Cash Game New to this (2 Viewers)

BigSlickTux

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As mostly a tournament player, I would like to host a cash game. I've hosted only 2 cash games in my life. I have a question concerning buy-ins. The games I have hosted I've run like a casino, meaning you buy-in for whatever you want (usually $40-$50 max). You can also cash out when you want, usually with a courtesy warning (maybe 1 orbit). After reading many posts on here, it sounds like a lot of you have a set buy-in for cash games. Am I reading that right? For example, everyone buys in for $20 and when you bust out you can re-buy for another twenty.
 
Most NL/PL games have a min/max buy-in. Most limit games do not.

Not everyone needs to buy in for the same amount. Most in my core group (25c/50c NL) buy in for $60, a few buy in for $20-$40, and a few buy in for the max ($100).

I don't know that I've experienced a cash game that *doesn't* allow re-buys.

I don't require giving notice before leaving for the night but most players in my game know that it's the "decent" thing to do and give an orbit or two notice. Nothing worse than a hit-n-run after dragging a huge pot in a home game. Those people definitely drop down a tier (or two) on the invite list for sure.
 
Some people do, and it's utter nonsense.
Set a maximum and a minimum that your players will be comfortable with, and that will allow for a good game. You might want the rebuy maximum to be more, like up to the biggest stack or up to half of the biggest stack or something like that. And yeah, people can leave when they please. If they win and giant pot and run off, don't invite them back.
 
For my 25c/50c NLHE cash game, I allow $40 min / $100 max buy in. I allow rebuys up to $200. I used to do the whole "up to the largest stack" thing, but one player (more experienced than most of the group... and not a regular) was willing to stack off and rebuy to the largest stack, multiple times a night. While I didn't have an issue with these actions, there were grumblings amongst my regulars. I instituted the $200 rebuy rule and it fixed the "issue."
 
Just set a min-max buy in IMO. For the group I host, it's always ~50bb min up to 100bb to 200bb max depending on stakes.

My players pretty much all like to buy in for $10 so if we play 5c/10c I'll set min-max to $5-20. If we play 10c/20c I'll set it to $10-20. If we play 10c/25c it'll be $10-25.

Even if I set the max usually they will buy in for 10 at a time. I've seen someone rebuy $10 up to 4 times playing 20NL. They generally are comfortable playing with $10 at a time I guess, even if there's up to $150 on the table after a few reloads.
 
Vast majority of cash games (the good ones at least) let player buy-in for whatever amount between the min and max buy-in. As well as chip up anytime between hands for any amount up to the max buy-in.

Games that require players to go broke to reload suck and are probably tournament players trying to play cash without knowing how.
 
No minimum at my game. Most guys buy in for the max anyways. Rebuys can be up to half the deep stack. Honestly, only a couple of us will take advantage of that. Most just rebuy for 100 (which is my initial max buy in.

You don't have to lose all your money to rebuy/add on. I have players that if they lose 20 bucks will immediately top off to get back to 100. Other guys will wait and lose it all before rebuying. Doesn't matter to me.

I love hosting cash games. IMO, its much easier than hosting a tourney. A few guys inevitably show up late, some leave early.

Since most of my guys buy in for the max. I preset my starting stacks to make the start of the game a little easier.
 
everyone buys in for $20 and when you bust out you can re-buy for another twenty.
In casino games and other home cash games, players can re-buy or add on at anytime between hands, up to the maximum buy-in allowed.

So if someone with $20 loses an all-in pot to someone with $18, the player now with a $2 stack doesn't have to play the next hand with a short stack -- he can add-on up to the max. (or to $20, or add on $10, or really to any amount in-between the min and max buy-in allowed.)
 
Rebuys up to the largest stack has always been an unwritten rule at my game. I've never had a problem with people complaining, but maybe that's because my poker buddies are degens :ROFL: :ROFLMAO::ROFL: :ROFLMAO::ROFL: :ROFLMAO:
 
So if someone with $20 loses an all-in pot to someone with $18, the player now with a $2 stack doesn't have to play the next hand with a short stack -- he can add-on up to the max. (or to $20, or add on $10, or really to any amount in-between the min and max buy-in allowed.)
This makes sense. Sounds like I'll keep doing what I've been doing with a few minor changes. Again, thanks for all the replies.
 
No minimum at my game. Most guys buy in for the max anyways. Rebuys can be up to half the deep stack. Honestly, only a couple of us will take advantage of that. Most just rebuy for 100 (which is my initial max buy in.

You don't have to lose all your money to rebuy/add on. I have players that if they lose 20 bucks will immediately top off to get back to 100. Other guys will wait and lose it all before rebuying. Doesn't matter to me.

I love hosting cash games. IMO, its much easier than hosting a tourney. A few guys inevitably show up late, some leave early.

Since most of my guys buy in for the max. I preset my starting stacks to make the start of the game a little easier.

I'm a ditto on this approach.
 
In my cash game, we have a set buy-in amount and a minimum cash out time. I know, I know... I'll catch some flack for this, but I'll defend it until my dying breath. The structure of my game is derived from the preferences of the group (fourteen strong). I'm constantly running ideas by them to make the game as cozy as possible. We're all friends, so I don't want anyone to stop coming to the game because of something I unilaterally decided. Everyone has a stake, so to speak.

The set buy-in amount comes from the players preferring to start out with the same amount in chips. They know that if there's a min/max range, the more aggressive players (ahem, me) will buy in for the max and try to bully. We regularly play 25c/25c, $30 buy-in, with 25c/50c, $50 buy-in sprinkled once or twice during the calendar year for kicks. There's no rebuying up to a certain % of the largest stack because I don't want to deal with that hassle. Rebuys are up to the original buy-in amount. All of the players either voted for this structure or had no preference. It's worked flawlessly for us for three years and running.

As for the minimum cash out time, not only is it to prevent the hit-n-run (not that I think anyone in my group would do it, but you never know), but it also guarantees a nice evening. There's nothing worse than to start with eight players but then drop to five after an hour. The action would be crippled, the players would begin to lose interest, they may not want to come back for future games, etc. For the host (me), setting up the game wouldn't be worth the work if it fell to four to five-handed after a short while. Sure, you can not invite them back if they bounced early, but it's hard enough to find players (amirite?). We're coming together to have fun (first) playing poker (second). I want my guests to have fun as long as possible, so I try to ensure a minimum amount of time for that. This has also worked flawlessly with zero complaints (even from the weekly casino reg who joins us). Also, it's uncommon when players cash out as soon as the minimum time expires (three hours for my game). They just genuinely want to hang around and pass the time.

IMO, announcing a courtesy orbit or two is nothing, really. I would just get out of my seat and watch the game until the orbits are completed. I'll gladly lose the blinds to keep my stack safe. I know that after giving notice, the other players would be gunning for my stack like sharks. No, thank you.
 
I agree with most of the above. We have pretty flexible rules. The only thing I didn't see is for the rebuys. For our cash game we allow much higher rebuys in case you bust out. up to 2 times your buyins or 75% of the big stack.
 
in my game buy-ins are uncapped. Bullying is not relevant unless you are playing a tourney. If I have 30 in front of me it doesn't matter if my opponent has 30 or 400...same effective money in play.
 
Vast majority of cash games (the good ones at least) let player buy-in for whatever amount between the min and max buy-in. As well as chip up anytime between hands for any amount up to the max buy-in.

Games that require players to go broke to reload suck and are probably tournament players trying to play cash without knowing how.

^^^^
This

I play in a couple different versions.
Low end one is $.50/$1.00 no limit with a $40 original buy in. You can re-buy if under $10. You can re-buy for 2x's your nightly investment. So your 1st re-buy is up to $80, second is $240 if you have maxed your 1st two buys. really turns into a matter of pride to have $150 in front of you and only using your 1st buy-in. We play from 7pm until midnight and no one cashes out until midnight. This is super goofy for a cash game, but it seems to fit this crew and i keep showing up to the game.

The other is more of a traditional cash game
$1/$2 no limit no min and no max. Experienced folks show up for this game so we buy in with $100 to $300 each with the vast majority between $200 and $300. reloads are allowed any time, re-buys are traditionally from $100 to $300. No rule about hit and run however we will give you some serious crap for it. Courtesy warning of " I'm leaving at 11p.m." or some other half hour plus warning is nice.

JO
 
. If I have 30 in front of me it doesn't matter if my opponent has 30 or 400...same effective money in play.

Maybe same effective money. I disagree that it doesn't matter. Have to run, grandson is hollering at me.
 
I have to disagree with same effective money, as well. If I have 30 and villain has 400, what is stopping him from shoving on me and putting my entire stack at risk?
 
I have to disagree with same effective money, as well. If I have 30 and villain has 400, what is stopping him from shoving on me and putting my entire stack at risk?

Bad cards? If someone did this it would be easy to exploit them. Just wait for a good hand and then call.

If hero has 30 and villain has 30 can villain bully you? If villain has 30, 50, or 400 it makes no difference. Effective money in play is all that matters. Why would anyone care by how much villain has you covered ...?

The concept of big stacks bullying is from tournament poker. In a tourney the big stack can actually bully because he can afford to lose big hands or "all ins" as he still has more chips behind whereas his opponent is playing for his tournament life.

Each dollar has the same value. If someone has 400 behind the reason he won't shove at random is because he is scared of losing 30 dollars to you. Perhaps you wrongly assume that someone with 400 behind doesn't care about 30 bucks?
 
That makes sense. I am usually just a tournament player. See, I have so much to learn about cash. Thanks.
 
in my game buy-ins are uncapped. Bullying is not relevant unless you are playing a tourney. If I have 30 in front of me it doesn't matter if my opponent has 30 or 400...same effective money in play.

I totally disagree with this. This has actually become a problem with my $1/2NL game and I just posted on another thread about it

Casinos set a min max buyin based on the blinds. That is what I would recommend. If your game is NL the size of the buy in will start to dictate the betting size. For example the min max for $1/2 NL at Borgata is $60 and $300. I allow that but used to only allow $200 and most used to just cash in for $150. Now many cash in for the max and the game has completely changed. Opening raises are larger as are the bets.

A $.25/.50NL with a $300 with end up playing the same as the $1/2 with the possibility of more people seeing a flop. I'm going to change my max buy in to $220 because we are scaring some of the players away with the bet size and swings.

Most pros recommend 200 big blinds as a buy in anyway. Obviously if it's a limit game the buyin doesn't really matter.

Glad you are getting into cash. I always felt cash is real poker anyway
 
Lemon, one issue is that the $400 stack player isn’t risking much to draw out against you..., granted, they’re not getting good implied odds either... ultimately, if you’re deeper, you have more power, and more options. You’re aggression means more.
 
Lemon, one issue is that the $400 stack player isn’t risking much to draw out against you..., granted, they’re not getting good implied odds either... ultimately, if you’re deeper, you have more power, and more options. You’re aggression means more.

Sure they are. They are risking 30 dollars. Every dollar has intrinsic (er the same) value.

If one person is deep and one person is short then what type of game is it? It is clearly a short stacked game...
 
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I totally disagree with this. This has actually become a problem with my $1/2NL game and I just posted on another thread about it

Casinos set a min max buyin based on the blinds. That is what I would recommend. If your game is NL the size of the buy in will start to dictate the betting size. For example the min max for $1/2 NL at Borgata is $60 and $300. I allow that but used to only allow $200 and most used to just cash in for $150. Now many cash in for the max and the game has completely changed. Opening raises are larger as are the bets.

A $.25/.50NL with a $300 with end up playing the same as the $1/2 with the possibility of more people seeing a flop. I'm going to change my max buy in to $220 because we are scaring some of the players away with the bet size and swings.

Most pros recommend 200 big blinds as a buy in anyway. Obviously if it's a limit game the buyin doesn't really matter.

Glad you are getting into cash. I always felt cash is real poker anyway

Sure and this is valid. If you allow uncapped buy ins then you do run the risk of your game just playing substantially bigger.

What I am saying is if you sit at a table of 6 guys with 30 bucks and the 7th guy buys in for 400 he won't bully the table anymore than if he bought in for 30 or 35.
 
Perhaps you wrongly assume that someone with 400 behind doesn't care about 30 bucks?
In my experience, generally they do not. After all, it’s not $30, it’s x big blinds. And this guy’s got 13x big blinds. So, although nobody WANTS to give away 8% of their stack, they are willing to make bets to win money, and they’re not sitting around worrying about thirty bucks.
 
A guy who my friend introduced to poker and our group ended up becoming proficient enough in the game to quit his job and play for a living which he still does 10 years later.

When he would play in our post tourney cash games that would start he would alway cash in for $300 when most were in for in for $100. No one bothered to set a limit so he would start to bully the table. My one friend used to love to get under his skin and when he would make it to the cash game he would point to that guy and say "how much do you have in your stack." If he said "$345" my friend would say to the banker "give me $345". A few others would do the same thing :LOL: :laugh: He used to get visibly annoyed as he was now being bullyied in a way. He would usually leave the game within the next hour or less.

He still played in our $100 tourneys and some $1/2 cash games even though he played online $5/10NL for a living. He did well in tourneys but so many were focused on beating him in the cash games he usually couldn't make it profitable
 
Sure they are. They are risking 30 dollars. Every dollar has intrinsic (er the same) value.

If one person is deep and one person is short then what type of game is it? It is clearly a short stacked game...

You’re missing the point... the guy with $30 has little to NO power to capitalize on timed strategic betting (bluffing). Hard to bluff a monster stack. Also when the $30 stack gets a monster hand, they’re only making $30...

And since you’re essentially playing for stacks every hand, it narrows your range.
 
You’re missing the point... the guy with $30 has little to NO power to capitalize on timed strategic betting (bluffing). Hard to bluff a monster stack. Also when the $30 stack gets a monster hand, they’re only making $30...

And since you’re essentially playing for stacks every hand, it narrows your range.

If you only have 15-30 big blinds, you shouldn't have fold equity vs any stack...short or large. You are essentially playing for stacks every hand. That's fine if that's what you want to do...it makes decisions a lot easier. If you want to play a wider range you need to have a larger stack to allow for more strategic play (semi-bluffs, bluffs, overbets, etc)

In a cash game, the only thing that matters is effective stacks. If you have 400bb and the other guy has 12bb, you should narrow your range accordingly because you have as little fold equity against him as he has against you.

An effective short stack strategy is to play strong hands and be prepared to get it in with good equity pre flop or on the flop. Can't go much further than that barring some extremely small bet sizing. It makes decisions much easier, but I'd also argue that it makes poker boring.
 
Sure and this is valid. If you allow uncapped buy ins then you do run the risk of your game just playing substantially bigger.

By a similar token, my micro stakes (5c/10c) home games tend to play very large (in big blind values). 5x becomes the standard raise pre-flop and gets many callers because it's "just 50c" and nobody is thinking in terms of big blinds. $3-4 flop continuation bets (1/2 - 3/4 pot sized) quickly balloon the pot and it's not uncommon for 100-150bb pots to move back and forth with regularity. This also happens because many of the players buy in with $20 and there are multiple rebuys.
 

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