Cash Game Interesting Thoughts: $0.25/$0.50 vs $0.50/$0.50 (1 Viewer)

[churlbut18]

I came across the following statement from @moose...

“This (10 x $0.50, 20 x $1, 15 x $5) is the STD starting stack we give out and run .50/.50 blinds. I prefer using .50 chips because it eliminates the ability of those annoying guys who like to bet odd amounts like $4.75 and force everyone else to match or make change from the pot which just slows the game down.”

And it got me thinking. I’ve always only considered $0.25/$0.50 and $0.50/$1, but never $0.50/$0.50. And much of the forum discussions only revolve around the first 2 and not the latter.

But in addition to the pro that @moose points out above, $0.50/$0.50 would also allow you to now build a set around the pink 50c frac/chip without having to find a quarter and without having to jump to $0.50/$1 stakes which in turn would increase the buy in from $100 to $200 if maintaining the 200BB buy in.

Think about it. Many of the popular sets do have a 50c chip (i.e. PCA, Aztar, Terrible’s, etc...), but I had been staying away from them because I didn’t want to go to $0.50/$1.

$0.50/$0.50 allows you to use them and not settle for using hotstamps, labels, etc... to create a quarter.

So why is $0.50/$0.50 not more popular? I can’t recall much discussion or mention of these stakes.

Comments welcome...

 

[CraigT78]

Not more popular with my crowd because the small blind is the same as the big bling = blasphemy.

 

[chubbyone]

Not more popular with my crowd because the small blind is the same as the big bling = blasphemy.

I'm about to try and overcome this same sentiment. 0.25/025 though.

 

[TheBigTater]

I've seen this done but to me if there is no difference in the SB/BB then why have a SB? Just have a single bind.

 

[Rhodeman77]

I have played 50/50c blinds a lot because I have 50c chips in my PCA set. The players never had a problem with it. We have also played a lot of $1/1 though because of a lack of a frac in other hosts sets. So it wasn’t a new idea overall.

The only real negative is that the SB and BB are the same, but at these stakes that isn’t much of an issue.

 

[chubbyone]

I've seen this done but to me if there is no difference in the SB/BB then why have a SB? Just have a single bind.

If the blind is killed you likely have less action, maybe at such low stakes that's not the case, but in theory seems true.

 

[upNdown]

If the blind is killed you likely have less action, maybe at such low stakes that's not the case, but in theory seems true.

I think you’re right about less action. Having two forced bets puts two people into every hand - that’s a good thing.
My crowd plays .25/.50, and if I ever found myself owning a set with .50 fracs, I’d definitely push a .50/.50 game. And since some of the guys are used to playing $1/$1 at local establishments, i don’t think there would be much resistance.
But as to the original quote, my crowd likes to bet with quarters and I like it too. To me, bets like $1.75 and $6.25 are part of what makes home games fun.

 

[WedgeRock]

I think you’re right about less action. Having two forced bets puts two people into every hand - that’s a good thing.
My crowd plays .25/.50, and if I ever found myself owning a set with .50 fracs, I’d definitely push a .50/.50 game. And since some of the guys are used to playing $1/$1 at local establishments, i don’t think there would be much resistance.
But as to the original quote, my crowd likes to bet with quarters and I like it too. To me, bets like $1.75 and $6.25 are part of what makes home games fun.

Ryder_8 from HPT was planning on expanding his custom cash set to make a $1.75 chip. 3.5xBB in a .25/.50 game.

 

[upNdown]

Ryder_8 from HPT was planning on expanding his custom cash set to make a $1.75 chip. 3.5xBB in a .25/.50 game.

I’ve said it before, but one of my buddies lives betting $1.75, and if I had any ability to design a halfway decent label, I’d have $1.75 chips by now.

 

[TheBigTater]

Yes blinds are in place to generate action by forced bets but if I'm in the worst seat at the table (the SB) I should at least get the super tiny advantage of only paying half a bet instead of a full bet. Plus you eliminate the BB's super tiny advantage of getting the occasional walk. It would be a shame to miss out on that .25c worth of action.

Just buy some quarters, problem solved.

 

[Polochris]

Or Or. You could just do an ante. .50 for everyone!

 

[Polochris]

There is also something about defending your BB to me that just makes sense

 

[Rhodeman77]

There is also something about defending your BB to me that just makes sense

Almost all cash games I play in if it is folded to the SB the blinds will chop 90%+ of the time. So there isn’t really any defending to go on. Not like a tournament at least where blind on blind action is normal.

 

[Polochris]

Almost all cash games I play in if it is folded to the SB the blinds will chop 90%+ of the time. So there isn’t really any defending to go on. Not like a tournament at least where blind on blind action is normal.

IF it folds to the small blind. There is a lot of defending your BB in my games and the people I play with.

 

[Rhodeman77]

IF it folds to the small blind. There is a lot of defending your BB in my games and the people I play with.

Of course there should be raises before it gets to the SB most of the time, that is the point of poker after all!

But having the same size SB & BB doesn’t change your ability to defend your BB.

While the SB may choose to defend a slightly larger % of time getting a little better price, it also give the BB the ability to make a squeeze raise more often.

 

[Mojo1312]

The game has changed dramatically with the poker boom. Rarely, will a player in the SB fold his hand after the other players have limped in, or play his hand differently to a raise. I think the BB should be 3x the SB. (Like $1-$3 for example) A half a BB doesn't really change the way a game plays. Might as well save yourself the small annoyance of having two different chip values IMO.

 

[moose]

Almost all cash games I play in if it is folded to the SB the blinds will chop 90%+ of the time. So there isn’t really any defending to go on. Not like a tournament at least where blind on blind action is normal.

If it gets folded to the small blind AND it gets chopped in an UNRAKED home game you play in the nittiest homegame of all time.

#nochops
#nofoldingsmallblind
#playpoker

 

[72o]

...But as to the original quote, my crowd likes to bet with quarters and I like it too. To me, bets like $1.75 and $6.25 are part of what makes home games fun.

Amen brother! My crew is mostly in their early 40s and school lunches were about $1.25 growing up. So we have a lot of "lunch money" type bets preflop. And use a lot of quarters but that's for another thread.

In my experience when dealing with frac blinds, there is no difference whether SB/BB are different or the same as far as action goes. It just feels right to have them different though.

 

[Rhodeman77]

If it gets folded to the small blind AND it gets chopped in an UNRAKED home game you play in the nittiest homegame of all time.

#nochops
#nofoldingsmallblind
#playpoker

The chop happens because most people are used to doing it in a casino anyways. Most of the time when I do see the blinds play it out it gets checked the whole way because both players had trash hands. So instead of everyone else sitting around while they check down a $1 pot let’s just move onto the next hand.

In a regular cash game it almost never comes up so it isn’t something to make an issue over. Where I see it folded around to the SB most is when a small cash game will get started by players that bust out of a tournament that don’t play much cash game.

Those games can be quite nitty as they play more of a tournament style in a cash game. I have seen far to many walks happen in those games.

 

[crussader]

The chop happens because most people are used to doing it in a casino anyways. Most of the time when I do see the blinds play it out it gets checked the whole way because both players had trash hands. So instead of everyone else sitting around while they check down a $1 pot let’s just move onto the next hand.

^ This. It's not a nit thing. It's an etiquette thing.

 

[upNdown]

^ This. It's not a nit thing. It's an etiquette thing.

I've never liked that etiquette thing even in a casino. What if you have a good hand? What if you BOTH have good hands?

 

[Rhodeman77]

I've never liked that etiquette thing even in a casino. What if you have a good hand? What if you BOTH have good hands?

In a casino, especially with a bad beat it is not uncommon to hear players discuss that they don’t chop then (when not in a hand). Or will play if they have a hand that could make a BB, ie a PP or suited connector.

If you always chop and now you don’t want to because you have a good hand you will just get a fold anyways. There is also the argument that you shouldn’t even look at your cards until it is your action and if it folds around to you in the blinds and you normally chop you don’t need to look to chop. Just throw them into the muck.

 

[upNdown]

In a casino, especially with a bad beat it is not uncommon to hear players discuss that they don’t chop then (when not in a hand). Or will play if they have a hand that could make a BB, ie a PP or suited connector.

If you always chop and now you don’t want to because you have a good hand you will just get a fold anyways. There is also the argument that you shouldn’t even look at your cards until it is your action and if it folds around to you in the blinds and you normally chop you don’t need to look to chop. Just throw them into the muck.

I totally get it. but you only get aces once every 221 hands, so I don't want to miss one. The only time I'm not peeking is a misdeal.

 

[Rhodeman77]

I totally get it. but you only get aces once every 221 hands, so I don't want to miss one. The only time I'm not peeking is a misdeal.

But getting AA is only part of winning money, You need a player that has hand too that will put more money in the pot. The odds of those both happening in an unraised pot from the blinds only are very rare. And even if you wake up in the SB with AA and raise, the chance of winning more than just the BB is pretty slim.

And worse, if it is a home game most of the other players are probably going to think you are an asshole if you normally chop but now want to play the hand. So even if I have AA I will always offer the chop if I am in the SB. If the BB says no then it is game on!!

 

[detroitdad]

If it gets folded to the small blind AND it gets chopped in an UNRAKED home game you play in the nittiest homegame of all time.

I disagree. My game isn't what you would call a tight game. Yet most of us will chop it if it folds to the blinds (which it rarely ever does, less than once per night on average). I'd rather play big pots. The chance of the building a big pot in this situation is slim. I'd just as well get the next hand rolling.

 

[Jeff]

25/50 vs 50/50 is just a matter of whether you have quarters or 50 cent chips in your set. If you have neither you're 1/1. I prefer 25/50 because people can play more cheaply if they're nitty.

 

[Poker Zombie]

it eliminates the ability of those annoying guys who like to bet odd amounts like $4.75 and force everyone else to match or make change from the pot which just slows the game down

my crowd likes to bet with quarters and I like it too. To me, bets like $1.75 and $6.25 are part of what makes home games fun.

My crew is mostly in their early 40s and school lunches were about $1.25 growing up. So we have a lot of "lunch money" type bets preflop.

Add me to the group that bets with quarters. Sometimes, as with @Ben 's Via Lactea set, the quarters are straight up awesome. The same with Ronoh's Pillage & Plunder. Awesome chips deserve to hit the table. Without raises to $3.75 and it's odd ilk, the quarters are nothing more than blinds chips.

If you need to keep making change because someone raised to $4.75, you didn't put enough quarters in play. Don't like it? Re-raise to $9 or more.

 

[Rhodeman77]

We do have a rule that if the table is 5 handed or less there is no chopping. But by then we are usually playing 4+ card Poker of some sort so it almost never comes up anyways.

 

[moose]

I disagree. My game isn't what you would call a tight game. Yet most of us will chop it if it folds to the blinds (which it rarely ever does, less than once per night on average). I'd rather play big pots. The chance of the building a big pot in this situation is slim. I'd just as well get the next hand rolling.

The only reason to chop blinds in an unraked game is because you are a nit and would rather have your quarter back than play poker and watch people deal cards than flops.

 

[GIANTDustySquid]

We changed our 0.50/1.00 game to 1/1 without hesitation from anyone. Barely changes a thing honestly