Managing sit outs and who gets a seat (1 Viewer)

quintooo

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How do you guys handle the sitouts when you guys have a full table? I haven't had this issue until recently.

I have a list of ~20 people that I'll send a text to when I'm hosting. Just recently I had 12 players come, so 4 had to sit out. I gave seats for first come first serve. I expected exactly a full table, based on texts, but the extras came unexpectedly. I hosted from 8 pm - 1 am, and the 4 couldn't play a hand until 12 (when some of the players busted and left).

By 12 am, the others are usually tired and the game breaks soon after. the 4 players are left somewhat dissatisfied/feeling like they wasted their time.

Obviously want to keep players happy so I have a strong list. Other than adding another table, is how I ran the game the second best option?
 
Just be clear with your communication thats its first come first serve and that you cant guarantee everyone a seat or get people to confirm their attendance and reserve a seat and update the list accordingly as to how many more seats are open. Once you are full you can let everyone know so people dont just show up expecting to get a seat.
 
You should really do a list on who coming and inform the rest once you got 8 people, sure 1 or 2 may not come but it better than 4 extra coming and end up didn’t get to play much.

You can always get a warning to those who MIA and listed see if anyone Want to come fill up the empty slot too
 
1) require RSVP, have a wait list, reconfirm day before - punish no shows/late cancels by moving them to the wait list next time.

2) Did someone bring a player without talking to you? If so, I'd make it clear that you manage the invites to your game, and that players need to talk to you before inviting someone else. I had this happen once and only once with some rando tag along showing up at my house.
 
Man, if I was a player that RSVP'd and you gave the seat to a "first come", I would be more than dissatisfied. Everybody has a phone, it's not that hard to communicate, this goes both ways. If you have a text thread and people commit to being there, this should be a no-brainer. 8 people commit, sorry everybody else, better luck next week. If somebody busts early and leaves, you can have a wait list. But I would think a game that only runs 5 hours, you won't be that short handed very often.
 
I break up my invite list and send my VIP regulars an invite at least a day early so they can lock up a seat first. Once the reply I send out a mass texts to the bigger group letting them know how many seats are open and if they want one they need to lock it up ASAP as they are first to reply get the seat. Once the seats are filled I send out a new text to everyone that is playing with game info and so that everyone knows who else is playing that night.

Once the game is full if other people want to play I let them know they are on the waitlist, but I usually say the game is full at 8 players so that if someone does want a seat last minute I can seat them.

Another host uses Meetup and uses the waitlist feature. For those that RSVP their seat is held as long as they show up in time. If they are late then the first person on the waitlist can take their seat. Players have learned to be 10 minutes early to make sure their seat is not lost.
 
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Game is weekly. Send out a group the day before to the A-list for RSVPs which close at end of day. The next morning after permanent members RSVP I send out texts to the B-list for remaining spots.

Now, if someone RSVPs and no-shows they get one warning. After the second one they are relegated to the back of the B-list.

Frankly, at this point we have a solid full table of regs. It is just for the occasional family vacation etc that one of the regs can’t make it and we need a fill in which is when I go to the B-list.
 
Game is weekly. Send out a group the day before to the A-list for RSVPs which close at end of day. The next morning after permanent members RSVP I send out texts to the B-list for remaining spots.

Now, if someone RSVPs and no-shows they get one warning. After the second one they are relegated to the back of the B-list.

Frankly, at this point we have a solid full table of regs. It is just for the occasional family vacation etc that one of the regs can’t make it and we need a fill in which is when I go to the B-list.
Does the b list know they’re on the b list?
 
Does the b list know they’re on the b list?

Yes. The majority of the A list has been playing religiously together every week for 8yrs +. Then there are three other guys who made the A list a couple years ago. The old timers never miss a game but it’s not uncommon that one of the newer younger guys can’t make it. Otherwise that is a full table.

I only host 1 table and have no desire to expand that game so it makes it pretty easy for us.
 
IMO, the last thing you want is people showing up with no seat and hanging around waiting all night.

What I did was maintain a simple Web page (www.xhost.org). At each game, we'd choose the game(s) to be played the following week, and the people there playing had priority for the following week's seats. After the game, I'd update the Web page for the next week, and it was first come-first served via email or text for any vacant seats. Worked great for many years...
 
Once my table is full, I will stop accepting RSVPs and put them on a wait list. Both lists are first come, first serve. If I get a last minute cancellation, I will message the first person on the wait list and go down the list until I find a replacement. If someone just shows up out of the blue (this has never happened to me that I can remember), they are sh*t out of luck until someone at the table decides to leave. I wouldn't feel bad at all about them standing around and waiting since they couldn't even find the time to message me that they were coming. Next time, they should know to message ahead if they want a seat.

I wish I had the problem of too many people :( Usually, I'm struggling to get 8 guys together. None of my closer friends play poker and most of my regulars are out of the city. Once everything starts opening up again, I will try to get to networking and finding some more players if I can.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. Seems the consensus is to let players RSVP instead of first come first serve. I do have my "a-list" players like Eloe2000 does that I'll start giving priority too. I did have some issues with RSVP's, but that was when my invite list was smaller. I would send out invites a week beforehand and then a day before some of them would flake and say they can't make it, leaving me scrambling to find players for a game.

Now that my list is a little bigger, it does make sense to have players RSVP.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. Seems the consensus is to let players RSVP instead of first come first serve. I do have my "a-list" players like Eloe2000 does that I'll start giving priority too. I did have some issues with RSVP's, but that was when my invite list was smaller. I would send out invites a week beforehand and then a day before some of them would flake and say they can't make it, leaving me scrambling to find players for a game.

Now that my list is a little bigger, it does make sense to have players RSVP.

I would make the RSVP window shorter and closer to the actual day. And then let them know there is a penalty for no-showing.
 
If you have a way to squeeze in a second shorthanded game (coffee table, etc.) then the extras can do their own sit n go or circus games while they're waiting.
 
I'm hosting tonight, and just got a cancel from someone who is only a few sessions into my live game.

BACK OF THE LIST, BUD. BACK OF THE LIST.
 
Does the b list know they’re on the b list?
I’ve been on the B list before. No problem. I know I’m a new guy and I’m just happy to get an occasional chance to play
 
I have a list of ~20 people that I'll send a text to when I'm hosting. Just recently I had 12 players come, so 4 had to sit out. I gave seats for first come first serve. I expected exactly a full table, based on texts, but the extras came unexpectedly. I hosted from 8 pm - 1 am, and the 4 couldn't play a hand until 12 (when some of the players busted and left).

Okay so you had 8 responses asking for a seat and then on top of that four players came that didn't respond. So what you have to me is an issue where your players don't understand the courtesy of a response is critical to the host. It's actually very rude to show up without a response.

At the same time, it's also a mistake for the host to seat anyone before a player with an RSVP has an opportunity to sit.

So you really need to smooth this over with your player base. At a minimum you need to communicate this assuming your "full table" is 8 players.

1) Only the first 8 players (or 7 aside from the host if you are playing) that respond to the announcement are guaranteed seats. Anyone else that shows up is on a waitlist. (you can prioritize those that respond on the waitlist over anyone that just "shows up" also.)

2) After that players are on a wait list and may be seated if a reserved player doesn't show after x minutes. (Say 30? ) Other players have to wait until seats open up.

So both sides made mistakes here. Nobody should just be showing up at your house without a response. But the host should never be seating players that didn't respond over those that did unless those reserving seats have no-showed.

Hope this helps,
 
Keep it simple
I send out invites day before
Poker core first(VIPs)(9am)
Then rd one(11am)
Rd 2(3pm)
Rest (6pm)
Example
3564418C-D0FC-4E10-AE1B-87C822D948A8.png
Send out text asking for alternatives when I receive 8 rsvps
 
At the same time, it's also a mistake for the host to seat anyone before a player with an RSVP has an opportunity to sit.
I should've worded myself a bit better. The first 8 players that RSVP'd/texted me all came early, so they were able to sit. Granted, I didn't really "save" seats (because I thought I'd have no overflow players). The 4 players (that did not text me to let me know they were coming until like 30 minutes before they showed up or no text at all) that came later were subject to first come first serve in the waitlist.
 
I should've worded myself a bit better. The first 8 players that RSVP'd/texted me all came early, so they were able to sit. Granted, I didn't really "save" seats (because I thought I'd have no overflow players). The 4 players (that did not text me to let me know they were coming until like 30 minutes before they showed up or no text at all) that came later were subject to first come first serve in the waitlist.
Ah then you actually handled this correctly :).

Good job!

And now you have set the precedent that RSVP matters :). One additional thing to help that others have suggested is that once you have your 8, you e-mail that list out and let people know that responses are only being taken for the waitlist.
 
I’ve been on the B list before. No problem. I know I’m a new guy and I’m just happy to get an occasional chance to play
I also know that I am on the B list for some home games. I know there are a few games in the surrounding area that have a decently big list of players in the city that get the invite first. I will occasionally get an invite to these games when there's not enough people in town to play. I completely understand though. They've been playing together longer and I'm the newer guy, so obviously they get the invite first.
 
I have an 1A list that include the 6 guys I want to play circus cash with. They get first grabs.

My 1B list has the same 6 guys, plus another 16 to give me a total of 22 (+ me) the first grab at my 20 seats. I then email the B list to fill the remaining spots (if any).

I use signup genius and have a spot for a wait-list.
 
I’ve been on the B list before. No problem. I know I’m a new guy and I’m just happy to get an occasional chance to play
Yeah, I am a B list guy as well. Poker is awesome, but family is awesomer.
 
IMO, those with invites who replied to confirm (RSVP) should get a seat. No RSVP, no guaranteed seat. Once the RSVP list fills the table, text everyone else that if they show up they are welcome to join the wait list. Use FOMO to get people to confirm.
This is the way.
 
How do you guys handle the sitouts when you guys have a full table? I haven't had this issue until recently.

I have a list of ~20 people that I'll send a text to when I'm hosting. Just recently I had 12 players come, so 4 had to sit out. I gave seats for first come first serve. I expected exactly a full table, based on texts, but the extras came unexpectedly. I hosted from 8 pm - 1 am, and the 4 couldn't play a hand until 12 (when some of the players busted and left).

By 12 am, the others are usually tired and the game breaks soon after. the 4 players are left somewhat dissatisfied/feeling like they wasted their time.

Obviously want to keep players happy so I have a strong list. Other than adding another table, is how I ran the game the second best option?
If I RSVPd, showed up on time, and still didn't have a seat behind 4 people who didn't RSVP, I'd be highly upset. When somebody RSVPs, it's up to you to tell them they may not have a seat if that's the case. Otherwise, a player can reasonably expect they will get to play when they arrive on time.
 

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