you and guide where to spend and where to save some bucks.

 

[stargod05]

Just an extra thought, I think playing .50-1$ game deep is more fun than short stacked bigger stakes

If you mind sharing your budget for things we can help you and guide where to spend and where to save some bucks.

currently looking at an 8k package from BBO which includes the table + 10 chairs. Would like to stay around that range

 

[Gunnar]

currently looking at an 8k package from BBO which includes the table + 10 chairs. Would like to stay around that range

So 8K budget for table and chairs and them some extra for chips or 8K total?

 

[Gunnar]

I would also look at https://gorillagaming.net/